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Category Archives: The Toho Films

Three Toho Godzilla films coming soon to Blu-ray

03 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by Victor De Leon in Movie Reviews, The Toho Films

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Godzilla on Blu Ray, Godzilla vs The Sea Monster, Godzilla vs The Smog Monster, Gojira, kaiju, toho, Toho Movies on Blu-ray

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Great news, Kaiju and Toho fans! Section 23 will be releasing three beloved “G” films soon to blu ray. Details are below. Enjoy!

Vic’s Note: The cover art and images are not final

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Section23 Films has announced the Blu-ray debuts of three classic Godzilla films: Godzilla vs Gigan: Godzilla on Monster Island (1972), Godzilla vs Hedorah: Godzilla vs the Smog Monster (1971) and Ebirah – Horror of the Deep: Godzilla vs the Sea Monster (1966). All three titles are being released under Section 23’s new international video distribution label, Kraken Releasing, and arrive on Blu-ray on May 6th.Godzilla vs Gigan: Godzilla on Monster Island Image

Official Synopsis: When alien invaders, plans for a children’s theme park, and four giant monsters with six heads between them all collide, the result is the inevitable battle for the fate of the Earth. At least that’s how it is for Godzilla, who teams up with his former spiky foe Anguirus for a tag team match against two of his greatest adversaries: the legendary three-headed King Ghidorah and Gigan, the cyborg hench-monster for insidious insect aliens whose plot to wipe out all human life is cleverly disguised as plans for the construction of a new children’s theme park.

Unfortunately for the bug’s diabolical designs, their secret monster control codes are accidentally discovered by comic book artist Gengo Kotaka, who broadcasts the master tape and brings Team Godzilla into play.

It’s not going to be an easy fight, though, as the odds are four heads to two, and King Ghidorah’s one of Godzilla’s toughest opponents. With his cybernetic weaponry, Gigan is equally ruthless, and his alien masters are as hard to kill as the cockroaches they resemble. Will Earth’s biggest defenders finally fall? Or will Godzilla — and insecticide — triumph over all!

The Blu-ray release of Godzilla vs Gigan features 1080p video, lossless English and Japanese audio, and English subtitles. The film’s Japanese trailer is also included.

Godzilla vs Hedorah: Godzilla vs the Smog Monster

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Official Synopsis: Forget about acid rain and global warming. The worst ecological nightmare is actually Hedorah, which starts off small but quickly mutates into a giant flying monster capable of wiping out all life on whatever unfortunate planet it lands on. And since Hedora grows by consuming the toxic gases and chemicals mankind has spilled into the air and water, in the early 1970s that means that its potential growth is unlimited.

Fortunately for the human race, the Earth has an ultimate green defender who doesn’t need to sing protest songs or try to enact new laws to get things done. Nobody and nothing can stop Godzilla when he decides to push an environmental issue, and while Hedorah may be the dirtiest opponent Godzilla has ever faced, his name is going to be mud by the time he’s been stomped into the whole Earth a few dozen times.

The Blu-ray release of Godzilla vs Hedorah features 1080p video, lossless English and Japanese audio, and English subtitles. The film’s Japanese trailer is also included.

Ebirah – Horror of the Deep: Godzilla vs the Sea Monster (I LOVE this one!)

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Official Synopsis: When Ryota’s brother Yata disappears at sea, the intrepid youth and his friends join forces with a slightly trustworthy bank robber, steal a boat, and go after him. Of course, there’s the little problem that Yata may be lost on a mysterious island where the evil terrorist organization Red Bamboo has enslaved natives to make heavy water for nefarious purposes. And that means dealing with the island’s monstrous, 164-feet-tall guardian Ebirah as well as Red Bamboo’s arsenal of super advanced weaponry.

On the plus side, help may be at hand in the form of a nubile island girl, two tiny fairies, their giant protector Mothra and the big G himself, the mighty Godzilla. Surviving the results of all that “assistance” may not be guaranteed, but Red Bamboo will never want to tangle with teenagers and Godzilla at the same time again.

