I’ve said it once and I will continue to say it as long as they don’t disappoint me. When you pick up a Criterion Collection Blu-ray/ DVD you have to savor it. Savor it as if it were a fine bottle of wine. Because whatever genre the picture is, it isn’t going to get any better than this. Rest assured Maniacs, Criterion Collection delivers again with Ishirô Honda’s Godzilla(a.k.a. Gojira, Spine #594).
When a 400 foot lizard, Godzilla, destroys several fishing boats and a village, the government calls in a young scientist, Dr. Daisuke Serizawa (Akihiko Hirata), for help. Serizawa is quick with ideas but fears his latest invention will be used not only to stop the beast but as a weapon that could bring about another world war.
Gojira came out a couple of years after World War 2 and there is this immediate fear and concern with atomic energy and radiation. Scientists were experimenting with it and people were still trying to understand it. This launched a whole new era of film. The term in Hollywood for this kind of film was called "Atomic Age" films. These films always had a scientist, a hero, and a giant creature. The incredible thing about Gojira is that it was from Japan. Here was a foreign film (circa 1954) that was completely in tone with what Hollywood was doing. However, being that the film is Japanese, the fear and concern about radiation seems to have a poignancy that doesn't exist in American films. That fear is still ever present especially with all that has happened to Japan in the last year.
Gojira was an incredible treat to watch. It wasn't like so many of the Godzilla films I had seen on Sunday mornings (guys in rubber suits destroying miniature cities). There was a love story at the heart of Gojira between Serizawa and his betrothed. These actors delivered believable performances that passed through the language barrier. However, if that language barrier is a problem for some of you Criterion has added Godzilla, King of Monsters (1956) to their Blu-ray/ DVD release to handle that problem.
The die hard fans will know what that means. For those of you who don’t (and for me too, until recently) Godzilla, King of Monsters is the “Americanized” version of Gojira. The story is slightly different and begins just minutes after the destruction of Tokyo. American journalist Steve Martin (Raymond Burr) is in town visiting a friend when the story of life time rises right in front of him. The main plot of Gojira is still present although now we see it from a journalistic point of view. Martin interacts with many of the principle characters, yet he isn’t exactly present with the actors. We see and hear dialogue from behind their heads, over the phone, or (for the most part) Martin tells the story in a voice-over narrative. It works as we witness the devastation first hand. Oddly enough this storytelling device used to get around the language barrier seems more poignant today in our media heavy culture. In watching Godzilla, King of Monsters today you’llfeel right at home as you become both witness and spectator to Martin’s news story.
The major difference to Godzilla, King of Monsters is the love triangle between Serizawa, Emiko (Momoko Kôchi) and Ogata (Akira Takarada) which has been pushed to the side. It is spoken of by Martin but is practically non-existent in relation to Gojira. It is a sad turn in the re-editing of this film as it was the unexpected surprise of Gojira.
As I mentioned earlier, a Criterion Blu-ray/ DVD should be savored like a fine bottle of wine. What makes a Criterion release last so much longer is the wealth of supplemental materials included. There is an incredible featurette detailing the matte paintings and special effects used for Gojira. Key insights are supplied by the original special effects supervisor Koichi Kawakita and special effects director Motoyoshi Tomioka. This featurette is required watching upon completion of either version of the film. You’ll wonder how they did so much with simple camera tricks. A recent (2011) interview with Japanese-film critic Tado Sato opens the doors to impact Godzilla had on Japan and the world. Sato also elaborates on the men involved and how this was the biggest thing to ever come out of Japanese cinema. With all the rich commentaries and interviews on the disc, it was the short historical documentary about the Lucky Dragon #5 sailing ship that was the unexpected surprise. No, these sailors never met their end by the hands of a giant lizard. They were only witnesses to a hydrogen bomb test on the bikini atoll whose horrific story inspired the birth of Godzilla. Finishing off this documentary is look at the actual ship remains and its final resting place.
Godzilla films definitely have their nitch in the movie culture and are not for everyone. Criterion Collection’s release of Gojira and Godzilla, King of Monsters (trailer below)is a great introduction for the uninitiated and the curious. Where does one venture after this? I’m sure Mania’s community can supply enough answers in the comment section below.
