GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE DVD/Blu-ray from Echo Bridge

[Tamura]

Determining by the professionalism of mxg744's posts, we ought not worry about something like that.

[mxg744]

What do you guys know about the English track on this LD?
http://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/45880/ML-1155/Godzilla-vsoe-Biollante-(Gojira-vsoe-Biorante)-(1989)
Is it any good?

[Tamura]

^ I recall Rockzilla saying he had that... he could fill you in. If you're able to utilize a print of the international version, you may not need these laserdiscs, since the international is in English.

[mxg744]

Tamura, I am preparing for the case that we get a clone of the Japanese version, which is what it looks like they are delivering the first week of June. It is a direct clone of the HD element used to master the Japanese BD. I am asking around to see if anyone has the international version on anything except 35mm. It looks like the film festival in Germany has international print on 35mm, but if we get access to that, its a few thousand dollars ($20-$30k) to create a new HD master up to Miramax standards and we would have to share that cost. I don't know if I could convince our marketing and development team to put that money down for this film, especially since they know we can get an HD master from Toho for the cost of an HD clone ($800)

:/

Also, how different are the English language tracks on these two LDs?
http://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/23630/LD-90838/Godzilla-vsoe-Biollante-(Gojira-vsoe-Biorante)-(1989)
http://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/45880/ML-1155/Godzilla-vsoe-Biollante-(Gojira-vsoe-Biorante)-(1989)

[Goji]

Hrmm..disappointing =/. It would be great if a new transfer could be made from the 35mm print, but I understand that cost might an issue..

Hopefully Rockzilla owns both of those LD's, and can confirm if one sounds better than the other.

[Joseph Goodman]

Does Miramax not have any film elements that they received from Toho back in the early 90's?

[Goji]

In mxg's first post, he mentioned that they received materials in SD quality from Miramax.

[KeizerKing81]

Tamura, I am preparing for the case that we get a clone of the Japanese version, which is what it looks like they are delivering the first week of June. It is a direct clone of the HD element used to master the Japanese BD. I am asking around to see if anyone has the international version on anything except 35mm. It looks like the film festival in Germany has international print on 35mm, but if we get access to that, its a few thousand dollars ($20-$30k) to create a new HD master up to Miramax standards and we would have to share that cost. I don't know if I could convince our marketing and development team to put that money down for this film, especially since they know we can get an HD master from Toho for the cost of an HD clone ($800)

:/

Also, how different are the English language tracks on these two LDs?
http://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/23630/LD-90838/Godzilla-vsoe-Biollante-(Gojira-vsoe-Biorante)-(1989)
http://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/45880/ML-1155/Godzilla-vsoe-Biollante-(Gojira-vsoe-Biorante)-(1989)

I'd shy away from the laserdisc with the 90 minute run time seeing as the original runtime is 105 minutes.

[Rockzilla]

@ mxg744 for the subtitles

http://web.archive.org/web/200601031919 ... titles.php

Heres a link from this site about the old subs from Tokyo monsters
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6834




Unfortunately I don't own either of those laserdiscs. However, I do own the VCD from Mei Ah, which I guarantee you is exactly like their Laserdisc. Avoid the laserdisc from Mei Ah, the sound is no better than vhs. The Laserdisc from HBO/Miramax would most likely be better.

[kpa]

Tamura, I am preparing for the case that we get a clone of the Japanese version, which is what it looks like they are delivering the first week of June. It is a direct clone of the HD element used to master the Japanese BD. I am asking around to see if anyone has the international version on anything except 35mm. It looks like the film festival in Germany has international print on 35mm, but if we get access to that, its a few thousand dollars ($20-$30k) to create a new HD master up to Miramax standards and we would have to share that cost. I don't know if I could convince our marketing and development team to put that money down for this film, especially since they know we can get an HD master from Toho for the cost of an HD clone ($800)

:/

Hey mxg744,

I sent you a private message here over the weekend so please check your inbox. I'd like to talk to you about some options for the BIOLLANTE Blu-ray, including the English audio track and subtitles.