The Blu-ray release of Godzilla vs the Sea Monster features 1080p video, lossless English and Japanese audio, and English subtitles. The film’s Japanese trailer is also included.

Enjoy the Trailers below!

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Toho’s “King Kong vs Godzilla” and “King Kong Escapes” coming soon to Blu-ray

03 Monday Feb 2014

Posted by Victor De Leon in Sci-Fi Movies, The Toho Films

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

blu ray, Coming Soon to Blu-ray, godzilla, Gojira, kaiju, King Kong Escapes, King Kong vs Godzilla, Monster Movies, Sci Fi Films, toho, Toho Films

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Universal Studios Home Entertainment is bringing two giant monster catalog titles to Blu-ray in April: Ishirô Honda’s King Kong vs. Godzilla(1962) and King Kong Escapes (1967). Both Toho Company films make their Blu-ray debut on April 1st.

King Kong vs. Godzilla

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Official Synopsis: When an underhanded pharmaceutical company goes to a remote tropical island to steal King Kong for advertising purposes, they get more than they bargained for when the gigantic ape attacks an unsuspecting village and an enormous octopus. Meanwhile, far below the sea, a submarine crew unleashes reptilian terror when they melt a block of ice and release the ferocious Godzilla from his icy lair. When both destructive monsters descend on Tokyo, it’s a fight that holds the future of mankind in the balance in this knock-out film that was the first theatrical release to bring its larger-than-life contenders to the big screen in glorious color.

King Kong vs. Godzilla is presented in 1080p with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track. No special features are included.

King Kong Escapes

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Synopsis: King Kong, having fallen in love with the beautiful Lt. Susan Watson (Linda Miller), is kidnapped from his Mondo Island home by the evil Dr. Hu (Eisei Amamoto) to dig for precious gems in a mine when the robot, MechaKong, is unable to complete the task. Soon, though, the machine and the real Kong engage in a tremendous battle that threatens to level Japan.

King Kong Escapes  is presented in 1080p with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track. No special features are included.

Enjoy The Trailers Below!

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On The Set – Director Ishiro Honda

13 Saturday Apr 2013

Posted by Victor De Leon in Sci-Fi Movies, The Toho Films

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Ghidorah, Gojira, Ishiro Honda, Japanese Sci - Fi, King Kong Escapes, King Kong vs Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan, The Mysterians, toho, Varan

honda_tcm

Selected Filmography –

Frankenstein Conquers The World (Thanks to www.parlorofhorror.com for reminding me about this cool title)

Gojira

Night School

The Skin of the South

Rodan

Young Tree

The Mysterians

The H Man

Varan The Unbelievable

Mothra

King Kong vs Godzilla

Ghidorah The Three Headed Monster

Gorath

Destroy All Monsters

War Of The Gargantuas

Terror Of MechaGodzilla

King Kong Escapes

Invasion of the Astro Monster

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The Toho Films – “King Kong vs Godzilla” (1964) Review

20 Sunday Jan 2013

Posted by Victor De Leon in Movie Reviews, The Toho Films

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

Akira Ifukube, Giant Monsters, Godzilla vs King Kong, Ishiro Honda, Japanese Sci - Fi, kaiju, Monster Movies, Toho Studios

kingkong_vs_godzilla

“King Kong vs Godzilla” (1964)

8  out of 10

Directed by Ishiro Honda

By Vic

King Kong vs. Godzilla  (Kingu Kongu Tai Gojira) from 1962 is a Kaiju film directed by Ishiro Honda (Gojira, War of the Gargantuas) with VFX created by Eiji Tsuburaya.  The  great Toho mainstay, Akira Ifukube, the composer for the original G (Gojira), comes back to compose and provide an awesome score. Probably one of his best. G vs KK is the 3rd flick in the Original Japanese series of giant monster (kaiju)  films starring the G man himself, Godzilla the monster  It is definitely a different film in terms of style and tone and VFX from RKO’s seminal 1933 film King Kong. Much like Gojira, in this film, Kong is portrayed as a VERY large beast.

