All Hail the King! GODZILLA: THE SHŌWA ERA FILMS Criterion Edition Brings 15 Films Together for the First Time
If you’ve only met Godzilla through Legendary’s MonsterVerse, there’s a lot you don’t know about the iconic kaiju. If you’re interested in immersing yourself in the world and history of Godzilla, the folks at Criterion are assembling a must-own collection: Godzilla: The Shōwa Era-Films, 1954-1975!
This October, Criterion celebrates the arrival of spine number 1000, a Blu-ray collector’s set fit for the granddaddy of all movie monsters. This landmark edition gathers for the first time all the Godzilla films from Japan’s Showa era: 15 kaiju rampages, presented in high-definition digital transfers and accompanied by a slew of supplemental material, including a giant deluxe hardcover book with notes on each film and new illustrations from sixteen artists, new and archival interviews with cast and crew members, and much, much more!
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.
EIGHT-BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION COLLECTOR’S SET FEATURES
• High-definition digital transfers of all fifteen Godzilla films made between 1954 and 1975, released together for the first time, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks
• High-definition digital transfer of Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1956), the U.S.-release version of Godzilla
• Japanese-release version of King Kong vs. Godzilla from 1962
• Audio commentaries from 2011 on Godzilla and Godzilla, King of the Monsters featuring film historian David Kalat
• International English-language dub tracks for Invasion of Astro-Monster, Son of Godzilla, Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla vs. Megalon, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, and Terror of Mechagodzilla
• Directors Guild of Japan interview with director Ishiro Honda, conducted by director Yoshimitsu Banno in 1990
• Programs detailing the creation of Godzilla’s special effects and unused effects sequences from Toho releases including Destroy All Monsters
• New interview with filmmaker Alex Cox about his admiration for the Showa-era Godzilla films
• New and archival interviews with cast and crew members, including actors Bin Furuya, Tsugutoshi Komada, Haruo Nakajima, and Akira Takarada; composer Akira Ifukube; and effects technicians Yoshio Irie and Eizo Kaimai
• Interview with critic Tadao Sato from 2011
• Illustrated audio essay from 2011 about the real-life tragedy that inspired Godzilla
• New English subtitle translations
• Trailers
• PLUS: A lavishly illustrated deluxe hardcover book featuring an essay by cinema historian Steve Ryfle, notes on the films by cinema historian Ed Godziszewski, and new illustrations by Arthur Adams, Sophie Campbell, Becky Cloonan, Jorge Coelho, Geof Darrow, Simon Gane, Robert Goodin, Benjamin Marra, Monarobot, Takashi Okazaki, Angela Rizza, Yuko Shimizu, Bill Sienkiewicz, Katsuya Terada, Ronald Wimberly, and Chris Wisnia
The box set includes the following:
Godzilla1954 • 96 minutes • Black & White • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 1.37:1 aspect ratio
Godzilla Raids Again1955 • 81 minutes • Black & White • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 1.37:1 aspect ratio
King Kong vs. GodzillaU.S.-RELEASE VERSION1963 • 91 minutes • Color • Monaural • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
Mothra vs. Godzilla1964 • 89 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster1964 • 93 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
Invasion of Astro-Monster1965 • 94 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep1966 • 86 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
Son of Godzilla1967 • 85 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
Destroy All Monsters1968 • 89 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
All Monsters Attack1969 • 69 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
Godzilla vs. Hedorah1971 • 85 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
Godzilla vs. Gigan1972 • 89 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
Godzilla vs. Megalon1973 • 81 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla1974 • 84 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
Terror of Mechagodzilla1975 • 83 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
Look for Godzilla: The Shōwa Era-Films, 1954-1975 on Blu-ray beginning October 29th!
Are you a Godzilla fan? Are you excited to check out Godzilla: The Shōwa Era-Films, 1954-1975 in October? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! You can also carry on the convo with me personally on Twitter @josh_millican.
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