Tag Archives: Toho

Godzilla’s Terrifying New Design Revealed for ‘Resurgence’

A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about the latest news from Toho— the studio that created everyone’s favorite kaiju Godzilla—on its upcoming monster epic, Godzilla: Resurgence. A teaser trailer and a poster were released. A mild controversy erupted among fans over Godzilla’s new design, which they described as “lacking personality.” I offered a brief defense, but it should be noted that the only hint at the new design is a close-up of Godzilla’s face on the poster.

Now Bloody-Disgusting.com has reported on some leaked images from the film:

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Health ailments: Health conditions that are unica-web.com viagra samples online poor and really unnecessary. As humans give unica-web.com purchase generic cialis them out through perspiration, they are subconsciously detected by nose, brain and nervous system. Here, the cialis price in canada article contains some important information for this condition, causes and its prevention. In Brazil the World’s Strongest Acai is buy tadalafil mastercard becoming extremely popular. Co-director/screenwriter Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion) has promised this will be the “scariest Godzilla yet,” and the design certainly reflects that. Given that the film’s other co-director, Shinji Higuchi, recently helmed the two-part live-action film adaptation of the popular manga/anime Attack on Titan (which I seriously need to watch now), it’s no wonder Godzilla looks like one of the titular giants from that series. What I find most striking is that Godzilla’s appearance looks burned and scarred, his skin like that of Freddy Kruger from A Nightmare on Elm Street. Could this be an indication of the damage done to him by radiation?

Higuchi has said that Big G will be brought to life using what he calls “hybrid” technology, which is used in the Attack on Titan film. This involves using a combination of CGI and shots of live actors on sets. In other words, Toho aims to combine the best of both worlds from its “suitmation” history and Gareth Edwards’ reboot. I, being a fan of both, look forward to seeing what Toho produces. Although, there has yet to be a domestic release date announced for Godzilla: Resurgence.

The film will be released in Japan July 29, 2016.

Toho Teases Its Own Reboot with ‘Godzilla: Resurgence’

Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla proved to be a monstrous hit summer 2014, and now the King of the Monsters will return to his native Japan. Toho, the studio that created Big G, announced last December that it would be making a new unrelated film, which makes this the third reboot for the franchise excluding the American films. It’ll be the 31st Godzilla film and the 29th created by Toho, which hasn’t released one since 2004’s Godzilla: Final Wars.

News on the new film was quiet until last week when Toho released a 30-second video that is the textbook definition of a teaser trailer. Not since Christopher Nolan’s first trailer for The Dark Knight has there been a more mysterious preview for a film.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCOSFZG9-KQ]

The 30-second spot is a found-footage-style shot of a panicked crowd running from something in the distance. It ends with a title card and Godzilla’s trademark roar. That’s it; nothing on the plot or characters. Whether the entire film will be done in a found-footage-style, a la Cloverfield, or if this is just a clip from an otherwise traditional movie remains to be seen. Personally, while found footage would be a new direction for the franchise to experiment with, considering Cloverfield’s attempt at it has gotten mixed responses (though I liked it), that may not be the best option. However, if these filmmakers think they can do it well, by all means try it.

The poster for the film that revealed Godzilla’s new design.

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Story has it the special effects will be a combination of CGI and practical effects. It sounds like Toho wants the best of both worlds: taking cues from Edwards’ film while also adhering to its “suitmation” roots. Whether this works or not will probably make or break the film.

Regardless, the movie is in great hands since it has two noteworthy directors. Hideki Anno, who also wrote the script, is the co-creator of the classic anime Neon Genesis Evangelion: a trippy and cerebral giant robot series that deconstructs the “mecha” subgenre. Shinji Higuchi has also worked on anime, but his most recent project is directing the two-part live-action adaptation of the manga/anime Attack on Titan, which told the story of humanity battling cannibalistic giants. Anno has said that this will be “the scariest Godzilla yet,” and given both directors’ track records, it may very well turn out to be true.

Godzilla: Resurgence hits Japanese theatres July 29, 2016. No word yet on an American release.