Much larger than his American counterpart and includes a stunt player in a hokey and  loveably campy ape suit. Going against the grain of using the classic  stop motion animation.  Lighter in tone and playing for laughs in both the drama and monster battles, G vs KK is still a classic kaiju film that delivers just about everything we love about the early kaiju films of Toho’s hey dey.

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I remember having caught the movie so many times on WOR – Channel 9 in NYC and when the VHS copy eventually came out I scooped it up much to the chagrin of my more sophisticated monster movie loving friends. For some reason, Toho movies and I just meshed. It was a relationship born in rubbery suited goodness. G vs KK though was always a special one for me though. It was a battle royale that was just MEANT to be. Hands down, Toho gets props and massive kudos for putting this campy slice of kaiju heaven together and making it work on so many levels.

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Here is the Plot Synopsis –  Courtesy of Godzilla Wiki – 

My thoughts –

G vs KK is fun, fast and an awesome example of how 2 monsters are supposed to do battle. Here’s why:

– Kong get “high” on berry juice

– A main character bitches about his steak being smaller than his Sister’s boyfriend’s steak. Haha.

– If you watch the dubbed version, don’t miss the weird little chubby cheeked kid saying “Godzilla” at warp speed.

– A nuclear sub runs afoul of Godzilla as he wakes up from his slumber in an iceberg ( He was buried in ice in the previous G film from Honda : G Raids Again or Gigantis The Fire Monster here in the States )

– Godzilla is just plain nasty in this film. He burns, crushes and destroys everything in his path

– Effects director Eiji Tsuburaya supplies us with some great visual effects in this Kaiju entry.

– Despite producer John Beck changing some things in the US version replacing the more comedic parts, the commentaries by newscasters are spot on serious and played straight.

– We get a very goofy troop of explorers that go to Kong’s island. One of which complains about his “corns” The dude is plain hilarious. He’s always nervous and complains to no end.

– Kong gains strength from lightning. Huh? OK, ya just gotta go with that one.

– Kong gets a lesson in how Godzilla likes to burn things up.

– Godzilla pummels Kong with rocks the size of Texas.

– Like always Godzilla is unstoppable. Nothing usually works on him.

– Godzilla gets a tree shoved down his gullet. Suffice it to say he doesn’t dig it.

– G and Kong totally devastate the Japanese countryside. Atami Castle goes down like a house of matchsticks.

– Godzilla dropkicks Kong

– Kong gets airlifted by huge balloons to confront Godzilla

– After they both fall into the ocean, Kong pops up as starts the swim home to Faro Island but it is unsure what happened to Godzilla. Perhaps he just decided to let bygones be bygones and starts a deep aquatic slumber. Your guess is as good as mine.

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Poor Atami Castle

Poor Atami Castle

Here is the link for more great Trivia and Info on the US and Japanese Releases of this amazing Kaiju entry from the awesome Toho Studios, Enjoy! –  www.godzilla.wiki – 

Here are some excerpts –

  • A long-standing urban legend claims that the Japanese version of this film has an alternate ending in which Godzilla wins, but this was based on a misconception.
  • In Japan, this film has the highest box office attendance figures of all of the Godzilla series to date.
  • Not only was this the first Godzilla, or King Kong film shot in “Scope” ratio (2.35:1), but was also their first appearances in color.
  • While many fans of King Kong hated the ape’s portrayal in this film, it was said that Eiji Tsuburaya deliberately made Kong comical as to not frighten young children, and make the audience root more for Kong than the frightening Godzilla.
  • The Davy Crockett, a portable rocket system for launching a small nuclear or conventional warhead, appears in the movie while still classified.
  • This movie is discussed by Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong in the Donkey Kong Country episode “From Zero to Hero”, though it is not mentioned by name.
  • The picture of Kong on the US-release poster was a cropped still from the original 1933 production (during his fight with the pterodactyl), rather than as he actually appears in this film.
  • The bigger draw of the two monsters in Japan was King Kong, who at the time was far more popular there than their own monster, Godzilla.

