1254 Godzilla vs. Biollante

[domino harvey]

TK

[soundchaser]

I haven’t seen any of the Heisei era Godzillas, but my understanding is they’re all sort of linked? Why would you do a box set for Showa but not these?

[midnitedave]

I haven’t seen any of the Heisei era Godzillas, but my understanding is they’re all sort of linked? Why would you do a box set for Showa but not these?

You're correct, all the Heisei era Godzillas follow a story arc with reoccurring characters. I suspect since the rights for Biollante were tied up with Miramax, there may have been a limitation preventing it from being included with a boxset (please correct me if I'm mistaken, anyone). Additionally, since this was the sole Heisei era title to be OOP, it makes it a no-brainer to release ASAP.

Update: Correction, Biollante isn't the only Heisei era title to be OOP but it was fetching the highest prices on eBay. So, demand was up there.

[yoloswegmaster]

Criterion/Janus only have the rights to the first 4 titles in the Heisei-era series, but only 1 other film from those 4 besides Biollante has received a 4K restoration (Return of Godzilla). Sony's rights for the rest of the Heisei-era films were supposed to expire last year but I suspect they have a longer hold on it then expected.

[dwk]

This one briefly had a Blu-ray from Echo Bridge and then Lionsgate before Miramax's rights expired. A lot of people never got one, so it makes sense that it is getting a solo release.

[knives]

This isn’t a great Godzilla film, but it’s still very good with a lot to offer from a viewing.

[CSM126]

I have the Echo Bridge disc (and had no idea it was rare). I like this movie. It’s bonkers for sure but that’s in a good, entertaining way. The creature itself is lovely and imaginative. The extras sound good (a new commentary is a nice surprise), so I might scoop this up some day.

[yoloswegmaster]

Per Jim Cirronella, the English dub will not be added to this release due to Toho

[EddieLarkin]

What is the logic here? There is only one Biollante English dub and it was commissioned by Toho themselves. It is not like many of the Showa era films, which had both "official" Toho English dubs and separate USA dubs, the latter of which Toho would like to see buried forever.

And of course, Toho allowed the previous Blu-ray to carry it.

[Orlac]

Maybe the problem is that it was on the previous blu-ray? Toho wouldn't let Criterion have the dubs for the three titles Kraken had previously released either - lord knows why.

[sabbath]

From the other forum:

The thing is, Toho commissioned that dub and gave it to Miramax. They should technically own it. Either Miramax never sent back the dub elements or this is some weird case like the dubs for Ebirah/Hedorah/Gigan being allowed on the Kraken Blu-rays but not Criterion's. (original post)

Once again, Miramax's rights expired and GvB is individual because it's the only Heisei film Toho has a 4K transfer for ATM. Had Paramount still control GvB, Criterion probably would have included the dub and more extras since Toho's only involvement was supplying the transfer like they did for the Echo Bridge release.

As for Toho's exclusion of dubs, the vast majority they originally commissioned in Hong Kong, its down to them not having available elements and in some cases the ownership rights being held by different companies (despite long loosing their rights to the films themselves).

The real reason why Godzilla 1985 can't be included on modern releases is because Toho owns the Godzilla property including any reedits and adaptations, but does not own things used that are still under copyright. Meanwhile, Lakeshore Entertainment (who controls the post-1984 catalog of distributor New World Pictures) owns the score that was lifted from another New World title called Def-Con-4 but not the rights to the adaptation itself. (original post)

[Orlac]

From the other forum:

The thing is, Toho commissioned that dub and gave it to Miramax. They should technically own it. Either Miramax never sent back the dub elements or this is some weird case like the dubs for Ebirah/Hedorah/Gigan being allowed on the Kraken Blu-rays but not Criterion's. (original post)

Once again, Miramax's rights expired and GvB is individual because it's the only Heisei film Toho has a 4K transfer for ATM. Had Paramount still control GvB, Criterion probably would have included the dub and more extras since Toho's only involvement was supplying the transfer like they did for the Echo Bridge release.

As for Toho's exclusion of dubs, the vast majority they originally commissioned in Hong Kong, its down to them not having available elements and in some cases the ownership rights being held by different companies (despite long loosing their rights to the films themselves).