Go, go Godzilla!

Godzilla: Turn Off the Dark!

The many editions of 'Godzilla' (2014) on Blu-Ray and DVD. (Image courtesy of www.SciFiJapan.com).
The many editions of ‘Godzilla’ (2014) on Blu-ray and DVD. (Image courtesy of www.SciFiJapan.com).

Some people complained that Godzilla didn’t get enough screen time in his big budget reboot this past summer. Now those people may think he’s seen even less! The Blu-ray of Gareth Edwards’ monstrous movie has such subpar picture quality, you’d have an easier time spotting a ninja in the dark.

Film:
I reviewed Godzilla earlier this year when it was released in theaters.

Picture:
When I read an early review that complains this Blu-ray has horrid picture quality, I didn’t want to believe it. Other reviews are kinder, saying that the film is already dark (in terms of lighting), making it difficult to transfer to home media. So, like any good fanboy, I went into this hoping for the best.

I am disappointed.

While I didn’t quite notice any muted colors during day scenes, the night scenes are definitely murky. Much of the film’s epic monster battles take place at night, so this increased darkness hurts the film. I was particularly annoyed when I saw the final scene where Godzilla kills the MUTO. I couldn’t enjoy his triumph because I could barely see it!

Adding insult to injury—as the previously mentioned negative review reported—the clips used in the special features are at the proper brightness! It’s as if Warner Bros. is taunting fans.

The DVD included with the Blu-ray has the same problem. I popped it in and compared a few scenes to the Blu-ray after I watched it.

I hear the film looks much better on the 3D Blu-ray, so if you have a 3D TV, you can enjoy a brighter version of the film. Sadly, not everyone has that luxury, and it seems those who don’t, got the jip.

Audio:
Ironically, the sound on this Blu-ray is incredible. The high definition 7.1 sound thunders through speakers. Every roar, explosion, and creak can be heard. It reminds you somewhere in the darkness there are battling beasts.

Special Features:
This disc has more special features than the Blu-ray for Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but it still seems a bit underwhelming; more could’ve been added. Target sells an edition with an exclusive 30-minute feature entitled, “Godzilla: Rebirth of an Icon,” but half of it is cobbled from other featurettes on the disc. What is different—some details on creating Godzilla’s roar, for example—is much-appreciated.

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“Monarch Declassified”: A series of three featurettes that actually build off each other. They were made as if they were created by people in the film’s universe. “Operation: Lucky Dragon” explains Godzilla’s origins more thoroughly, and is done in the style of 1950s documentaries. (The title is a reference to a fishing boat whose crew was exposed to radiation in 1954, an incident that partially inspired the original Gojira). “Monarch: The M.U.T.O. File” supplements the previous short by explaining the MUTOs’ origins in a modern style. “The Godzilla Revelation” actually takes place after the film and looks like a YouTube video made by a conspiracy theorist. It even features a little sequel baiting.

“Godzilla: Force of Nature”: A 20-minute feature on the making of the film. It includes interviews with cast and crew. Strangely, screenwriter Max Borenstein is left out (although, he is in the Target exclusive feature). It recounts some of Godzilla’s beginnings and what everyone involved with the film thought of the character. Arguably the best of the special features.

“Into the Void: The H.A.L.O. Jump”: A 5-minute featurette on the making of the spectacular military free fall sequence. For Edwards, it was more than a cool scene: it played into the themes and symbolism of the film.

“New Level of Destruction”: An 8-minute special effects featurette that shows how the art department used a combination of on-location footage and some CGI to create ruined cityscapes. Green screens were kept to a minimum.

“Ancient Enemy: The M.U.T.O.s”: A featurette on the creation of the MUTOs. Without the Target exclusive content, these creatures get more time dedicated to them than Big G himself.

Again, this is all good, but Warner Bros. still dropped the ball. The scene featuring veteran G-film actor Akira Takarada—who was given a cameo thanks to an online fan campaign—that was cut from the film is nowhere to be found when the studio promised it would be included. There’s no Comic-Con 2012 teaser trailer. For that matter, none of the film’s excellent trailers are included. No commentary. No deleted scenes. Nothing on crafting the story. That’s just a few opportunities the studio missed.

