By MICHAEL GINGOLD
The King of the Monsters is roaring onto the Blu-ray scene this fall in a monstrous boxed set containing 15 of his classic features. The full specs and all the cover art have now been revealed, along with a preview video.
The Criterion Collection will unleash GODZILLA: THE SHOWA-ERA FILMS, 1954-1975, an eight-disc set, on October 29. Here are the complete details:
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 GOJIRA
- Japanese-release version of KING KONG VS. GODZILLA from 1962
- Audio commentaries from 2011 on GOJIRA 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 GOJIRA’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 GOJIRA
- 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
Movie details:
- GOJIRA: 1954 • 96 minutes • Black & White • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 1.37:1 aspect ratio
- GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN: 1955 • 81 minutes • Black & White • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 1.37:1 aspect ratio
- KING KONG VS. GODZILLA: U.S.-RELEASE VERSION • 1963 • 91 minutes • Color • Monaural • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
- MOTHRA VS. GODZILLA: 1964 • 89 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
- GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER: 1964 • 93 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
- INVASION OF ASTRO-MONSTER: 1965 • 94 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
- EBIRAH, HORROR OF THE DEEP: 1966 • 86 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
- SON OF GODZILLA: 1967 • 85 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
- DESTROY ALL MONSTERS: 1968 • 89 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
- ALL MONSTERS ATTACK (a.k.a. GODZILLA’S REVENGE): 1969 • 69 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
- GODZILLA VS. HEDORAH: 1971 • 85 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
- GODZILLA VS. GIGAN: 1972 • 89 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
- GODZILLA VS. MEGALON: 1973 • 81 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
- GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA: 1974 • 84 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
- TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA: 1975 • 83 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio
