Official Godzilla movie line-up for G-Fest

Updated on May 7, 2010 By Ken Begg 18 Comments

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  • It doesn’t say if it’s the cool Japanese Gojira, or the shorter, lamer American cut.

  • Well, remember, this is by people in the know, so the fact that they are advertising Gojira rather than Godzilla, King of the Monsters indicates it’s the former. Also, Gojira was released in 1954, the year in their write-up, whereas GKotM was ’56. So, yeah, it’s the Japanese version.

    I’ll stick up for that Raymond Burr cut, though. Not as good of a film, but as good of a movie, arguably.

  • Rock Baker

    I’m getting a little tired of the Burr film being trashed. Seems like the once-favorite film for so many monster lovers was simply tossed to the side when the Japanese cut was released. I did see both versions, and I have to place myself in the camp (of one?) that thinks the American print is superior to the source film. (And so did the Japanese, the Burr film proved so popular with Nipponese audiences that Toho released the American cut domestically in, I believe, 1957.) The Japanese cut just sort of starts, right with the boat burning. I better like how ours opens with the twisted remains of Tokyo, prompting us to imagine what destructive force could’ve caused such devestation. Another plus is Burr himself, what a great voice! The more upbeat ending in our print works better too I think. Now, let me note that I do think the Jap cut is a fine motion picture, I’m not wailing on it. I just happen to think the American editing made it even better, tho I admit that is likley to be a minority opinion. (As I stated before, I tend to back the little guy when others gang up on him.)

  • I think you can make a case also that removing Godzilla’s pre-credit appearance in Son of Godzilla (found in the Japanese version) made the American cut better, too. Godzilla’s first appearance coming later in the movie as the mantises are attacking Minya is definitely more dramatic that way.

  • Hey Burr was in my first viewing too, and I loved the film. But this does not mean that I cannot recognize the significant improvements in the Japanese version. The Japanese version opening with the boat boiling is a direct reference to the hapless Japanese fishermen caught in atomic fallout – front-page news at the time.

    The original film shows us the debate and the plot from the viewpoint of the characters involved, instead of being narrated to us by the God-Like Steve Martin who knows and sees all. I want to be shown, not to be told. This isn’t a radio drama.

    For that matter, just the lack of the damn English DUBBING alone makes the original superior.

    The final scene has vastly more power in the original. Yes Godzilla is dead, but the Japanese film leaves it at that – what other horrors does the atom have to offer? In the American version, Burr painstakingly informs us that we are now safe forever. Pfui, I say.

    Anyway, that’s my case for the Japanese version.

  • Rock Baker

    Sandy – I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree. (Like the issue of dubbing, I’ve always opted for dubbed films because, well, I speak English. When I don’t have the choice is when I get testy, movies are a visual medium and having my eyes distracted from the much championed effects work (or the acting, or what have you) strikes me as wrong.) I imagine we’d be opposed on our views over Gigantis the Fire Monster and King Kong vs Godzilla too, I know my brother and I have taken opposite sides of the matter.

    Ken – I’m conflicted on Son of Godzilla. The shot of the plane circling behind Godzilla is a nice one and it’s a shame to lose it, but you’re right about it being more dramatic in the AIP-TV version. AIP’s print is also better because the dubbing is far, far, faaaar superior to the ‘international’ print which is currently the only one officially availible. (Ditto Godzilla Versus the Sea Monster, Destroy All Monsters, and Godzilla vs the Smog Monster.) It’s scope too, which AIP’s is not. In a perfect world, Sea Monster and Son would be released in their uncut form with the AIP dub and titles layed over. At the very least, the TV versions should be included as extras.

  • The thing is, Gojira and GKotM are really two quite different takes on the material, and I think it’s more an issue of which appeals to you more, rather than one being better than the other. Apples and oranges, really. Gojira is, for a film about a giant monster, more of an art movie, whereas GKofM is more of a straightforward monster flick. They’re both pretty good at what they are trying to do.

    I will say that the facility with which the Raymond Burr scenes are melded into the original footage is pretty impressive.

  • Rock Baker

    “I will say that the facility with which the Raymond Burr scenes are melded into the original footage is pretty impressive.”

    I’ll second that. I remember when watching the Japanese print looking to see who Martin was substituting for in one scene and was awed by the fact that there was no similar scene in the original! What’s so ironic is that there wouldn’t be a similar feat* until it was done by another Steve Martin.

    (*Actually, Myron Healy’s added scenes to Varan the Unbelievable might’ve come close but I can’t comment because I haven’t seen the film. The only one currently availible is the Japanese print, much to my dislike. I really, really want to see the U.S. version!)

  • The Rev. D.D.

    Quite a line-up. Maybe I need to move to Chicago; you guys really get some great stuff there.

    I have no problems with the American version, but I do prefer the original to it. My reasons pretty much echo Sandy’s.

    I have an old VHS of Varan, the dubbed American version. It occurs to me I’ve never watched all of it. I tried to once, got bored and/or dozed off, and turned it off. I really should dig it out and watch it finally.

  • Rev: Varan the Unbelievable is a pretty boring movie, especially as Ifukube’s score has been removed, as was Baran’s roar. It does offer a better explanation as to why Baran shows up, though.