The menus for both the DVD and Blu-ray are lazy but easy to navigate. If you’ve bought any Blu-rays or DVDs from Warner Bros. lately, you’ll know what I mean. It’s just an unanimated image with a few icons. Warner Bros. has made a habit of reusing this set-up, even for their major releases.

Packaging:
It’s a standard Blu-ray/DVD jewel case and slip cover for most editions. There’s also a FuturePak (metal pack) case that plays Godzilla’s roar.

Conclusion:
I love this film, so I expected much from this Blu-ray. Maybe the bad picture quality is due to compression issues and it already being a dark film. I’d like to think that’s the case; however, after spending three weeks writing Blu-Ray/DVD guides for G-film collectors, I’ve been reminded, once again, how G-fans often get the shaft when Godzilla movies are released on home media. You’d think with this being one of Warner Bros.’ biggest films of the year they would have given the movie a better release. Only those with 3D TVs can enjoy the film as it was seen in theatres. It makes me glad I saw it in IMAX.

There may be hope. Producer Thomas Tull, the CEO of Legendary Pictures, told Toho Kingdom there would be an extended cut of the film. I haven’t seen that reported anywhere else, though, so I don’t know if that will happen. There’s already an online fan petition to re-release the film on Blu-ray and DVD with better picture quality and the Takarada cameo—I signed it.

In the end, I’m not sure if I want to recommend this Blu-ray. The film is great, but it deserved better treatment. It you want to hope against hope for a re-release, skip it. Otherwise, buy it to complete your collection.

Final Grade: B-

Godzilla DVD/Blu-Ray Guide (Part 4): The Millennium Series

If you missed them, read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Now we come to the latest series of Toho’s Godzilla films: the Millennium Series (1999-2004). This is the shortest era of films in the franchise and the easiest ones to collect since the U.S. distribution belong to Sony only .

After the fan backlash from Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin’s 1998 remake, Toho—who had originally intended to wait a decade before making a new Godzilla film—accelerated their plans for the King of the Monsters by rebooting Big G for the new millennium. While the Showa Series had a loose continuity and the Heisei Series had a (mostly) tight-knit continuity, most of the Millennium Series films are stand-alone stories. It is an interesting way of doing things, though most of them aren’t as good as the previous movies.

(Note: I currently only own DVDs of the films from this series, but I’ve done my homework on the Blu-ray releases).

To paraphrase Blue Oyster Cult, “Go, go, Godzilla” one more time!

Godzilla 2000 (aka Godzilla 2000: Millennium)

51A7V4AZZBLSony (DVD)

In a surprising turn, Sony gave this film a wide theatrical release in the U.S. during the summer of 2000. It remains the only Toho Godzilla film I’ve seen in a theater (it’s one of only two released in my lifetime, but I was two years old when the first was released). Sony’s DVD for this film was impressive for its time, but still falls short. Only the slightly re-edited dubbed version was included when Toho provided Sony with the resources to include the Japanese version. (Adding insult to injury is the inclusion of a French language track for whatever reason.) However, it’s in widescreen and includes a handful of special features, including trailers, behind-the-scenes footage, and an informative commentary by the team that dubbed it.

7dcR8jYSony (Blu-ray)

Since it played in U.S. theatres, this remains the only Millennium Series film to get a solo Blu-ray in the U.S., which was released just last week. The special features are the same as the DVD, but the big draw is that for the first time the original Japanese version is included. It can be viewed on a second disc. This is the one to own. I plan to upgrade to this edition just for the Japanese cut.

Godzilla x Megaguirus

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This is essentially the same as Sony’s other 2004 G-film DVDs: widescreen and features dual language tracks. The only special features are a few trailers for other Sony films.

 

 

 

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As mentioned in Part 3 of this guide, Megaguirus was released in a two-disc Blu-ray set with Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (which is an odd pairing). My research says the picture and sound are improved from the DVD. Although, the only special features are a pair of trailers. Regardless, this is the one to own.

Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (or GMK for short)11158216_800

Sony (DVD)

Despite the insanely long “retro” Japanese title, this was the most-hyped entry in the Millennium Series because it was directed by the famed Shusuke Kaneko (the Heisei Gamera Trilogy). It returns Godzilla to his roots as a malevolent menace and—gasp!—pulls a role reversal by having King Ghidorah be one of the heroes! (That’s equivalent to making the Joker a good guy to fight a villainous Batman.) Personally, I didn’t think it lived up to the hype.

Anyway, the DVD is the same as Sony’s other 2004 G-film DVDs: widescreen presentation, dual language tracks, and a few trailers. Sadly, my research says that the subtitles follow the horrendous dubbing and take liberties from the original Japanese dialogue that seem to disrespect the film.
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Last week, the film received a Blu-ray release in a two-pack with the next film in the series, Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla. Like the DVD, it features widescreen presentation and dual language tracks, but I hear the subtitles are improved (though not perfect). I might consider buying it just for the subtitles. Maybe. Regardless, the only special features are a few trailers. I recommend this edition.

Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla

GodzillaAgainstMechagodzillaDVDSony (DVD)

This one has a silly title because “Against” sounds much better than “Versus,” and filmmakers are now scared of Roman numerals—note the sarcasm. While I do think this film wasted a great concept (Mechagodzilla’s CPU is a cloned Godzilla brain), the DVD is a solid release, and even a step above Sony’s other G-film DVD releases from 2004. Again, it features widescreen presentation and dual language tracks, but this time the subtitles correspond better to the original Japanese dialogue. A few non-Godzilla trailers are thrown in for good measure.

Sony (Blu-Ray)

In a two-disc set with Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack (see above).

Godzilla-tokyo-sos-dvdGodzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.

The only direct sequel in the Millennium Series (a continuation of the previous film), Sony’s 2004 DVD for this film was an improvement in many areas. Widescreen presentation and dual language tracks return, but the subtitles are, once again, transcriptions of the dubbed dialogue (including an instance where there was added dialogue in the dubbing). However, besides a few trailers for other films (including some other Godzilla releases), it features a 22-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, which showcases the special effects techniques used in the film.

19BG09_Godzilla-Vs-Tokyo-SosSony (Blu-ray)

Tokyo S.O.S. was released in a two-disc Blu-ray set with Godzilla: Final Wars just last week. It seems to be the same as the DVD except presented at a higher resolution. Go for this one.

 

 

Godzilla: Final Wars

51R4R6T4TTLSony (DVD)

This film celebrates Big G’s 50th anniversary and was intended to be his grand finale so Toho could once again retire him for a decade (hence Gareth Edwards’ epic reboot). The most Michael Bay-esque of all the G-films, it’s essentially a remake of Destroy All  Monsters and even includes a (20-second) battle between Big G and his 1998 wannabe doppelganger. Regardless, it received a by-the-numbers DVD in 2005. There’s a widescreen presentation, dual language tracks, and subtitles that correspond to the Japanese dialogue and not the dubbing. As for special features, it includes numerous trailers for other Sony releases and an 18-minute B-roll showcasing how many of the special effects sequences were created. Unfortunately, it has no music or narration, so it’s kind of boring.

Sony (Blu-ray)

Released in a Blu-ray two-pack with Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. (see above).

My guide to collecting Godzilla DVDs and Blu-Rays comes to an end. I hope you found it helpful.

For more detailed reviews of these DVDs, I highly recommend looking them up on Toho Kingdom. You’ll also find reviews for many of Toho’s other genre films.

Be sure to pick up the new reboot on September 16 for Blu-ray to complete your collection!

Godzilla DVD/Blu-Ray Guide (Part 3): Heisei Series

If you missed them, read Part 1 and Part 2.

Long before Hollywood tried to reboot Big G—twice—Toho created a reboot in the mid ’80s. This era of the franchise is called the Heisei Series and spans seven films from 1984-1995.