The real reason why Godzilla 1985 can't be included on modern releases is because Toho owns the Godzilla property including any reedits and adaptations, but does not own things used that are still under copyright. Meanwhile, Lakeshore Entertainment (who controls the post-1984 catalog of distributor New World Pictures) owns the score that was lifted from another New World title called Def-Con-4 but not the rights to the adaptation itself. (original post)

Unless there is something weird in the contract with Miramax, Toho probably should have rights to the dub as they created it.

Mind you, Toho's handling of the dubs they give companies is a bit weird at times. On the 2016 Kraken release of RETURN OF GODZILLA, the film before BIOLLANTE, the dub is Toho's English dub from the time of the film's creation, but it's a new mix welding the dub to the music-and-effects track from the Japanese stereo release, rather than the mono track (preserved on the 1998 UK VHS) as originally created. Some sound effects and music cues are different including Godzi

Spoiler

lla's "dying scream."

[Orlac]

From the other forum:

The thing is, Toho commissioned that dub and gave it to Miramax. They should technically own it. Either Miramax never sent back the dub elements or this is some weird case like the dubs for Ebirah/Hedorah/Gigan being allowed on the Kraken Blu-rays but not Criterion's. (original post)

Once again, Miramax's rights expired and GvB is individual because it's the only Heisei film Toho has a 4K transfer for ATM. Had Paramount still control GvB, Criterion probably would have included the dub and more extras since Toho's only involvement was supplying the transfer like they did for the Echo Bridge release.

As for Toho's exclusion of dubs, the vast majority they originally commissioned in Hong Kong, its down to them not having available elements and in some cases the ownership rights being held by different companies (despite long loosing their rights to the films themselves).

The real reason why Godzilla 1985 can't be included on modern releases is because Toho owns the Godzilla property including any reedits and adaptations, but does not own things used that are still under copyright. Meanwhile, Lakeshore Entertainment (who controls the post-1984 catalog of distributor New World Pictures) owns the score that was lifted from another New World title called Def-Con-4 but not the rights to the adaptation itself. (original post)

Unless there is something weird in the contract with Miramax, Toho probably should have rights to the dub as they created it.

Mind you, Toho's handling of the dubs they give companies is a bit weird at times. On the 2016 Kraken release of RETURN OF GODZILLA, the film before BIOLLANTE, the dub is Toho's English dub from the time of the film's creation, but it's a new mix welding the dub to the music-and-effects track from the Japanese stereo release, rather than the mono track (preserved on the 1998 UK VHS) as originally created. Some sound effects and music cues are different including Godzi

Spoiler

lla's "dying scream."

[Orlac]

I haven’t seen any of the Heisei era Godzillas, but my understanding is they’re all sort of linked? Why would you do a box set for Showa but not these?

You're correct, all the Heisei era Godzillas follow a story arc with reoccurring characters. I suspect since the rights for Biollante were tied up with Miramax, there may have been a limitation preventing it from being included with a boxset (please correct me if I'm mistaken, anyone). Additionally, since this was the sole Heisei era title to be OOP, it makes it a no-brainer to release ASAP.

Update: Correction, Biollante isn't the only Heisei era title to be OOP but it was fetching the highest prices on eBay. So, demand was up there.

In the UK, the only Heiseis on VHS was the 1984 RETURN OF GODZILLA, then VS KING GHIDORAH and VS MOTHRA. Therefore, it was very odd to me when about an hour into the second (i.e. third) movie, they suddenly started talking about a prominent character having a psychic link with Godzilla, which was established in BIOLLANTE.

Also, Manga Video, who released the two VS films in the UK, clearly didn't watch the films, as their trailers and video sleeve blurbs have Godzilla as the hero!

Will the earth be ripped apart by Mothra, or will Godzilla once more save the day?

[ComradeMisato]

Reviving kind of an old thread, but have there been any other cases of "New English subtitle translations" not really being new? The subs on this release are a moderately cleaned-up version of the earlier Criterion Channel/Janus theatrical subs, which were themselves some kind of variation on the same basic text as the Echo Bridge subs, which are largely based on, or somehow related to, the English dub.

[omegadirective]

Holy crap this movies looks good on 4K.
I've never seen it before, and it did look a little over-white balanced, but guess that's how they want it to look.
But holy crap its a sharp image.