Worst Japanese Versions

[Tamura]

Which Japanese versions of these films do you think suck the hardest? Which ones do you think benefit from a good cutting?

I'll have to go with RETURN OF GODZILLA. The original film, IMO, has weak pacing plus little buildup and suspense, and the political stuff, while appreciated, just isn't enough to save it. I remember Baradagi or somebody saying that the original felt like a workprint, and I couldn't agree more. I think the US version improves upon the pacing of the original, adds some great Chris Young tracks from DEF CON 4, has Ray Burr reprising his Steve Martin role from GKOTM, and simply feels more fully formed. To me the only big downside is the Russians being portrayed as villains, but when you consider the context of the US version's production - the mid '80s during the Cold War - it's a little more understandable. There's also the Dr. Pepper product placement, which is obnoxious, I know, but without it this film probably wouldn't have been released to US theaters. I thought the political material was good, but it didn't hurt the proceedings to cut them.

[hammysammy59]

I don't have an example of my own to add right off hand, but this is an awesome idea for a thread. It's easy to point out the U.S./international versions that butcher the original, but it's rarer (and more interesting) to see when the U.S. or international version actually manages to improve the movie.

[TokyoVigilante]

Godzilla 2000 - Superior sound design and better pacing.

I'll emulate the opinion on Return of Godzilla as well.

[Sydney Aradi]

I find watching the Japanese version of Godzilla 1985 (Return of Godzilla) to be akin to watching grass grow. It is just very, VERY slow paced and the action doesn't start to pick up until Godzilla first shows up at the neuclear plant but then the action slows down yet again until Godzilla shows up in Tokyo. I do agree that Godzilla 1985 has much better pacing & I liked the added in Christopher Young music and Raymond Burr's scenes, the scream that Godzilla utters when he falls into Mt. Mihara in the US version & I liked Burr's monologue at the end.

[Space Hunter M]

I found the DCA cut of Rodan to be much better paced than the original. Ifukube's score felt severely lacking, so the Sawtell/Shefter music was perfectly acceptable. The new narrative structure was welcomed and dubbing wasn't half bad either.

[ZillaMaster91]

I couldn't stand watching the Japanese version of Godzilla 2000.

The sound effects were really weak, especially in the final battle where whenever Godzilla or Orga struck each other, it just sounded like a soft pat rather than a clash. It's one of rare instances that I prefer to watch the American version of the film over the original.

[o.supreme]

I dont have my own example to provide, but I believe in the commentary of GTTHM David Kalat stated he preferred the American edit to the original Toho version. Please correct me if I am wrong however.

[hammysammy59]

Yep, I definitely remember Kalat saying that. I'd have to watch the two back-to-back to really decide whether or not I agree with him, but the changes he talks about in the commentary all make sense and seem to just pace the movie better. To some extent Honda himself liked the American edit better, since it was the basis of the Champion Festival version he put together later.

[Tamura]

Some of the Champion Matsuri recuts seem to unintentionally mirror the editing of the US versions. Personally I think the Champion Matsuri KING KONG VS. GODZILLA is crap and renders the film less funny, not to mention it's also the reason the original version isn't properly preserved (footage cut from the Champion Matsuri was removed from the original negative, IIRC).

[Goji]

Im going to have to agree with everything Tamura said regarding RETURN OF GODZILLA. As much as I love it, New World's edit improved the pacing immensely. There are only a few scenes of exposition I miss, but otherwise it's a better cut of the film, regardless of, say, Travis Swords drinking a Dr. Pepper during the emotional climax. Other than the blatant advertising, I don't think those scenes are nearly as bad as some people make them out to be.

GODZILLA 2000 is another. I've only watched the JP version only once, because it was so bad. The sound design is just atrocious.

[Dr. Nishiyama]

Speaking of the Return of Godzilla, anyone out there think the editor was real rushed (or lazy) in completing the film? I have three behind the scenes\making of books of ROG and most of the pics are alternate angles of Godzilla's rampage. I'm positive Nakano used at least 3 camera angles for each shot and the editor only picked one. (EXAMPLE: There's a pic of a wider shot of Godzilla blasting the Super X and hitting that oil refinery, the pic shows Godzilla from behind enveloped in flames)

Also, the remark of ROG, as much as I love it, looking like a work print is spot on. Aside from removing some of the Prime Minister's best scenes, excluding the explanation behind the shokilas, and that awesome mirror building shot of Godzilla, the New World edit is definitely an improvement sans that stupid Dr. Pepper slurping idiot in the war room scenes.

[Ethan]

While The Return of Godzilla is a bit slow, I don't think it's enough to make Godzilla 1985 better. Most of the changes work in favour of the pacing, but at the cost of coherence and character development. I do reckon the sound design in that version is superior, though.

Speaking of Japanese versions I wouldn't take over their American counterparts, Varan is one of them, I'd say it's Honda's weakest monster movie. Using its special effects sequences for Varan, the Unbelivable was IMO a wise move from the US distributors.

[Legion1979]

Speaking of Japanese versions I wouldn't take over their American counterparts, Varan is one of them, I'd say it's Honda's weakest monster movie. Using its special effects sequences for Varan, the Unbelivable was IMO a wise move from the US distributors.

I think you're the very first person I've ever seen say that the American version of Varan is better than the Japanese version. That's a new one.

[Cimmerian Dragon]

I say they both suck. However, to borrow a phrase from Bart Simpson:

I didn't think it was physically possible, but the American version both sucks and blows.

[B34sT]

I personally think Gigantis is better than GRA for the fact that I can find entertainment at the bad dubbing while GRA just bores me to sleep.

[Tamura]

I think neither GIANT MONSTER VARAN nor VARAN THE UNBELIEVABLE are good movies. The difference is that the latter is far more easily riffable. The Japanese film has great effects and music, but that's about it.

According to Guy Tucker, Toho put little effort into the human drama because they expected the US distributors to remove it entirely. When AB-PT bailed, Toho didn't do much to improve it.

I think the 1962 US film, which shouldn't be confused with the completely different Japanese film from 1958, is not only more entertaining, but also more fascinating since so little is known about its production. I don't know of anyone actually making an effort to interview somebody having to do with the project. But why should I be surprised about that, in this fandom that (for the most part) is so vehemently opposed to English versions/adaptations/reworkings?

[Sydney Aradi]

I'm not opposed to US reworkings of Toho films as long as they are respectful to the original Japanese version & not totally butcher it (see the god awful Universal version of King Kong vs Godzilla as how not to re-edit a Toho film)

[Tamura]

I interviewed the co-writer of the US version of KING KONG VS. GODZILLA a couple weeks ago and, not to give too much of it away, he said that he and the rest of the US crew had great respect for what the original filmmakers had done, which is why they left in the vast majority of the special effects and monster footage. This, along with some other revelations, changed my opinion of the US version greatly, and I didn't even hate it in the first place.

[Megalon-5]

The U.S. version is fun in that little Universal Internation sci-fi film way. I actually like some of the stock music cues from Creature during the final battle. The newscaster and scientists were silly, but they're no different than similar characters found in the multitude of other American scifi films at the time.

[Sydney Aradi]

To me the US version of KKvs G did have a few good stock music cues (like the scene with Godzilla & the train & the creepy music that plays) but I like Ifukube's original score much better