    I have nothing but love for the Burr version, despite the fact that the original is superior.

    What’s the difference between the international and AIP cuts of G vs. the Smog Monster? Which version was the Scimitar VHS release?

  • I haven’t seen the American version of Gigantis since I was 11, only the Japanese one. Ditto King Kong vs. Godzilla.

    I always prefer to hear the original actor’s voices and performances to a dubbed one. I’m a snob that way. And yes I know that in many films the voices are dubbed by the real actors (particular in China).

    The most tragic case of dubbing I know is the only extant version of Whip and the Body, in which both Christopher Lee and Dalia Lavi are dubbed. (She’s an incredibly beautiful Israeli actress with a fascinating accent.) I love the movie but pine for both actors’ voices.

  • Rock Baker

    I saw one of Christopher Lee’s German films where he was dubbed, but I can’t remember the title, one of his crime pictures. That does sound really weird, he has such a distinctive voice.

    There aren’t a whole lot of differences between Godzilla vs the Smog Monster and Godzilla vs Hedorah apart from from Somg Monster having much better dubbing and minor changes in the lines. In Smog Monster, the title song is in English (as it actually was in the original Japanese release print) and the monster’s name is pronounced “Hee-drah”. In the international print, the title song is in Japanese and they call the monster “Head-ra”. In the Smog Monster version, when the kid is asked if Godzilla is his favorite, he relpies “Superman beats them all” (I think that was how the line was worded, bear in mind I haven’t seen the film since I was about thirteen). In the international dub, I believe he says “Superman too.” Not a whole lot of changes, the American print just has a more professional sounding dub. One visible change is the end, since the international print ends with the question of another smog monster rising from the dirty waters. If memory serves, the AIP print skips over this gag. I’m not sure which version is on the VHS you mention, Blake, but if it is a newer pressing I’m going to assume its the international print. The AIP cut was issued on video a long time back, I think under the Orion label. Problem is, its cropped, and as far as I know there are no plans to dig out an AIP theatrical print for DVD release. So right now the only choice is Scope-but-awful-dub-on-DVD, or one can hunt down the Cropped-but-superior-dub-on-VHS. Granted, this probably isn’t as much of an issue for anyone else as it is for me.

    Rev, any chance of letting me borrow that tape?

    One thing does occur to me in the Gojira vs Godzilla debate. Serizawa’s actions seem more heroic in the U.S. version since he destroys the monster. (“The menace was gone, so was a great man. But the whole world could wake up and live again.”) In the Japanese cut, we get a line that more or less implies Godzilla was just the tip of the iceberg, rendering Serizawa’s actions as pointless. The Japs had a real knack for doom and gloom endings, one element in the 70s they embraced with a savage grip. Maybe it comes down to personal tastes, but when I leave a movie I’d rather be uplifted than beaten down. Giant monster movies are all about winning out over an impossible enemy and human courage in the face of evil. Still, I guess we should just be happy that both versions are now comercially availible, since everyone gets what they want that way.

  • Thanks, Rock. The version I had was “The Smog Monster”, from what you said (the theme song on my copy was in English). I didn’t like the International dub of “Destroy All Monsters!”.

    Oh, keep an eye on my website for an article about the GKOTM that I’m writing.

  • P Stroud

    Ha! No one is a bigger fan of the original Godzilla than I am. I watched it every time it came on TV including every night for 5 days in a row when it was on “Million Dollar Movie” back in 1960. (Man did my psrents get sick of it). I’ve watched it at least once a year since I recorded it in the 80’s. Now I have the fancy two disk set and have watched both versions with commentaries as well. So I side with Ken here. Yes, the Raymond Burr version is not as good as the original, but it’s still good enough. The essential story is still there. In fact considering the time it was released the Japanese version could never ever have distributed. The Americanized version allowed us to see the seminal City Stomping Giant Radioactive Monster Movie and as such deserves a place of honor, not catcalls and derision.

  • The Rev. D.D.

    P Stroud–that sounds like a challenge…

    Rock Baker–that could be arranged, perhaps. Whereabouts are you? Am I misremembering, or are you in the Dallas area?

    Let me make sure I have it first; I think I got all my monster movies from home, but if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have access to it until late July.

  • I was looking at the archives from the previous G-Fests, and I have to wonder how many times in total Robert Scott Field has shown up there. Doesn’t he run out of things to talk about? Or is it one of those situations in which there are always new fans to hear his stories about GvsKG?

  • I haven’t attended the con itself in some years–although it should be livened up a bit, what with a new movie on the way–but Mr. Field also speaks Japanese and works as translator for the Japanese guests, as I recall. And yeah, there’s not too many placed he can probably go where he’s a bit of a celebrity, so I’m sure he enjoys that aspect of things. He seemed like a nice guy, though.

  • Rock Baker

    Blake – My pleasure, its good to know that there’s some use for my knowledge, limited as it is.

    Rev – Thanks! Once you have the tape in hand, we can figure out a way to exchange information. I’d write my email address here, but I’m not sure how safe that is. I’m from pretty far out actually, way out in the Arkansas Ozarks. (All those spelling errors make a little more sense now, don’t they?)