Possibility of Godzilla Blu-Rays this year?

[monkeyjb1988]

I ask because:

a.) This year is Godzilla's 55th anniversery...usually one of those good times to release an older favorite film (Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind are getting their Blu-Ray releases on their 70th anniverseries).

b.) http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2...a-x-hi-vision/
Quick summary: The Godzilla films have all just been remastered in HD (We all know what this has to do Blu-Ray ).

I'm hoping this is Godzilla's Blu year. I don't think I can wait five years for Godzilla's 60th anniversery to see the big guy in HD. Plus, some of the older films need restoration. I just watched the original film (Japanese version=no Raymond Burr) and it had several scratches on the film. It was said that it was due to the special effects of the time and not the age of the film (the commentary on the DVD) but I would assume that Toho would fix that during the restoration. It certainly looks like a film that would own Blu-Ray.

Who else is hoping for everyone's favorite atomic, urban renewal reptile to make his/her bow on Blu-Ray this year?

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by monkeyjb1988

I ask because:

a.) This year is Godzilla's 55th anniversery...usually one of those good times to release an older favorite film (Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind are getting their Blu-Ray releases on their 70th anniverseries).

b.) http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2...a-x-hi-vision/
Quick summary: The Godzilla films have all just been remastered in HD (We all know what this has to do Blu-Ray ).

I'm hoping this is Godzilla's Blu year. I don't think I can wait five years for Godzilla's 60th anniversery to see the big guy in HD. Plus, some of the older films need restoration. I just watched the original film (Japanese version=no Raymond Burr) and it had several scratches on the film. It was said that it was due to the special effects of the time and not the age of the film (the commentary on the DVD) but I would assume that Toho would fix that during the restoration. It certainly looks like a film that would own Blu-Ray.

Who else is hoping for everyone's favorite atomic, urban renewal reptile to make his/her bow on Blu-Ray this year?

Count me in. The DVD book style versions from Sony were pretty fair considering the age of the original so I would think an HD master would look spiffy, even if based the same source Sony used for the DVDs.

[James Ballard]

Classic Media's DVDs in the U.S. were essentially direct transfers of Toho's Japanese discs (with additional audio tracks, subtitles, etc), most of which were released back between 2001-2003 if I recall correctly. So they're pretty good, but not great.

The recent remastering was pretty extensive. I wrote something more recently about the actual remastering process:
http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2...illa-in-focus/

I've seen a couple of the HD remasters in 720p, and they look pretty good. Waiting to see the full 1080p versions. Hoping they turn up on Blu-ray soon!

KING KONG VS. GODZILLA is a funny one. Unfortunately, Toho lost a lot of that film when they were re-editing it for it's re-release in the early 1970s, so the new HD version is a mix of remastered film footage and upconverted DVD footage from the previous release. The remastered film looks fantastic and the DVD absolutely horrible. It's a bit jarring when they cut between the two sources.

Here's a rather rough comparison of the remastered film vs. the original DVD. It's a resized and compressed JPEG, but I think it should give you a rough idea of the difference (which is pretty staggering):

http://www.ultramanforum.com/persona.../kkvsgcomp.jpg (2.60MB!)

[monkeyjb1988]

^Nice articles and comparisons. I can wait to see Godzilla in HD, especially the original. I liked the look inside the process. Would you have a copy of the special about the restoration?

[mr.hidef]

Can't wait to see the latest Godzilla on blu-ray! .........the "guy in a rubber suit" thing just doesn't do much for me.....although I enjoyed them when I was a child.

[UFAlien]

The latest Godzilla IS a "guy in a suit". They made 6 more after the crappy American one.

[James Ballard]

Originally Posted by UFAlien

The latest Godzilla IS a "guy in a suit". They made 6 more after the crappy American one.

Yeah. Actually, I'm really looking forward to seeing the HD version of 2001's GODZILLA: GMK more than a lot of the older films, simply because the DVD transfer for that film was absolutely horrendous. I think that film really knocks the socks off almost any other Godzilla film made after the 1960s, especially the 1998 Tri-Star film.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by monkeyjb1988

I ask because:

a.) This year is Godzilla's 55th anniversery...usually one of those good times to release an older favorite film (Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind are getting their Blu-Ray releases on their 70th anniverseries).

b.) http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2...a-x-hi-vision/
Quick summary: The Godzilla films have all just been remastered in HD (We all know what this has to do Blu-Ray ).

(Like, "The HDTV-broadcast master is always the first step...")

I'm hoping this is Godzilla's Blu year. I don't think I can wait five years for Godzilla's 60th anniversery to see the big guy in HD. Plus, some of the older films need restoration. I just watched the original film (Japanese version=no Raymond Burr) and it had several scratches on the film. It was said that it was due to the special effects of the time and not the age of the film (the commentary on the DVD) but I would assume that Toho would fix that during the restoration. It certainly looks like a film that would own Blu-Ray.
Who else is hoping for everyone's favorite atomic, urban renewal reptile to make his/her bow on Blu-Ray this year?

I still remember when it took THIS LONG to actually get the Big Guy in America, because Toho was so paranoid about the US making their own DVD's ahead of time, and Japan being invaded by US-import sales...

