Mothra vs. Godzilla
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.89 You Save: $4.00 (50%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $2.35 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Mothra vs. Godzilla
Movie Review: Good film, fair DVD
Summary: 4 Stars
Godzilla films have always had a reputation as being cheap, campy nonsense and are often treated poorly when released on DVD. At least when Classic Media released their new series of Godzilla DVDs they made an effort to treat these films with the respect they deserve but never got.
To start off, Mothra vs. Godzilla is my favourite Godzilla movie, perhaps even better than the original. The special effects are pretty good (keep in mind the film was made in 1964), the story is a fine example of how Toho monster movies of the time set themselves apart from their American counterparts and Akira Ifukube's score is, in my opinion, one of the greatest film scores ever written (up there with the Themes for Star Wars or Star Trek)
The DVD, while much better than previous releases, has some strengths but also some flaws. It's greatest strength is the fact that it marks the first time the original, unedited, undubbed Japanese version was released in North America. The picture quality is pretty good and so is the audio. The subtitles could have been better: one scene the priest prays to the gods to protect the people from any "courses" (I'm sure they mean "curses") but that aside the Japanese version is very good.
Unfortunately if feels like the Japanese version is the only feature Classic Media seems to care about. The edited U.S. version (Godzilla vs. the Thing) is in bad shape, full of scratches, hairs, grain and is cropped to 1.78:1 aspect ratio. After watching the Japanese version in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, watching this version felt like I was watching my old pan and scan VHS copy.
The special features while decent, are somewhat slim. The audio commentary is pretty insightful into the making of the film and it's U.S. release, the Japanese trailer is also in as good a condition as the Japanese version of the film but for some strange reason they didn't add subtitles to it, so unless you can speak and read Japanese you won't understand what's being said or written on screen. Sadly they didn't bother adding the U.S. trailer as a special feature. Personally I think Classic Media thinks we'll just be happy to have the Japanese version of the film; and they're probably right.
Overall, Mothra vs. Godzilla is a good film with a fair DVD release. It could have been better but it's probably the best were going to get.
Movie Review: One of the better Showa era movies
Summary: 4 Stars
Before the Godzilla series spiraled into silliness in the late 60s and early 70s, Toho churned out a few decent films such as this one. With great special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya, a brilliant musical score by Akira Ifukube, and non-stop action, Mothra vs. Godzilla is easily one of the best in the series.
Unlike the Showa films that followed this, Godzilla is portrayed here as an unstoppable, destructive force of nature. In a series of impressive battle sequences that take up most of the second half of the film, Godzilla rampages across Japan and continuously defeats all of the military's plans to stop him. Godzilla's battle with Mothra is brief but engaging, and while it's not quite the visual spectacle that the Yokohama battle in the 1992 semi-remake Godzilla vs. Mothra is, it still holds up well today.
Overall, this film is a must for any fan of the genre, and it is noteworthy for being the last Showa era film to portray Godzilla as a villain. I can't help but think that if Toho had continued to make movies this good throughout the 60s and 70s, the Godzilla series would have been an even greater success.
Movie Review: An Almost Adequate Dvd II
Summary: 4 Stars
The original Japanese theatrical release is remastered and looks pristine. However, this is not the case with the American English dubbed version. Classic Media should've reconsidered cleaning up the American version as one may want to watch it as an alternative to reading and concentrating on the subtitles.
Included on the dvd are features that are welcomed by die hard fans of Godzilla but personally I would've wanted interviews with stars of the film-giving their insights on the movie, experience in filming scenes etc. It especially would've been a treat if they were able to get an exclusive interview with the peanuts.
In short, this should be in any Godzilla collection especially for completists.
Movie Review: Godzilla's most unusual fight in movies.
Summary: 4 Stars
Godzilla vs. Mothra is probably one of Godzilla's best face off movies. Even though the movie sounds kind of weird thinking of Godzilla battling a giant Moth is kind of stupid. There is a reason why Godzilla vs. Mothra is considered by many as one the greatest, this is the movie that established just how indestructible Godzilla really is to convectional weapons. The film also has what I call the Godzilla Theme when Godzilla makes his appearence in the film. When the film came out in America it was called Godzilla vs. The Thing. That has to be one the dumbest dubbed titles I have ever heard. Godzilla vs. Mothra is way better by a mile.Movie Review: Mothra Vs Godzilla
Summary: 4 Stars
I like the fact that Toho is releasing all there older Monster movies in a new dvd case.I look forward to seeing more of the movies being released so I can add them to my collection. One thing I would have liked to have seen with the movies being redone is to have the audio done in 5.1 dolby sound, than the standard audio format that they were originally done in.