Godzilla 2000: Japanese or American version?

[Benjamin Haines]

I was recently able to watch the subtitled Japanese version of Godzilla 2000 (via Final Box and TM subs). I must say, I really can't decide whether the Japanese or American version of the movie is better. They are VERY different from each other, but I think that the good and the bad outweigh each other evenly between the two versions. The Japanese version fails in some areas that the American version excels in, and vice versa.

The Japanese version has, in my opinion, a pretty good music score by Takayuki Hattori. Unfortunately, it more often than not feels very out of place in the movie. For most of the shorter scenes, such as the grand nighttime rotating shot of the UFO on top of the building in Tokyo, it works very well indeed. But for the majority of the longer action scenes, such as the military attack on Godzilla in Tokai and Godzilla's fight with Orga, the music just doesn't seem to fit. There are also many scenes that are left without music at all that feel rather empty and blank. Also, much of the subtle sound effects in the Japanese version seem lackluster. Orga's Alien-esque squeal-cry does not suit him at all, and much of the time when Godzilla opens his huge maw to roar, he lets out an off-sounding short snarl. Those may sound like little complaints, but they really do make a surprising difference. On the plus side, the Japanese version of Godzilla 2000 creates quite a dark atmosphere. The mood and tone are very serious and even grim. The dark tone to the video on the Japanese DVD really adds to this mood, and overall it really is a major positive factor for the movie.

The American version of the movie is given tighter editing. In most scenes, this really helps with the pacing and flow of the story. But in some instances, it not only leaves plot points underexposed, it even eradiactes certain plot points from the story altogether (the Millennium Empire and the atmospheric content change). It keeps all of the good/working bits of Hattori's music score. But it sacrifices all of the non-working music in scenes for new, pumped-up music by J. Peter Robinson. For sequences like the military attack on Godzilla and the battle with Orga, it works much, much better and really improves those sequences exponentially. All of the subtle sound effects are given their due in this version too. Orga's new roar really fits him better and actually sounds like it's coming from the monster. Godzilla is almost always given the appropriate roar/growl/snarl for every scene in this version. The only downside to this is that Godzilla is also often given the elephantine sounds similar to those made by the imposter monster Zilla in Sony's GINO98 movie. The major downside to this American version of Godzilla 2000 is that the tone of the movie is completely killed. The dubbing injects new dialogue that is often unserious and even tries to be funny, and it really ruins the serious atmosphere set by the original version of the film. The brighter picture quality on the American DVD also adds to this lighter tone. Granted, it's not necessarily a bad thing for a movie to be lighthearted and straightforward fun, and the American version of Godzilla 2000 does indeed succeed in making fun and easy-to-watch entertainment. But in comparison to the serious tone of the Japanese version, it just feels wrong.

So, two versions of the same movie, each with their own different pros and cons, which overall make each of them just as good as the other in two different ways. They are truly opposite equals.

[Gfan54]

Well, I've never seen the original Japanese version of the film, so I voted for the American version. Also, after reading your comparison of the 2 different cuts, I'd have to say that even if I'd seen the Japanese one I still probably would've voted for the American cut.

[Danny B]

The American version. I love the dubbing, the additional music cues, tighter editing, and the improved audio remix.

[Joseph Goodman]

For what it's worth, the theatrical prints of the US Godzilla 2000 were much darker than what's on the DVD... you can look at the trailer on the disc to get an idea of what the prints looked like.

[GlassShatters86]

[Gfan54]

[Giganfan]

[Packmule]

[ScottA]

[MireGoji]

[Benjamin Haines]

[ScottA]

[Jim Ballard]