Has Anyone Seen The New "Godzilla" Yet?

[PeppeRaskell1]

No, I'm not talking about the Roland Emmerich remake with Matthew Broderick, or even the Godzilla: King of the Monsters "drub" with Raymond Burr. I'm talking about the "uncut, uncensored, undubbed...Never before seen in the U.S.!" version that's currently playing art-house-type theaters such as the Film Forum in NYC, and distributed by Rialto Pictures.

Exactly how different is the "uncut, uncensored" version from the King of the Monsters version we're all used to seeing on TV?

[Deadly Messiah]

Yes, I own the Region 2 version, and the print is gorgeous.

I won't be seeing the version Rialto has released because it is not being released in my area, and I do not travel outside my area just for a movie, or anything for that matter.

As for differences, well there are a lot. For one thing, the movie starts off with a ship being attacked instead of reused scenes showing Tokyo's destruction, no Raymond scenes, more destruction, etc.

[Lord Dalek]

Opens up in Portland on the 25th of June, I hope I'm around to see it. I wonder if a positive reaction will give Toho some incentive to bring over some more subtitled G flicks. I'd kill to see Gojira '84 uncut.

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

Take out anything involving Raymond Burr and make the link between Godzilla and spectre of atomic weaponry even more explicit and you'll have the original. It's apparently a much moodier, darker film rather than one that centers mostly on a guy in a rubber suit smashing a miniature Tokyo.

Supposedly, the insertion of Raymond Burr was due to the belief that American audiences wouldn't want to watch a movie full of Japanese people, and the edits were made because, at the time, atomic weapons were all that were supposed to be holding back the Commie Hordes, so suggesting that they were something other than the great salvation of America, Freedom, and Democracy was not looked on kindly.

I believe a DVD release is in the works for later in the year. Rialto Pictures (http://www.rialtopictures.com/godzilla.html) has the skinny on where and when it'll come to your neck of the woods. Maybe.

-- Ed/Ace

[PeppeRaskell1]

Howdy,

Take out anything involving Raymond Burr and make the link between Godzilla and spectre of atomic weaponry even more explicit and you'll have the original. It's apparently a much moodier, darker film rather than one that centers mostly on a guy in a rubber suit smashing a miniature Tokyo.

Supposedly, the insertion of Raymond Burr was due to the belief that American audiences wouldn't want to watch a movie full of Japanese people, and the edits were made because, at the time, atomic weapons were all that were supposed to be holding back the Commie Hordes, so suggesting that they were something other than the great salvation of America, Freedom, and Democracy was not looked on kindly.

I believe a DVD release is in the works for later in the year. Rialto Pictures (http://www.rialtopictures.com/godzilla.html) has the skinny on where and when it'll come to your neck of the woods. Maybe.

-- Ed/Ace
Keeping my fingers crossed for the DVD release. Then, I'll be putting it on my "Must-Have" DVD list!

[Lord Dalek]

Keeping my fingers crossed for the DVD release. Then, I'll be putting it on my "Must-Have" DVD list!I'm hoping Criterion will get it. So we can have a release on the level of the R2 dvd.

[Lord Dalek]

Fresh Air had a segement dedicated to the rerelease yesterday. Very interesting stuff.

http://freshair.npr.org/day_fa.jhtml?display=day&todayDate=05/26/2004

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

Heard the promo for that NPR segment yesterday morning when I was getting out of bed. Couldn't get that Godzilla theme music out of my head for hours.

Also read this review on DVDTalk.com with the bummer drag news tidbit (http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/index.html) that Toho isn't going to release this version of Godzilla for region 1. Probably because they hate us or something. Grumble.

-- Ed/Ace

[Firedragon]

I want to see the movie real bad. I'm a big Godzilla fan.

[guinaevere]

Whoa! I so totally have to thank you guys for clueing me into this. I had no idea that this was playing. I will be seeing it when it plays Midtown (atlanta), come hell or high taxes.

One question. Did they subtitle it? Or do I get to make up my own story as it goes along? :D