American versions that you prefer to the originals?

[MouthForWar]

[jellydonut25]

eh....I kinda disagree...because the American cut still hints at some of that stuff.

so, sure the Japanese cut has a clearer plot and more overt references to Y2K, but inserting those aspects into the US version wouldn't make it substantially better, imho.

i think the US version is the superior cut. by leaps and bounds.

[MekaGojira3k]

[smagal]

what is this y2k thing?

[O.Supreme]

[kiryugoji04]

[jellydonut25]

[Benjamin Haines]

[Irish Gfan]

[Henry88]

[MouthForWar]

[briizilla]

[Henry88]

[O.Supreme]

[eabaker]

[briizilla]

[Giganfan]

I often have a tough time deciding which version of each film I'm going to watch. Take King Kong vs. Godzilla for example. I'm often more inclined to bust out my vhs of the Japanese version, as it is one of my favorite versions of any Goji flick, though having a top-quality digital copy of the John Beck film is quite tempting. I generally alternate with practically every movie in the series, depending on what suits me at the moment. I put the original cut of Godzilla's Revenge on today, and once I got past that god-awful song in the pre-credit montage, it was pretty smooth-sailing, as it is with the dubbed version. And that five-minute (or so) prologue of stock footage tacked on to the beginning of Terror of Mechagodzilla got me in the giddy, monster-lovin' mood for the coolest "mecha"-kaiju flick Toho ever made. My personal favorite U.S. versions are Godzilla King of the Monsters!, Monster Zero and Terror of Mechagodzilla.

[buykaiju]

I have to say that I think the US version of Godzilla 2000 is the best of all efforts to "Americanize" the Godzilla movies. The only complaint I have is some of the cheesy dialog like the "crap through a goose" or "this looks like the end of our civilization"

Other than that, I find the added music, sound effects and the beginning title card far superior than the Japanese version.

I also had such an awesome time watching the film in theaters, with people laughing at the bad dialog and cheering Godzilla every time he did something cool, like blowing up Orga from the inside after he tried to eat him . It was the most memorable and fun time I had watching a movie in the theater.

[DannyBeane]

Put me in the camp of thinking the American G2k is superior to the Japanese version. However the nostalgia of it being the first Japanese Godzilla film I saw in theatres would have nothing to do with that right?

[MekaGojira3k]

[rockstarbd82]

Godzilla 1985: Far better edit. Was more to the point and trimmed mostly where appropriate. Some of Godzilla's stuff that was cut could've been kept (minus that huge foot prop). Way better placement of music within the edits.

Godzilla 2000: Pretty much the same deal as Godzilla 1985 with its trimmed down editing and far better sounding American stock music placement within the edits.

Pretty much all the showa films to an extent I prefer English dubs simply because that's how I grew up watching them. Sorry if that's blasphemy but it is what it is with certain fans.

One I "will defend" is the American version of King Kong vs Godzilla. Ok, what a crime. Honestly, the American cut was a very "sci fi cult classic" edit whether you like it or not. Sure it was dumb, silly, and some of it unnecessary (like the scientiests talking) but that's what made this film and Godzilla's American and some of his worldwide popularity what it is today. A lot of ppl complain about Ifukube's themes being replaced by stock creature from the black lagoon and that other film music. After watching the Japanese version recently, sorry to say, the stock music fits the monster fights way better than Ifukube's themes (I love Ifukube, don't get me wrong). And I think that's what also makes King Kong vs Godzilla and Mothra vs Godzilla not only more different from each other but 2 of Godzilla's greatest films back to back. KKvsGZ being the more goofy sci fi classic monster battle and MTHvsGZ more back to Godzilla's roots with the darker tone and nostalgic Toho with Ifukubes greatest work. And also while watching the Japanese version its pretty evident even that version was going for the more goofy/camp feel with the human characters and even the monster battles, but Ifukube's themes we love just didn't click with me as much as the stock cues did.

[Shin_Edda_Robo!!!!!]

[MekaGojira3k]

[Irish Gfan]

[Rodanex]