This disk from Classic Media contains both the original Japanese film which was released in 1955 and the dubbed version that appeared in US theaters in 1959. Each of these versions offer a distinctly different experience, neither one being terribly satisfying. The original version is the most successful, delivering a monster film that still retains the somber tone of Gojira, while the American version contains some of the worst dubbing and other meddling that I have yet encountered.
Soon enough Godzilla makes landfall with Anguirus on his tale. They battle through Osaka, destroying everything in sight while the military throws everything they have at them. The battle is a vicious one which leaves Anguirus at the bottom of the bay and the military still wondering what they can do about Godzilla. No, I won't give away the ending, but I am sure you have an idea of where they are heading.
In addition to the narration, this version is saddled with tons of stock music replacing the original score, as well as some really poor quality stock footage. So, while there is only a two and a half minute difference in runtime between the two, there is considerable difference in the visual content. The dubbing is poorly done, it seems the script was rewritten with words aimed at matching the actors mouth movements rather than for content, oftentimes the monsters names were flipped and switched around, making keeoing them straight something of a chore. In addition to that, Godzilla's, sorry Gigantis', roar was different everytime. There were only a couple of times where the classic Godzilla roar can be heard.
After watching that abomination, I immediately switched over to the Japanese version to help clear the bad taste away. Fortunately, that did the trick, sort of. It is clearly the preferred version of the film, lacking in the nonsensical name switching, cringe inducing narration, roaring issues, and lousy stock footage. Still, the film is not without its problems. I just never get any real connection to the human characters, and the story is like two running parallel rather than a single unit. There is the personal story of the delayed wedding with the pilot, and then there is the Godzilla attack.
Audio/Video. Neither is perfect, they both show the signs of age. Still, they are the best representations of the film that I have ever witnessed. It is presented in its OAR of 1.33:1 and the audio is a mono track.
Extras. They are limited, but worth it.
- Poster Slideshow. A brief look at the posters used during promotion.
- Art of Suit Acting. This featurette gives background information the suits and the people in them during the initial wave of TOHO monsters.
- Commentary with Steve Ryfle. His speaking style is a little dry, but there is no denying how good of a track this is. It runs with the American version. It covers differences between the two versions, details of an aborted Volcano Monster movie, rare radio commercials, and other trivia. This is a first rate track loaded with information about the film and those involved. This is a must listen.
Bottomline. This is the DVD that fans have been waiting for. It may not be near the top of my list of favorite Godzilla movies, but it is a DVD I am glad to have within my clutches. It is fun in a cheesey way, and hints at the heights yet to come.
Mildly Recommended.
The DVD is available exclusively through Classic Media. It will be available in retail outlets in the Spring of 2007.