Hope you all enjoyed the post! There will be some more Toho / Kaiju goodness coming soon in The ‘Den! Thanks.

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The Toho Films – “Gojira” (1954) Review

13 Monday Jun 2011

Posted by Victor De Leon in Movie Reviews, Sci-Fi Movies, The Toho Films, Vic's Classics

≈ 10 Comments

godzilla_gojira_poster_by_southerndisturbedone-d5np2hl

What’s it About?

American nuclear weapons testing results in the creation of a seemingly unstoppable, dinosaur-like beast.

“Gojira”

Directed by  Ishirô Honda

10 out of 10

By Vic

The word “Kaiju” means giant monster and it is a word used to describe or refer to movies from Japan that feature huge and devastating monsters like Gamera, King Ghidorah, Rodan and most famously, Godzilla. Since his introduction in 1954, Godzilla, from Toho Studios has become a household name and is one of the most recognizable monsters along with Dracula, Frankenstein and King Kong.  With over 20 films spanning 50 years, Godzilla is a Japanese National Treasure and loved by millions across the world.

Despite each decade having a different “feel” and look for Godzilla (believe me, he has gone through numerous makeovers), fans enjoy most of the films for the cheesy plots, minuature sets, funky looking monsters and badly dubbed voice overs. They each have an apparent charm and for those who are uninitiated tey may come across as disposable and corny creature features. Godzilla never started out tongue in cheek and corny. It began with the most serious of intentions and that was to provoke thought and provide a perspective of modern history regarding man and his struggle to best mother nature.  – “Here be Monsters!”

Gojira-1956-FS-Front-Cover-7196

Let me make this clear. The original 1954 Japanese version of Gojira is much, much more than just about a dude in a cheap rubber dinosaur suit stomping on plastic and wooden models of Tokyo. Gojira is actually one of the most significant and timeless cautionary tales of the Atomic Age. Once again, scientists wander very close into the domain of the creator with the comfortable assumption they can do no wrong. They of course do go wrong and things get ugly.

Gojira (which is a translation of Gorilla and Whale), or “Godzilla”  is full of metaphor and subtext. The monster is a large, destructive, and irradiated dinosaur that awakens to exist for the sole purpose of destroying mankind with his formidable radioactive breath and big feet. The reedited and remastered original Japanese version cut excises much of the newer shot Raymond Burr footage in the most common American version that is really just rigid, annoying and useless. The film is less campy, schlocky and Americanized with these scenes cut out. What we have is a powerful, emotional and noir-ish masterpiece.

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The film is beautifully photographed and there are great lingering pans of devastation and suffering. The Japanese see Gojira as a force of nature to be accepted if not reckoned with. At times the movie takes on an avant garde air. Akira Ifukube’s eerie music is hauntingly reflective and appropriate. There is one particular scene that is so well done it can bring a tear to the eye. It takes place the day after Gojira’s first attack and the country is mourning. There is a beautiful shot of Japanese children singing in a large temple and the camera pans the destruction. Director Ishiro Honda lets the scene play out slowly and emotionally with profound results.

I also would like to mention the strengths of the effects and the acting by the versatile Akihiko Hirata as the conflicted Professor Serizawa who in the end will eventually make a great sacrifice to save Japan and the world from the Atomic Age monstrosity. Every heavy footstep of Gojira sounds like a bomb going off and at times the film (with it’s obvious metaphorical innards) may be accused of exploiting the still fresh pain of Japan’s role in WWII, but is still a very astute and significant piece of film noir. Watch it late at night with some buttered popcorn and enjoy! Don’t forget to catch the Japanese un-cut version on DVD and Blu-ray.

Enjoy the Gallery and Trailer Below!

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