Talkback: Gorath (1962)

[Mac Daddy MM]

But hey, maybe they wound up moving it to a different spot that was near a moon, hence the moon being back by 1999 in DAM...

Pretty sure, like 100%, that Gorath is not part of the Showa Godzilla continuity... Or any continuity outside of its own. I know Maguma is listed to have appeared in GXMG/Tokyo SOS's timeline, but I'm also pretty sure the movie itself isn't. Same way the movie seems to ignore the fact Kamoebas' is an alien-based mutant and state that Gaira was killed by Masers. Even when you look at GXMG's official timeline ( https://www.tohokingdom.com/articles/im ... _gmmg1.htm ), Maguma is listed to have appeared in 1962 rather than the '80s where Gorath take place.

I'm pretty sure that Gorath is part of the Showa Godzilla continuity' there are the two space stations Delta and Terra that show up in other films.

The Space Station Delta shows up in a blink and you miss it cameo in Invasion Of The Astro-Monster as the P-1 rocket ship heads back to Earth. Space Station Terra shows up again near the beginning of War in Space, these two space stations are more then enough to make it be part of the Showa Godzilla continuity' at least in my book anyways.

That's like saying GXMegaguirus is part of the FW continuity because we see stock footage of Megaguirus. Or Atragon is part of Final Wars because the original Gotengo is in it. Toho (and especially Tsuburaya) are notorious for reusing props/suits without the worry of continuity.

[szmigiel]

I'm pretty sure that Gorath is part of the Showa Godzilla continuity' there are the two space stations Delta and Terra that show up in other films.

The Space Station Delta shows up in a blink and you miss it cameo in Invasion Of The Astro-Monster as the P-1 rocket ship heads back to Earth. Space Station Terra shows up again near the beginning of War in Space, these two space stations are more then enough to make it be part of the Showa Godzilla continuity' at least in my book anyways.

So a blink you miss it appearance of a prop is absolute proof the movie is in continuity with "Invasion of the Astro-Monster" thus in Showa Godzilla continuity. Also throwing in a "War in Space" prop, which is also a stretch to be considered part of a greater Showa continuity. But the destruction of the moon, Earth's orbit changed, and worldwide catastrophes are easily hand-waved away. With a simple everything went back to normal and a new moon, same size and that looked just like the old one, showed up and assumed the old ones orbit.

[johnboy3434]

Sorry to necro this thread, but what exactly is the current situation concerning the western distribution rights of Gorath? With the release of (the American cut of) Half Human on R0 DVD in 2021 thanks to Renown Pictures, Gorath stands as the last tangentially-Godzilla-related film to be stuck on pre-digital formats in English-speaking regions. It hasn't been on shelves in the United States since a 1986 VHS release. Has there been so much as a whisper regarding a potential disc release? Or Hell, even a chance of it being dumped onto a streaming platform?

[mikelcho]

Sorry to necro this thread, but what exactly is the current situation concerning the western distribution rights of Gorath? With the release of (the American cut of) Half-Human on R0 DVD in 2021 thanks to Renown Pictures, Gorath stands as the last tangentially-Godzilla-related film to be stuck on pre-digital formats in English-speaking regions. It hasn't been on shelves in the United States since a 1986 VHS release. Has there been anything so much as a whisper regarding a potential disc release? Or Hell, even a chance of it being dumped onto a streaming platform?

Yes, especially an uncut and accurately subtitled Japanese version / American dubbed version release on at least a DVD / Blu-ray combo? Is that too much to ask here, Toho? I need something exactly like this to put in with the rest of my Kiryu series films on home video.

[Legion1979]

I wouldn't be shocked if Toho isn't sure what the rights situation for this film (and Human Vapor) actually is, and is keeping it unavailable in this country just to cover their ass.

[mikelcho]

I wouldn't be shocked if Toho isn't sure what the rights situation for this film (and Human Vapor) actually is, and is keeping it unavailable in this country just to cover their ass.

Not just those two, but also The Last War. I believe MGM has the rights to these three Toho films in perpetuity, just like Columbia does with their three Toho films. I also remember reading in a relatively recent issue of G-FAN (I can't remember which one, though) that MGM's prints of the films have degraded to the point that they're now pink.

[Godzilla21]

I wouldn't be shocked if Toho isn't sure what the rights situation for this film (and Human Vapor) actually is, and is keeping it unavailable in this country just to cover their ass.

Not just those two, but also The Last War. I believe MGM has the rights to these three Toho films in perpetuity, just like Columbia does with their three Toho films. I also remember reading in a relatively recent issue of G-FAN (I can't remember which one, though) that MGM's prints of the films have degraded to the point that they're now pink.

Correct. I'm pretty sure Terasawa mentioned before that the MGM rights to Gorath are in perpetuity. The issue is they probably don't see it as a big seller if they go to the trouble of prepping it for release.

[mikelcho]

I wouldn't be shocked if Toho isn't sure what the rights situation for this film (and Human Vapor) actually is, and is keeping it unavailable in this country just to cover their ass.

Not just those two, but also The Last War. I believe MGM has the rights to these three Toho films in perpetuity, just like Columbia does with their three Toho films. I also remember reading in a relatively recent issue of G-FAN (I can't remember which one, though) that MGM's prints of the films have degraded to the point that they're now pink.

Correct. I'm pretty sure Terasawa mentioned before that the MGM rights to Gorath are in perpetuity. The issue is they probably don't see it as a big seller if they go to the trouble of prepping it for release.

That's what I thought. And I originally meant to say that the prints of all three films that MGM has the rights to have all degraded to the point that they're now pink. I hope that if they're ever released on home video in this country someday, MGM at least has the decency to get high quality prints of all three films and use accurate subtitles for them.

[Gailah 1966]

Watched Gorath yesterday. Superb cast and I think Gorath is meant to be the irresistable force of the universe.