Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films (1954-1975)

[Akijama]

Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954–1975



Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films, 1954-1975 Blu-ray

In 1954, an enormous beast clawed its way out of the sea, destroying everything in its path—and changing movies forever. The arresting original Godzilla soon gave rise to an entire monster-movie genre (kaiju eiga), but the King of the Monsters continued to reign supreme: in fourteen fiercely entertaining sequels over the next two decades, Godzilla defended its throne against a host of other formidable creatures, transforming from a terrifying symbol of nuclear annihilation into a benevolent (if still belligerent) Earth protector. Collected here for the first time are all fifteen Godzilla films of Japan’s Showa era, in a landmark set showcasing the technical wizardry, fantastical storytelling, and indomitable international appeal that established the most iconic giant monster the cinema has ever seen.

Godzilla

Godzilla (a.k.a. Gojira) 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 reeling from nuclear attack and H-bomb testing in the Pacific. Its rampaging radioactive beast, the poignant embodiment of an entire population’s fears, became a beloved international icon of destruction, spawning almost thirty sequels. A thrilling, tactile spectacle that continues to be a cult phenomenon, the original, 1954 Japanese version is presented here, along with Godzilla, King of the Monsters, the 1956 "Americanized" version.

Godzilla Raids Again

Toho Studios followed the enormous success of the original Godzilla with this sequel, efficiently directed by Motoyoshi Oda as a straight-ahead monsters-on-the-loose drama. An underrated standout among the Showa Godzilla films, Godzilla Raids Again introduces the monster-versus-monster format that would dominate the remainder of the series, pitting Godzilla against the ferocious, spiny Anguirus as the kaiju wreak havoc in the streets of Osaka in a series of elaborate set pieces that succeed in upping the ante for destruction.

King Kong vs. Godzilla

After his first two cinematic rampages, Godzilla was revived as an adversary for the Hollywood import King Kong. When Kong is discovered on a remote island by a publicity-hungry pharmaceutical company, the giant ape is set on a collision course with Godzilla, and Japan braces for a double dose of devastation. Both the Japanese-release version and the U.S.-release cut (the latter presented here) were rousing hits, cementing Godzilla’s status as a series-worthy star.

Mothra vs. Godzilla

Godzilla faces off against the benevolent insect monster-god Mothra in this clash of the titans, a crossover battle between two of Toho Studios’ most popular monsters—the last in which Godzilla would figure as a malevolent villain rather than a fearsome hero. Mothra vs. Godzilla marks a creative high point in the Godzilla series, with pointed social commentary from director Ishiro Honda, a masterful score by Akira Ifukube, and astonishing special-effects work by Eiji Tsuburaya.

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster

After laying waste to an alien civilization on Venus, the three-headed, lightning-emitting space monster Ghidorah brings its insatiable thirst for destruction to Earth, where fierce foes Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra must join forces in order to deal with the unprecedented threat. An electrifying screen debut for Godzilla’s archenemy Ghidorah, this film also marks a turning point for the series, as the first time the King of the Monsters acts to protect the planet.

Invasion of Astro-Monster

Aliens from Planet X make an irresistible offer to the people of Earth: let them borrow Godzilla and Rodan to help defeat King Ghidorah, and in return they will provide a cure for all known human disease. But the aliens’ duplicity is soon revealed, as they deploy all three monsters in their quest to conquer Earth. This retro romp, featuring American star Nick Adams, stands as a high point in the Showa Godzilla series.

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep

The first Godzilla film directed by Jun Fukuda, who would go on to direct four more, is fast-paced and light in tone, and builds to a riveting race-against-time finale. On a secluded island in the South Seas, a group of castaways stumble upon a paramilitary organization whose nefarious nuclear activities threaten the world at large—and set the stage for kaiju clashes involving Godzilla, Mothra, and the giant crustacean Ebirah.

Son of Godzilla

In director Jun Fukuda’s second Godzilla outing, secret weather-control experiments create a radioactive storm and Godzilla must rescue monster hatchling Minilla from the giant mutant insects that result. Featuring a buoyant score by Masaru Sato and impressive wirework by special-effects director Sadamasa Arikawa, Son of Godzilla is lively, comic, and timely in its addressing of contemporary anxiety about worldwide food shortages.

Destroy All Monsters

The original Godzilla team of director Ishiro Honda, special-effects supervisor Eiji Tsuburaya, and composer Akira Ifukube reunited for this kaiju extravaganza, which features no fewer than eleven monsters. Set in the remote future of 1999, when the people of Earth have achieved world peace by confining destructive creatures to Monsterland (until an alien race intervenes), Destroy All Monsters mounts a thrilling display of innovative action sequences and memorable images that have made it a favorite for generations of viewers.

All Monsters Attack

Director Ishiro Honda returned again for the first Godzilla movie expressly for children. Economizing by reusing effects shots from other films in the series, All Monster Attack tells the story of Ichiro, a lonely latchkey kid who finds solace in his dreams of befriending Minilla, the titular progeny of Son of Godzilla, whose parent is also often absent. In this thoughtful, human-scale story, boy and monster learn together what it means to grow up.

Godzilla vs. Hedorah

Intended to address the crisis levels of pollution in postwar Japan, Godzilla vs. Hedorah finds the King of the Monsters fighting an alien life form that arrives on Earth and steadily grows by feeding on industrial waste. Director Yoshimitsu Banno infuses the film with equal parts ecological horror, humorous monster antics, and sixties psychedelia straight out of San Francisco, making for a truly unique—and divisive—entry in the series.