Thankfully, we've got negotiations now, with Weinsteins/Classic Media in charge of classic-Godzilla marketing, and even though Toho wants their own first crack at Blu sales, at least we can hope that both countries are talking and that it's When, Not If.

(Similarly, there were rumors that Sony was going to clean up their three last remaining non-Classic Toho's for '09--Mothra, H-Man and 90's-Mothra #3--for SD later this year, but there's been no word for a while now.)

[Volume11]

Originally Posted by EricJ

(Like, "The HDTV-broadcast master is always the first step...")



I still remember when it took THIS LONG to actually get the Big Guy in America, because Toho was so paranoid about the US making their own DVD's ahead of time, and Japan being invaded by US-import sales...

Thankfully, we've got negotiations now, with Weinsteins/Classic Media in charge of classic-Godzilla marketing, and even though Toho wants their own first crack at Blu sales, at least we can hope that both countries are talking and that it's When, Not If.

(Similarly, there were rumors that Sony was going to clean up their three last remaining non-Classic Toho's for '09--Mothra, H-Man and 90's-Mothra #3--for SD later this year, but there's been no word for a while now.)

I lost all faith in ever getting a domestic copy of a Godzilla film on BD the second you mentioned Weinstein.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Volume11

I lost all faith in ever getting a domestic copy of a Godzilla film on BD the second you mentioned Weinstein.

Now, now, it's Classic Media (the cult-cool owners of Rudolph, Mr. Magoo and Bullwinkle), the Weinsteins only RELEASE the disks...

[monkeyjb1988]

We can buy them from Japan. That's what I was trying to get at. We don't have to wait for the multitude of US companies. We can get our favorite film when Toho releases them and it'll play in our players. That's why I m excited Toho is remastering the films.

[ghidorah]

Originally Posted by monkeyjb1988

We can buy them from Japan. That's what I was trying to get at. We don't have to wait for the multitude of US companies. We can get our favorite film when Toho releases them and it'll play in our players. That's why I m excited Toho is remastering the films.

Yeah but, like so many of the Japanese releases of Godzilla films, will they have any English subs? They were never very English friendly with their releases and, while its great to see all the fighting scenes, its nice to follow the films as well.
A big NO to any English dub options though please! I remember when I saw the brilliant Japanese version of Godzilla Vs Destroyah with the original Japanese track.It was like a different movie altogether!

[nycomet]

I just wet my panties when I read the link about the Godzilla classic films restored in HD. I wonder if the soundtracks were remixed to 5.1? I will watch for them to release in Japan and gladly order imports. I have no problem viewing the movies with Japanese language. This is incredible news!

[monkeyjb1988]

Originally Posted by nycomet

I just wet my panties when I read the link about the Godzilla classic films restored in HD. I wonder if the soundtracks were remixed to 5.1? I will watch for them to release in Japan and gladly order imports. I have no problem viewing the movies with Japanese language. This is incredible news!

Same here on all accounts except for the 5.1 soundtracks. I won't mind if they're 1.0 or 2.0, I just want them loseless. I'm pretty sure the newer films had 5.1 though. Anyway, yeah, you and I are on the same page, especially on importing a Japanese language movie.

[nycomet]

Originally Posted by monkeyjb1988

Same here on all accounts except for the 5.1 soundtracks. I won't mind if they're 1.0 or 2.0, I just want them loseless. I'm pretty sure the newer films had 5.1 though. Anyway, yeah, you and I are on the same page, especially on importing a Japanese language movie.

I am hoping that we get 1.0 or 2.0 PLUS a new digital remix in 5.1 (True HD or -- I know I am dreaming -- DTS Master Audio would be a blast) to really enhance the glory of Godzilla in HD. My absolute favorite CLASSIC G-zilla movies are:

Ghiddrah The Three Headed Monster
King Kong vs Godzilla
Destroy All Monsters

I am also hoping that TOHO will restore and release RODAN.

[James Ballard]

Toho already created very faithful 5.1 remixes for their DVD releases.

Most of the older films were originally mono, which were run through 2 channels on the DVD. KING KONG VS. GODZILLA actually had a 4.0 "stereophonic" soundtrack for it's 1962 theatrical release, which was included on the DVD along with a new 5.1 remix.

[nycomet]

Originally Posted by James Ballard

Toho already created very faithful 5.1 remixes for their DVD releases.

Most of the older films were originally mono, which were run through 2 channels on the DVD. KING KONG VS. GODZILLA actually had a 4.0 "stereophonic" soundtrack for it's 1962 theatrical release, which was included on the DVD along with a new 5.1 remix.

I can only drool at what these multitrack remixes may sound like with lossless True HD or DTS-Master Audio. I don't suppose there are any hints at when the first Godzilla wave will hit BD?

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by nycomet

I can only drool at what these multitrack remixes may sound like with lossless True HD or DTS-Master Audio. I don't suppose there are any hints at when the first Godzilla wave will hit BD?

Like we said, even the Japanese don't know, and They Get First Crack At It.

Just settle in and count the days.

[SethRex]

wow the remaster for KKvG is amazing.

[nycomet]

Originally Posted by SethRex

wow the remaster for KKvG is amazing.

Where did you see it? Are you in Japan? Did you view the HD broadcast? As far as i know, it is not on BD yet.