Top 5 Picks of the Week:
1. Godzilla (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]
2. Spellbound [Blu-ray]
3. Rebecca [Blu-ray]
4. Notorious [Blu-ray]
5. Wings [Blu-ray]
ACTION / ADVENTURE / KUNG FU/ THRILLERS / WESTERNS
Calgary Stampede Starring Hoot Gibson, Jim Corey and Clark Comstock
Canyon Hawks Starring Yakima Canutt and Buzz Barton
Dirty Little Trick Starring Michael Madsen, Dean Cain and Christie Burson
Essential Killing Starring Vincent Gallo, Emmanuelle Seigner and Zach Cohen
Flash Point Starring Donnie Yen, Louis Koo, Collin Chou and Bingbing Fan
Forgotten Westerns Two-Fer: The Last Gun & Now They Call Him Sacramento Starring Cameron Mitchell, Michael Forest, Fred Harrison
No Man's Law Starring Oliver Hardy and James Finlayson
Notorious [Blu-ray] Starring Claude Rains and Cary Grant
Punished Starring Anthony Wong, Richie Ren and Maggie Cheung
Rebecca [Blu-ray] Starring Laurence Olivier and George Sanders
Roger Corman's Cult Classic's Lethal Ladies Collection, Vol. 2 (The Arena, Cover Girl Models, Fly Me) Starring Pam Grier, Tara Strohmeier and Pat Anderson
Spellbound [Blu-ray]
Whistleblower Starring David Strathairn
Whistleblower [Blu-ray] Starring David Strathairn
ANIME
World God Only Knows: Complete Collection [Blu-ray]
World God Only Knows Complete Collection
CARTOONS
Scooby Doo Mystery Incorporated: Season 1 Part 2 (2012)
Ultimate Gulliver Collection (2012)
CLASSICS
Wings [Blu-ray] Starring Clara Bow, Richard Arlen, Charles "Buddy" Rogers
Wings Starring Clara Bow, Richard Arlen, Charles "Buddy" Rogers
COMEDY AND LOVE Mania Style
Annie Hall [Blu-ray] Starring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts and Carol Kane
Night Of The Dead Starring Randal Malone Ron Jeremy
The Nude Vampire (Remastered) Starring Maurice Lemaitre, Caroline Cartier, Ly Lestrong
The Nude Vampire [Blu-ray] Starring Maurice Lemaitre, Caroline Cartier, Ly Lestrong
Paranormal Activity 3 (Blu-ray/DVD Combo in Blu-ray Packaging) Starring Katie Featherston
Revenge (Katarina's Nightmare Theater) (1971) Starring Joan Collins, James Booth and Katarina Leigh Waters
Shiver of the Vampires [Blu-ray] Starring Sandra Julien, Marie-Pierre Tricot, Michel Delahaye
The Summer of Massacre [Blu-ray] Starring Brinke Stevens, Nick Principe and Cleve Hall
The Summer of Massacre Starring Brinke Stevens, Nick Principe and Cleve Hall
Woman [Blu-Ray] Starring Pollyanna McIntosh, Sean Bridgers and Angela Bettis
Woman Starring Pollyanna McIntosh, Sean Bridgers and Angela Bettis
SCIENCE FICTION / FANTASY
Real Steel (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) Starring Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly and Dakota Goyo
Real Steel (Three-Disc Combo: Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy) Starring Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly and Dakota Goyo
Real Steel Starring Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly and Dakota Goyo
Time Traveller-Girl Who Leapt Throught Time Starring Riisa Naka, Anna Ishibashi, Narumi Yasuda and Mayu Kitaki
TV LAND
Kojak: The Complete Movie Collection Starring Telly Savalas
Mannix: Sixth Season Starring Mike Connors and Ward Wood
Nip/Tuck: Complete Second Season Starring Dylan Walsh, Julian McMahon, Joely Richardson
Godzilla Criterion Collection Trailer
Robert Trate writes three weekly columns for Mania: the DVD Shopping Bag, the Toy Maniac, and The Geek Life. Follow Robert on Twitter for his for Geek ramblings, Cosplay photos and film criticisms.
Minus the abomination of Roland Emmerich's dishonorable version (MAIN REASON WHY TOHO PARTED FROM COLUMBIA TO GO WITH WARNERS), Godzilla has always been entertaining to watch. But its here with the very first film that continues to stand the test of time because it actually had a story which makes it still the finest Godzilla film and a solid classic.
While Godzilla 85' was a passable outing, it was treated as a definitive sequel to the original despite the series being turned into goofy commercializing popcorn affair with its slew of installments over the decades.
I do hope under Warners that when it is revived it can remove the bad taste of Godzilla '97, although Godzilla: Final Wars pretty much took care of that already when the REAL Godzilla owned Emmerich's version in a laughable 10 second battle which I get a kick out of rewinding over and over again as an ultimate FU to Emmerich and Columbia for screwing it up.
Though I will mark out the animated series that followed it was actually better than the movie itself .
So many amazingly awesome films being released on home video today, and all of them put together won't sell as many copies as that silly Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots movie.
I'm glad this original Godzilla classic is finally being released on bluray...however...WHEN WILL GEORGE LUCAS RELEASE WILLOW ON BLURAY WITH A NEW DOCUMENTARY AND THE LEGENDARY LOST SCENES?
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My copy of Godzilla shipped last night and if that commercial is representative of what the Bluray is gonna look like I can't wait!