Godzilla vs. Gigan

An alien invasion prompts a tag-team battle between Godzilla and Anguirus, the planet protectors, and King Ghidorah and the new monster Gigan, a cyborg with scythe-like claws, an abdominal buzz saw, winglike back fins, and pincerlike mandibles. In this action-packed film, which veers from the sublime to the ridiculous, the cockroachlike aliens—disguised as humans—use Gigan and King Ghidorah as weapons of conquest in their plot to take over a contaminated Earth.

Godzilla vs. Megalon

Nuclear testing unleashes mayhem on the undersea kingdom of Seatopia, causing a series of environmental disasters that nearly wipes out Rokuro, the schoolboy protagonist at the center of this film. To exact revenge, Seatopia unleashes Megalon, a gigantic beetle with the ability to fire ray beams and napalm bombs. Meanwhile, Rokuro’s brother creates Jet Jaguar, a flying robot with a built-in moral compass. The inevitable matchup of Godzilla and Jet Jaguar versus Megalon and Gigan decides the world’s fate.

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla

Godzilla’s evil twin Mechagodzilla first reared its head in this Jun Fukuda–directed film. A robot designed by aliens to conquer Earth, the enduringly popular villain has since been resurrected by Toho Studios several times. With the help of earnest direction, spectacular pyrotechnics, and guest appearances by veteran genre actors, this film recaptures the feel of the sixties Godzilla movies.

Terror of Mechagodzilla

In Godzilla’s last gasp of the Showa era, aliens retrieve Mechagodzilla’s remains and rebuild it with the aid of an unhinged biologist (a scenery-chewing Akihiko Hirata), in hopes of defeating Godzilla for possession of planet Earth. This film marked the return of director Ishiro Honda, who had retired years earlier, disheartened by the increasingly kid-friendly approach of the series. For this final entry, Honda steers the King of the Monsters back into grim territory, interweaving an alien-invasion plot with a tale of tragic romance.

https://www.criterion.com/boxsets/26...ilms-1954-1975

[BluProofie]

Damn that’s cheaper than I thought it would be!

[Kyle15]

Imagine if this were a dual Japan and US release like Aniplex anime. $3,999 MSRP. I like to ponder.

[BluProofie]

Impatiently awaiting the official announcement! Hopefully Toho didn’t force the removal of any planned extras. I also hope there is a good amount of stuff and that the Japanese cuts look great. The US cuts should be preserved as well but if they just reuse Classic Media and Sony’s masters for most of them I wouldn’t be upset.

If they don’t carry over the DVD extras I’ll just keep the DVDs. Not too worried about that.

[MifuneFan]

Since the op forgot to mention it, full credit to yoloswegmaster420 for finding it

Originally Posted by yoloswegmaster420

Did Target just leak the set?

[chriszilla]

Do we know who "Distribution Solutions" is??

[Weirded Wonder]

Seriously folks, when is this getting announced?

[MIWinfamous]

Originally Posted by Weirded Wonder

Seriously folks, when is this getting announced?

Criterion said that they were going to announce it this week at some point, that is if this is indeed spine #1000

[bluesparrow]

That thing is priced to move!

[Scottie]

The Showa Era apparently consists of these 15 films.

Any Godzilla experts know if these 15 films add up to 1295 minutes?

1. Godzilla
2. Godzilla Raids Again
3. King Kong vs. Godzilla
4. Mothra vs. Godzilla
5. Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
6. Invasion of Astro-Monster
7. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
8. Son of Godzilla
9. Destroy All Monsters
10. All Monsters Attack
11. Godzilla vs. Hedorah
12. Godzilla vs. Gigan
13. Godzilla vs. Megalon
14. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
15. Terror of Mechagodzilla

[Blu2u]

The UPC number matches Criterion's.

[dwk]

Originally Posted by chriszilla

Do we know who "Distribution Solutions" is??

Distribution Solutions

[BluProofie]

Originally Posted by Scottie

The Showa Era apparently consists of these 15 films.

Any Godzilla experts know if these 15 films add up to 1295 minutes?

1. Godzilla
2. Godzilla Raids Again
3. King Kong vs. Godzilla
4. Mothra vs. Godzilla
5. Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
6. Invasion of Astro-Monster
7. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
8. Son of Godzilla
9. Destroy All Monsters
10. All Monsters Attack
11. Godzilla vs. Hedorah
12. Godzilla vs. Gigan
13. Godzilla vs. Megalon
14. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
15. Terror of Mechagodzilla

I really wouldn’t take the runtime in the listing as 100% accurate.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Scottie

The Showa Era apparently consists of these 15 films.

Any Godzilla experts know if these 15 films add up to 1295 minutes?

1. Godzilla
2. Godzilla Raids Again
3. King Kong vs. Godzilla
4. Mothra vs. Godzilla
5. Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
6. Invasion of Astro-Monster
7. Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
8. Son of Godzilla
9. Destroy All Monsters
10. All Monsters Attack
11. Godzilla vs. Hedorah
12. Godzilla vs. Gigan
13. Godzilla vs. Megalon
14. Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
15. Terror of Mechagodzilla

I calculated it just a while ago to be 1303 mins

[starsteam]

If they include the alternative versions of the films then the run time is way off.

[dwk]

alternate versions wouldn't be added to the runtime, as they'd be considered extras.

[Smegma]

At that price everything is probably crammed onto 4 discs...

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by Smegma

At that price everything is probably crammed onto 4 discs...

Zatoichi is priced at $199 and has 25 movies. So $150 for 16 or so films is in line with that. I'd assume about 3 movies per disc, so I'd guess 5-6 discs Then again, if the English versions are included, perhaps we might see 2 films per disc, and it become 8 discs. Most of the films are very short.

[Scottie]

Does anyone think Criterion will remaster the 1954 film?

[dwk]

Bergman set was 30 discs for $300. However, that $150 Target price is probably like 25% the MSRP