Godzilla movies are easier to find on DVD/Blu-ray as the franchise progresses, since the distribution rights have been owned by fewer companies. Also, these later movies don’t hold nearly as much nostalgia for most fans; the main reason is because only two of these films were released stateside, until 1998 when Tristar released them on home media as a tie-in with the 1998 remake (at least something good came of that, right?) Unfortunately, collecting these isn’t without its pitfalls.

The Return of Godzilla/Godzilla 1985

VHS - Godzilla 1985Never Released on DVD/Blu-Ray

Like the original Gojira, the first film in this series was massively edited—with new scenes of Raymond Burr reprising his reporter role—when released stateside. The original Japanese version—I hear far superior—has never been officially released in America. To make matters worse, the Americanized version has never been released on DVD or Blu-ray due to legal entanglements. The only way to see it is to either track down one of the numerous out-of-print VHS copies (but finding a copy recorded in SP mode is a chore, trust me) or buy a high-quality bootleg (which I’ve heard do exist). Sorry, G-fans.

Godzilla vs. Biollante

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Echo Bridge Home Entertainment

While Godzilla 1985 would remain the only G-film released theatrically in the States for 15 years, Miramax did release this 1989 direct sequel on HBO and video in 1992. Heck, it’s one of the few widescreen VHS tapes godzilla-vs-biollante-dvdI’ve seen. However, after being out-of-print for years, the film was released on DVD and Blu-ray last year. It has dual language tracks, widescreen presentation, and a few special features that seem as though they were taken from a Japanese DVD (including a making-of feature). It’s also available as a Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack. You can’t go wrong here.

 

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah & Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992) (aka Godzilla and Mothra: Battle for Earth)

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Sony (DVD)

Tristar released four of the Heisei films on double layer DVDs in 1999, a year after putting them on low-quality VHS. Unfortunately, the DVD of these two films didn’t take advantage of the new format. The films are presented in poorly-cropped fullscreen, only in English, and have no special features. The kicker is this was the only official release of these films for 15 years, so most G-fans were stuck with it.

19BG06_Godzilla-Vs-King-GhidorahSony (Blu-Ray)

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Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II

GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA IISony (DVD)

While this is widely considered to be the best of the Heisei G-films, it’s always had oddball releases. Tristar didn’t distribute it stateside on VHS until 1999, a year after releasing four other Heisei G-films. Unlike the others, it was recorded in high quality SP mode. Then, for whatever reason, it wasn’t released on DVD until 2004, five years after Sony’s other Heisei G-film DVDs. Regardless, it benefited once again by being in widescreen and features dual language tracks, unlike the other DVDs. The only special features are a few non-Godzilla film trailers, though.

15302157Sony (Blu-Ray)

Continuing the oddball editions, Sony released this film on Blu-ray earlier this year as a two-disc Blu-ray set with Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla. While I don’t own this one (yet), from what I’ve heard it’s the same as Sony’s other recent G-film Blu-rays: widescreen, dual language tracks, and several trailers (including one where clever editing makes it look like Godzilla fights robots from the Toho sci-fi film Gunhed). G-fans should buy this just to get SpaceGodzilla in Japanese.

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla

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This is easily the redheaded stepchild of the Heisei series, but Tristar got it half-right when they released it on a dual layer DVD with Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. It is in widescreen, but is only in English. No special features are included for either film. It baffles me that they’d only give G-fans half of what they wanted.

Sony (Blu-Ray)

Released as a two-disc pack with Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (see above).

Godzilla vs. Destoroyah

Sony (DVD)

Released as a dual layer DVD with Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (see above).

61M0yKqcdjL._SY300_Sony (Blu-Ray)

Sony released yet another oddity with these new Blu-rays. This film, the last of the Heisei series, was released as two-pack with Godzilla x Megaguirus, the second entry of the Millennium Series (more on that next week). While I don’t own it yet and the pairing makes no sense, I’ve read it’s an improvement over the DVD release. As usual, it’s in widescreen, has dual language tracks, and includes trailers.

Next Time on the Godzilla DVD Guide: Toho reboots Godzilla again for a new millennium!