Cinema Shares Releases

[o.supreme]

Greetings All,

Most fans here know that Cinema Shares released three consecutive Godzilla films theatrically. They altered the titles on two of the three films, and decided to use the Toho International English dubs rather than create their own. Also the films were slightly edited for violence/language. These films are:

G vs Gigan (Released as Godzilla on Monster Island)
G vs Megalon &
G vs Mechagodzilla (released as Godzilla vs The Cosmic Monster)

These were probably three of the most often aired Godzilla films in my geographical area growing up between 1980-1990. with original Cinema Shares logo's and all. I believe I have a VHS tape with all 3 of these that I taped off TV in 1987, but I'll have to check (lord I hope I still have it).

My question is that--I know crude VHS versions were released for "Megalon" (other than the Good Times release) & "Cosmic Monster". Does anyone know if any of these contain the original Cinema Shares logo & opening sequences? Any assistance is appreciated. Thank you.

[Goji]

Actually, you're in luck. The VHS release from UAV of MEGALON does in fact feature the Cinema Shares logo.

It was a bargain bin release, with crude artwork, and what is apparently a truly atrocious transfer, but oddly enough, the CS logo is there!

This is the one http://tohokingdom.com/articles/images/ ... uaw94.html

[o.supreme]

Thank you Goji for confirming my suspicions/hopes for at least one of these films. Oh and joy of joys I found my old VHS tape with all 3 films! However the quality is not suitable for a dvd transfer so I'm glad at least one of these I will be able to hunt down. I'm pretty sure one of the crude "cosmic monster" VHS might have it too, but cant confirm. Too bad there was never a VHS release of the "On Monster Island" version.

Funny how a silly little thing can invoke so much nostalgia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2X4eLAb73Q

[Goji]

No problem! Actually, to be honest, that tape you have may be of some use in solving some mysteries surrounding the CS releases.

I've always heard conflicting reports from some fans about which edits were actually made to these films during their theatrical run, and which edits were made for tv airings. For the longest time, I thought the scenes that were cut from MEGALON (at least on all of the home video releases) were cuts originally done by CS. Then, I started hearing from some fans who swore the film was uncut when they saw it theatrically. The same couple of people claim the same for ON MONSTER ISLAND and COSMIC MONSTER.

It would be interesting to see if your taped off-the-TV versions of MEGALON and COSMIC MONSTER are edited the same as the VHS releases. Obviously the same can't be done for ON MONSTER ISLAND, since that version never got a release here in the states. I have heard of a VHS release (or two, even) from Canada, however.

[Tamura]

^ It's possible that CSIDC/Downtown Distribution issued cut and unedited versions simultaneously (like what Bob Conn did with TOMG), or that they originally released the films uncut and re-edited them at some point during their theatrical releases.

[o.supreme]

Also it is possible that local stations may have made edits for time (I'll have to watch my tape again, very thoroghly when I have the chance). I remember August saying that during one broadcast of DAM, the film opened with the SY3 landing on Ogasawara!

[Goji]

Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me if the TV edits were even more cut down from the "cut" versions of MEGALON and COSMIC MONSTER that are on VHS. I think Tamura's theory is also a big possibility as well.

o.supreme, I've actually heard that story from August before. That sounds pretty ridiculous! I mean, that scene is definitely nowhere near the start of the film, so..

[CTHimes]

Sinister Cinema released GODZILLA ON MONSTER ISLAND on video at some point. It appears in their 1996 catalog, along with MEGALON and COSMIC MONSTER. As with any OOP title from SC, all three are pretty much impossible to find.

[Goji]

Good to know. I've actually never seen what any of their releases look like. I'm assuming they don't feature box art or anything?

[CTHimes]

Good to know. I've actually never seen what any of their releases look like. I'm assuming they don't feature box art or anything?

I've seen a few SC releases with special artwork, but most of their movies are sold in a generic sleeve.

Picture here: http://serialkillercalendar.com/VHSWAST ... CINEMA.jpg

[Goji]

^ That's right, I completely forgot about those.

[Gojira-Fan]

Why does Sinister Cinema not have any box art?

[CTHimes]

Why does Sinister Cinema not have any box art?

Many of the films they sell are forgotten b-flicks, so there are limited materials to work with. It's also probably cheaper to use one sleeve design. Like I said, though, I've seen some Sinister Cinema tapes with unique art.

[o.supreme]

My guess also (not having owned any of these), is that they are "gray market" at best. Not exactly legal, but perhaps taking advantage of films that at the time may have been (or believed to be) public domain.

[Joseph Goodman]

Did the old Sci-Fi Channel broadcasts of "Godzilla On Monster Island" have the Cinema Shares logo? I don't recall. I may not have ever sat through the whole thing, as it looked quite inferior to the old New World tape of "Gigan".

[Baradagi]

Did the old Sci-Fi Channel broadcasts of "Godzilla On Monster Island" have the Cinema Shares logo? I don't recall. I may not have ever sat through the whole thing, as it looked quite inferior to the old New World tape of "Gigan".

I have a recording of GOMI with Mark Hamill introducing the film on the Sci-Fi Channel but it just jumps straight to the film. When it ran under their "Tokyo Under Siege" marathon I don't recall the Cinema Shares logo being present either.

[CTHimes]

GODZILLA VS. MEGALON opened with the Cinema Shares logo during the Tokyo Under Siege marathon (93 or 94?).

GOMI with Mark Hamill introducing the film

That sounds awesome! Do you know what year that was? I know Peter Boyle also introduced the film during Sci-Fi's Stompfest 1998. Patrick Macnee also hosted a Godzilla marathon on Sci-Fi, and I'm pretty sure MONSTER ISLAND played during that.

[SuperSaiyan4Godzilla]

GODZILLA VS. MEGALON opened with the Cinema Shares logo during the Tokyo Under Siege marathon (93 or 94?).

GOMI with Mark Hamill introducing the film

That sounds awesome! Do you know what year that was? I know Peter Boyle also introduced the film during Sci-Fi's Stompfest 1998. Patrick Macnee also hosted a Godzilla marathon on Sci-Fi, and I'm pretty sure MONSTER ISLAND played during that.

And stop it.

....wait, Mark Hamill?

Awesome.

[o.supreme]

GODZILLA VS. MEGALON opened with the Cinema Shares logo during the Tokyo Under Siege marathon (93 or 94?).

Thank you. That answers my question. I noticed while reviewing my VHS tape, that I had recorded over my G vs Megalon from local TV braodcast in 1987, with a superior version from a later date that had the CS logo, but I cant for the life of me remember how I got it? Thank you . Man thats bad when you cant even remember when you recorded your own stuff.

[Goji]

I'm not exactly sure what year it happened, but the airings of ON MONSTER ISLAND were eventually replaced with Toho's international version (complete with speech bubbles in tact, the 35mm print I saw at G-Fest 2008 also featured them). Same goes for MEGALON and MECHAGODZILLA '74.