Here's info from Criterion's website about their upcoming DVD and Blu-ray of Godzilla (1954). Coming to stores January 24, 2012.SYNOPSIS: Godzilla is the roaring granddaddy of all monster movies. It’s also a remarkably humane and melancholy drama made in Japan at a time when the country was still reeling from nuclear attack and H-bomb testing. Its rampaging radioactive beast, the poignant embodiment of an entire population’s fears, became a beloved international icon of destruction, spawning more than twenty sequels. This first thrilling, tactile spectacle continues to be a cult phenomenon; here, we present the original, 1954 Japanese version, along with Godzilla, King of the Monsters, the 1956 American reworking starring Raymond Burr.
Related links:Disc Features
- New high-definition digital restoration (with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition)
- Audio commentary by David Kalat (A Critical History and Filmography of Toho’s Godzilla Series)
- New high-definition digital restoration of Godzilla, King of the Monsters, Terry Morse’s 1956 reworking of the original, starring Raymond Burr
- Audio commentary for Godzilla, King of the Monsters by Kalat
- New interviews with actor Akira Takarada (Hideto Ogata), Godzilla performer Haruo Nakajima, and effects technicians Yoshio Irie and Eizo Kaimai
- Interview with legendary Godzilla score composer Akira Ifukube
- Featurette detailing Godzilla’s photographic effects
- New interview with Japanese-film critic Tadao Sato
- The Unluckiest Dragon, an illustrated audio essay featuring historian Greg Pflugfelder describing the tragic fate of the fishing vessel Daigo fukuryu maru, a real-life event that inspired Godzilla
- Theatrical trailers
- New and improved English subtitle translation
- PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic J. Hoberman
In November, Tokyo Shock follows up their new edition of Destroy All Monsters with the release of Godzilla vs. Megalon to DVD and Blu-ray:GODZILLA VS. MEGALON (1973) has been the most elusive Godzilla film in North America. This is the film that most baby-boomers saw in U.S. movie theaters and then had to rely on badly cropped VHS and DVD bootleg copies to enjoy the film thereafter. This entry features Godzilla taking on Megalon and Gigan with the help of the unforgettable growing robot, Jet Jaguar! Reportedly cut to receive a G-rating upon its U.S. release, the film was hosted by John Belushi in a Godzilla suit for its national TV premiere. Tokyo Shock will present the film uncut on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time on November 29!
"Godzilla vs. Megalon" completes the canonization of Godzilla, the creature who came from beneath the sea… to destroy Tokyo and has returned in sequels again and again to protect the land he once loathed. It's been a remarkable transformation of character- the dragon has become St. George.” – Vincent Canby, THE NEW YORK TIMESBuy Online:
Here are the hacienda, my wife and I have become big fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Over at Squidoo, I've created a page devoted to the giant monster movies that appeared on the series -- with an assortment of video clips, trailers, movie info and even a couple of polls. It also includes special sections devoted to the Gamera series and the Godzilla series, as well as movies with dinosaurs, sea monsters, giant lizards and more! (There are even links to watch several of the films free.)
Today would have been the 94th birthday of comics legend Jack Kirby (1917-1994). One of the most influential comics creators ever, Kirby was the creator or co-creator of Captain America, Fantastic Four, X-Men, the Hulk, the Silver Surfer, Thor, Black Panther, New Gods, Mister Miracle, The Forever People, Darkseid, OMAC, Kamandi, Kobra, among many others.
Now available on DVD and Blu-ray: The vérité style giant monster movie Trollhunter
, which follows a group of Norwegian film students that set out investigate a series of mysterious bear killings -- and learns there are much more dangerous things out there. The film was directed by André Øvredal, and stars Otto Jespersen, Hans Morten Hansen, and Tomas Alf Larsen.The government says there’s nothing to worry about – it’s just a problem with bears making trouble in the mountains and forests of Norway. But local hunters don’t believe it – and neither do a trio of college students who want to find out the truth. Armed with a video camera, they trail a mysterious “poacher,” who wants nothing to do with them. However, their persistence lands them straight in the path of the objects of his pursuits: trolls. They soon find themselves documenting every move of this grizzled, unlikely hero -- the trollhunter -- risking their lives to uncover the secrets of creatures only thought to exist in fairy tales.
Coming October 25 from Tokyo Shock: The Japanese-language edition of Toho's monster rally classic Destroy All Monsters!
The year is 1999, and all of Earth's monsters have been captured and detained at Ogasawara Island. All is well in the solar system until one day, a race of alien women brainwashes the monsters and releases them, causing havoc around the world. Godzilla attacks New York City, Rodan invades Moscow, Mothra lays waste to Beijing, Gorosaurus destroys Paris, and Manda attacks London!
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