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 the nonsensical name switching, cringe inducing narration, roaring issues, and lousy stock footage. Still, the film is not without its problems. I just never felt any real connection to the human characters, and the story is more like two separate stories running parallel rather than a single cohesive one. There is the personal story of the delayed wedding with one of the pilots and then there is the Godzilla attack.
Audio/Video: Neither is perfect, they both show the signs of age. Still, they are the best presentations of the film that I have ever witnessed. It is presented in its original aspect ratio 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 on 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 of the movie 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 in my clutches. It is fun in a cheesy 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.
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