594, 1000 Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954-1975

[CSM126]

Until last night, I hadn't seen King of the Monsters since I was a kid - and my goodness what an experience it was. It's undeniably a truly awful film, but it reaches the heights of hilarious badness. Raymond Burr's performance is a gem - his reaction to Godzilla never amounts to more than mild annoyance and a flick of his pipe, even while the Japanese are running and screaming, and it's just so absurd that I found myself howling with laughter every time. His very lack of reaction, and his general witlessness, remind me a lot of Puddy from Seinfeld somehow (there's even a mild physical resemblance)... it leads me to wonder. I also love the dubbing: best moment is when Ogata begs Sarizawa to use the Oxygen Destroyer and Sarizawa, while having a wildly physical reaction (jumping to his feet, dramatically swooshing his jacket as he turns to run away, face all contorted), is heard to say only a mildly curt "No". It's ridiculous.

I suppose I should be appalled at how King of the Monsters makes a mockery of Honda's masterpiece, but the charming badness of it wins me over. Even in a world with Equinox and The Blob, I still find it kind of amazing that a label like Criterion has released a goofy piece of schlock like this, but I'm glad to have it on a blu-ray like this. The transfer is almost shamefully good, and Kalat's commentary is excellent as well. Tremendous presentation.

[Orlac]

Raymond Burr's performance is a gem - his reaction to Godzilla never amounts to more than mild annoyance and a flick of his pipe, even while the Japanese are running and screaming, and it's just so absurd that I found myself howling with laughter every time.

There's a brilliant Pinky And The Brain episode where the two mice confront a big green Tokyo destroying dinosaur called Gollyzilla, and every so often the episode cuts away to a Burr look-alike in front of a curtain going "Hmm...yes I see...."

Personally I think Burr manages well in the film (unlike the feeble feudal Japanese peasant who is supposed to be a 20th century fisherman that he interviews!). He's certainly better than the awful joker Michael Keith, who gummed up the US version of King Kong Vs Godzilla.

[domino harvey]

Hot Weather in Richmond this Weekend

[manicsounds]

Hot Weather in Richmond this Weekend

Glad I'm not there... but my girlfriend is currently there. Poor her...

I finally received the Godzilla Criterion, and that little 'pop-up' made me chuckle very gladly. It was a nice surprise I didn't expect. Extras score went up one point.

[manicsounds]

I noticed on the Criterion disc that around the 50-minute mark there is a jump cut when Emiko stands up. I checked the BFI disc and it's also the same.

[John Pannozzi]

Don't have the CC version of Godzilla, but I heard from I think August Ragone that Kalat made some mistakes in his Ghidorah commentary.

[Orlac]

Ragone's just jealous he can't do a commentary that is more than just an endless list of credits. He is an egotistical jerk on various forums.

[EddieLarkin]

The commentary featured on this disc won a Rondo Award last month.

David Kalat's acceptance speech

[swo17]

Like everyone else that matters, he reads the forum:

When Criterion posted the announcement for [my 20th commentary], Ernst Lubitsch’s To Be Or Not To Be, someone on their forum bizarrely called me the Jay-Z of audio commentaries, which delighted my wife Julie to no end because that makes her the Beyoncé of audio commentaries!

[ryannichols7]

Like everyone else that matters, he reads the forum:

When Criterion posted the announcement for [my 20th commentary], Ernst Lubitsch’s To Be Or Not To Be, someone on their forum bizarrely called me the Jay-Z of audio commentaries, which delighted my wife Julie to no end because that makes her the Beyoncé of audio commentaries!

holy shit.

that's like the coolest recognition I've ever gotten

[TMDaines]

Like everyone else that matters, he reads the forum:

When Criterion posted the announcement for [my 20th commentary], Ernst Lubitsch’s To Be Or Not To Be, someone on their forum bizarrely called me the Jay-Z of audio commentaries, which delighted my wife Julie to no end because that makes her the Beyoncé of audio commentaries!

holy shit.

that's like the coolest recognition I've ever gotten

Wait until Jay-Z name-drops you on his next album.

[Frumaster]

Wait, are all 20 of those unique? What about the Testament of Dr. Mabuse MoC vs Criterion... different or the same?

[domino harvey]

Different, and the 1000 Eyes of Dr Mabuse was different on the All Day Entertainment disc too

[matrixschmatrix]

The commentary featured on this disc won a Rondo Award last month.

David Kalat's acceptance speech

That may be the most adorable thing I've ever seen.

[Anthony]

That was great. But I never realized Mr. Kalat was so young. Ohhhh, the precocious youth of today...

[Evan]

Hey guys, just thought I'd give my two bits here.

This Criterion blu-ray was the second one I got (first being Scorsese's Last Temptation). It was something of a pleasing experience. Picture quality was great, with a cleaned up picture AND a picture that (unlike the Classic Media DVD thankfully) isn't brightened up so as to get rid of the film flicker that's present.

What I appreciate most though (ontop of a great interview with Yoshio Irie and Eizo Kaimai, which for a long time fan of kaiju eiga revealed production details that were new to me) was the subtitle translation. There is the occasional unsubtitled bit of dialogue, which usually happens when one can infer what the characters are saying, but that is not a subtractor really. What really makes this subtitle track the best is that it translates the dialogue in a poetic way. Japanese doesn't have exact English counter parts once you get into larger phrases, sentences, whole soliloquies, but there is a certain poetry missing from the subtitles on the Classic Media DVD which is just great. Yamane saying Godzilla was Baptized by the energy of the H-Bomb just helps reign in that feeling of doom that filmmakers like John Carpenter speak of (and I feel so little of since being a fan can get in the way of a film's attempt at atmosphere).

Now if only Criterion could add one more kaiju film to their list, GAMERA 3: INCOMPLETE STRUGGLE.

[markant]

According to the press release, this years TCM festival features a screening of the newly restored Godzilla, but from the camera negative...thought it was missing, if it's finally been found, as they specifically say camera neg, I wonder if any other missing neg's have turned up, like the 7 samurai....!

M

[manicsounds]

I also see they said they will have the premiere of the restoration of "How Green Was My Valley", which they released on Blu-ray less than a year ago. It seems like a waste to release home video versions just before a restoration from the original camera negative" is undertaken.

And you would think a story about the original Godzilla's camera negative being found would be bigger news...

[Movie-Brat]

According to the press release, this years TCM festival features a screening of the newly restored Godzilla, but from the camera negative...thought it was missing, if it's finally been found, as they specifically say camera neg, I wonder if any other missing neg's have turned up, like the 7 samurai....!

Is that right?

[bainbridgezu]

Akira Takarada filmed a scene for Gareth Edwards' upcoming remake, which has now been removed from the film. Here is a petition to reinstate his footage before the film's release. Whether of not you are interested in the new film, I would urge everyone to sign this petition, if only as a gesture of respect and appreciation for his long-standing commitment (on and off-screen) to the Godzilla character and franchise.

[manicsounds]

It's not the first time a big name cameo was shot but later dropped from the final film. It's hard to say if cutting or reinstating the footage would either improve or slow the pacing of the movie without even watching it. I'm sure if it stays cut, it will be part of the deleted scenes on DVD and Blu.

[Warren D]

Not sure if this is the right place for this but the Blu ray is on sale for $16.99 on Amazon right now.

[yoloswegmaster]

[black&huge]

Might turn out to be the big 1000

[Feego]

If Criterion announces the Godzilla set for an October release, it will also coincide with TCM's airing of (I'm guessing?) all of the classic Godzilla films every Friday that same month.