Godzilla KOTM... from the Criterion Collection!?!?!

[Dr Kain]

[lhb412]

^ The craziest thing about this is the whole 'niche market' thing. I remember when it seemed like the internet had fractured pop culture, and everyone would be free to pursue their diverse interests. Now, with the corporate consolidation of pretty much all the big online venues we're seeing this return to the pre internet ideals. Instead of having an niche favorite now you only have this mainstream site/app and you'll take whatever we will give you and you'll like it!

[Gwangi]

I keep forgetting that we are in November, and because of that, I got an email from Criterion indicating that their 50% off sale for this month has kicked off, just as FilmStruck will be going down. As others have said elsewhere, AT&T and TimeWaner can't take away your physical media! (and hopefully, Criterion will release some of the Godzilla titles that were streaming, on blu-ray come 2019).

[Dr Kain]

Yeah, I was in B&N tonight and noticed the sale started today. Of course it happens when I can't afford it. Of course, there hasn't been really anything released this year I care about, which is odd. Usually by this time I've got 5-8 titles I really want to own. As of right now, it's all backlog with things like The Game, Seventh Seal, and Vampyre.

As such, if I miss out this time around, no big deal. The next movie they are releasing i really care about is Notorious, which isn't until Feb I believe.

[Tom R VanSlambrouck]

My guess is they'll do releases closer to G2 when that hits theaters at the end of May. Or they may hold off until Godzilla vs Kong in 2020. If/When they do releases I hope they include the alternate dubs for Son of Godzilla and the AIP dub for DAM.

[Gwangi]

[Benjamin Haines]

[lhb412]

According to August Ragone Kraken's license to their three Showa Godzilla films has recently expired, freeing those three up for being snatched up by Janus for the complete Showa series box set they're planning.

For some stupid reason it hadn't occurred to me that that could be a part of the holdup!

[Gwangi]

[Tom R VanSlambrouck]

As much as I'd love to see Criterion stuff this year, I honestly believe it'll be next year that we get the discs. Godzilla vs Kong is going to have more hype around it then KOTM I believe.

Or maybe they'll do waves like Classic Media did start off with two or three titles then wait three or four months and release another set. Rinse and repeat.

I just hope that they don't do a boxset with all of them. while I wouldn't complain if they did I'd prefer to have individual releases.

[lhb412]

^ If they're really going to give every movie the same kind of archival respect that they gave their release of the original movie then they're going to need all the time they can get! The ultimate dream would be new restorations of both the original Japanese versions and the original US release versions. If it were any other company I'd say it's impossible, but that's kind of Criterion's deal!

I'm sure they'll cook up some awesome extras, but if I were to recommend any one thing it would be be, say, 5 to 7 select episodes of Zone Fighter (you know the ones).

[Dr Kain]

Just give me a 14 Showa era disc deluxe box set with some nice booklet on the entire era and I'll be extremely happy.

I say 14 because I don't see Universal playing nice for a property they don't give two shits about.

[lhb412]

^ Criterion licenses things from Universal all the time. They have a working relationship with practically every studio!

[jellydonut25]

I feel like Universal would want to cash in on Kong vs Godzilla while the hype is high for Godzilla vs Kong. I could see them just trying to scrape some cheapo release together for their own sake.

[Dr Kain]

[lhb412]

^Uni doesn't need to do jack: Janus gets rights and copy of the US version from Universal then gets Japanese version from Toho (hypothetically).

[Tom R VanSlambrouck]

[Jinzo Ningen]

I'm interested in an all-inclusive boxset if for no other reason than to finally get those few titles that are still available only in DVD format here in the US finally in hi-def.

Wish fulfillment would obviously be for Criterion to work with whomever is necessary in order to legally secure, clean up and include the much-beloved, sorta 'lost' A.I.P. dubs, (along with the international dub & original Japanese language tracks, of course)... for every movie that originally had them. Heck, I'd be willing to pay damn near double just for that option alone. Seriously.

[Tom R VanSlambrouck]

So apparently Kraken's license for Godzilla vs Gigan, Godzilla vs Hedorah and Godzilla vs The Sea Monster has expired or they're about to expire and that Criterion is interested in picking up the license for them. If they do get them then that will mean Criterion will have the rights to all the Showa films with the exception of King Kong vs Godzilla which they could always sublicense from Universal anyway.

[KaiserGhidorah]

[Dr Kain]

[H-Man]

In a way it would make sense to include the '84 film if it's available and if Criterion is interested. That was still the Showa era (Showa 59) and there were many veterans of the earlier films on the crew, including both live action and SFX directors. And the Kraken presentation can also be improved on in literally every way.

As for Godzilla 1985, if it's a matter of paying off Chris Young to use his music, and if Criterion made it a goal to get that version of the film, I have no doubt they could pull it off. There are too many intangibles to tell right now, though, but if it did come down to money I'd have more faith in Janus Films than Kraken Releasing.

[Tom R VanSlambrouck]

[Dr Kain]

[H-Man]