Godzilla showa/heisei movies in 4K (in Japan...)

[Dai]

Looks like most of the showa and heisei Godzilla movies are getting 4K and remastered blu-ray releases in Japan between Oct-Dec 2023.

https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/feature/godzilla_4K_ultra_hd

Before anyone gets too excited, bear in mind that these don't have English subtitles, as per usual for Japanese releases. I just hope this will prompt Criterion to release an upgrade of their disappointingly uneven showa set, or for anyone else to licence them for a western release. I don't have a 4K TV, but I would absolutely buy new releases of the movies that had those awful splice marks on the Criterion set.

[Benjamin Haines]

Toho has restored ten Godzilla movies in 4K so far (that we know of). King Kong vs. Godzilla was the first one to air on Japanese television back in 2016 and Toho later released that restoration on 4K disc and regular blu-ray disc in 2021. That was also the year when 4K restorations of G'54, MvsG, GT3HM, MZ, DAM, Hedorah and Biollante all debuted on Japanese television.

Toho is releasing separate 4K and regular BRD editions of both G'54 and MvsG on October 25, followed by GT3HM, MZ and DAM on November 22, and then Hedorah and Biollante on December 20.

They've also announced that Megalon and G'84 have been restored in 4K and will air in Japan on November 3 along with Toho's existing HD transfers of GxMG and GFW. No word on disc releases for those restorations but here's an ad for the upcoming broadcast which includes some side-by-side comparisons for G'84: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tH_cd5_mhw

Toho has also done 4K restorations of Rodan, The Mysterians, Mothra, Matango and Frankenstein vs. Baragon but none of them are scheduled for disc releases yet.

There's no telling how long Toho will wait before letting any company release these restored transfers on disc outside of Japan. Maybe around 2030? Toho might be finished restoring the rest of the Godzilla movies in 4K by then.

[lhb412]

Honestly, I wouldn't mind if Criterion waited a considerable number of years if it takes that long to get these various Toho films the presentations they deserve.

[Benjamin Haines]

During the 2024 Godzilla Fest livestream, Toho announced a new 4K UHD box set of six movies to be released in Japan on June 18, 2025.

https://i.imgur.com/wQlaAtM.jpg

Godzilla Raids Again
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)
Terror of Mechagodzilla
The Return of Godzilla
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1993)
Godzilla: Final Wars

This will be a limited-edition set and Toho is taking preorders until January 24. Unlike their prior releases, it looks like they aren't releasing any of these movies individually, at least not yet.

This will bring the total number of classic Godzilla movies on Japanese 4K disc up to 14, including 10 Showa, 3 Heisei and 1 Millennium. It's interesting that Godzilla vs. Megalon isn't included in this set even though its 4K restoration has already aired on Japanese television.

[lhb412]

I'm just gonna pencil in "Criterion Godzilla 4K set(s) in 2026" on my mental calendar.

I feel I'm right!

[Benjamin Haines]

^ Well, Criterion is bringing G'54 to American 4K on November 5 this year, after Toho released it on Japanese 4K on October 25 last year. Theoretically, Toho would probably let Criterion release MvsG, GT3HM, MZ, DAM and Hedorah on American 4K at this point.

As for a full Showa Series 4K set? Toho still hasn't done 4K restorations of Sea Monster, Son of Godzilla, All Monsters Attack or Gigan as far as we know, and they would need to release those four and Megalon on Japanese 4K disc first. With Toho really staggering these releases, I think the fans in Japan would be lucky to get the rest of the Showa movies on 4K disc by the end of 2026, possibly released in time to coincide with Yamazaki's next Godzilla movie if it opens that November. I just don't see Toho getting the rest of these out in Japan quickly enough for Criterion to release a full Showa set in 2026.

It would be great if Criterion wanted to make standalone releases for more Godzilla films beyond the original. Box sets are always nice but I'd rather get individual movies sooner.

[lhb412]

I know that Criterion likes these big, splashy sets, but I also wouldn't mind individual releases. For some titles Criterion has had bigger sets containing a large amount of a filmmakers work but still had a few of the notable entries available separately, so there is precedent. Presumably keep the less notable titles for the set still several years away, but put especially popular ones out early.

[Benjamin Haines]

It has begun! Criterion just announced their own standalone Godzilla vs. Biollante release for March 18 as a 2-disc 4K/BRD set!

https://www.criterion.com/films/33023-godzilla-vs-biollante

"4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

New 4K digital restoration, with 5.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
New audio commentary featuring film historian Samm Deighan, host of the podcast Eros + Massacre and coeditor of the book Revolution in 35mm
Making-of program from 1993 featuring director Kazuki Omori and special-effects director Koichi Kawakita, among others
Short documentary from 1993 about the Biollante and Super X2 vehicle concepts
Deleted special effects
TV spots and trailers
New English subtitle translation
PLUS: An essay by science-fiction and horror film expert Jim Cirronella

New cover by Eric Powell"

[Kailem]

Ha, you must have posted this right as I was typing out my post in the other thread!

As I said over there, I guess this answers the question of whether or not Criterion were going to wait to get the rights to the rest of the Heisei series or just start releasing the ones they've already got individually. Though now that I think about it, that just makes it even more random that they've been sitting on so many non-Godzilla Ishiro Honda Showa movies without having done anything with them outside of streaming!

I feel like it's less likely that this ends up getting a UK release than it was with the Showa set, but at least if it doesn't I've still got it on Blu-ray already.

[lhb412]

Wow! A single movie release is a game changer. This means any movie with a preexisting 4K release in Japan is a potential new Criterion release!

The biggest elephant in the room is the seeming lack of the English dub, which is a bummer. Of course, I'm used to "Toho giveth, Toho taketh away" in regards to dubs, alternate versions and the like. I don't like it, but I am used to it after a few decades of dealing with it.

But as someone who loves Godzilla movies, the fact that "watchable but somewhat poor" is the default presentation of the majority of these films makes me very, very excited to get better quality transfer of... well, any of the films, but especially a favorite like Godzilla vs. Biollante! That, in addition to being packed with extras, makes me more happy and excited about this and potential subsequent releases than the negative caveats bring me down.

Also, I know Eric Powell has a somewhat mixed reputation among Godzilla fans because of his Godzilla comics work, but I gotta say I dig his cover; really sells a grotesque vibe for a film that has some of the gooeist effects in the series!