Thanks,
Keith

[mxg744]

Does Miramax not have any film elements that they received from Toho back in the early 90's?

No, I don't know the whole history, but Miramax's only available assets were two copies of the film on digital betacam that both appeared to come from the same source and the picture was quite grainy and the sound was unbearable. I would guess they were something like 4+ generations from a good source.

@ mxg744 for the subtitles
...However, I do own the VCD from Mei Ah, which I guarantee you is exactly like their Laserdisc. Avoid the laserdisc from Mei Ah, the sound is no better than vhs. The Laserdisc from HBO/Miramax would most likely be better.

Thanks much for the subs link, I'm still new here so it would have taken me forever to find that in searches...
This Mei Ah company, I know the prejudice I would apply to a video company from the 90s working out of Hong Kong, but do you think they really released VHS grade sound on a LD? [sarcasm]and I thought I had done terrible things to movies [/sarcasm] I will keep this in mind.

I'd shy away from the laserdisc with the 90 minute run time seeing as the original runtime is 105 minutes.

HAHA, good catch KeizerKing I guess I won't be using anything off that LD

I am mostly acquiring all these versions/releases as reference for now. It would be great if the HBO LD had uncompressed English audio and I could rip that with a LD player that has digital output and reuse one of the subtitle tracks out there. That would be quite easy compared to negotiating through Miramax for delivery from Toho.

I sent you a private message here over the weekend so please check your inbox. I'd like to talk to you about some options for the BIOLLANTE Blu-ray, including the English audio track and subtitles.

Thanks,
Keith

I will respond right now, I forgot I had not... sorry.

mxg744, can you guys please not fill the Biollante Blu-ray transfer with ugly compression artifacts? Most Echo Bridge releases are filled with them and look awful.

Proofpoochie, Can you clarify which releases you have seen with compression artifacting? I will admit that alot of our multi-feature discs have more compression than any other studio is willing to accept. There are only a few other value based distributors that accept compression rates like we do. We have encoded DVDs running an average bitrate under 2Mbps, with our worst offenders' minimum bitrates reaching 600-700 kbps. I am not happy to do it, but I understand the value strategy. We create these multi-feature discs for the mass consumers frequenting big box retailers like Walmart, Target, Kmart, etc. These same Consumers can rent a major hollywood movie that they recognize for ~$2 from Redbox and cheaper from iTunes. To attract that customer and entice them to pickup and purchase any movie they don't instantly recognize, the industry has had to offer more and more value. That consumer will pick up a single DVD amaray that says it contains 10 movies even if they don't recognize any of them, sometimes instead of picking up that hollywood film from 2 years ago because of the perceived value... 10 for $5 or 1 for $5... Sorry to go off on that tangent, but yes, I feel bad when we see the bitrates for encoding almost any multi-feature disc, and I will agree with you that a discerning, detail minded consumer who likes films and appreciates preserving the exact re-creation of the exact piece of art that the filmmakers created will not like most of Echo Bridge's multi-feature discs. The single feature discs though, we do try to at least present the feature at a good bitrate. If you see a single feature BD or DVD that has compression artifacts or looks terrible, please let me know via PM (since I just took this thread waaaay off topic)
As an example of my limited sway here at Echo Bridge, let me tell you that I have had in my office a completed master BD for eXistenZ since last June, and a completed master BD for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly since last November which we have never released. I can sometime sneak by high quality work on a disc and make an awesome product, but I am not in sales, and if none of our major customers buy the product, we sit on it. (essentially the sales team needs to be able to predict an initial ship that placates any concerns from our operations team that the product will become 'dead weight' upon release)

umm... I may have just revealed too much :/

[Bigdog]

mxg744, I commend you for your efforts to getting one of my favorite Godzilla films onto DVD. Glad you got the HD source for it , and I do relaize it's gonna be a pain to acquire a good sounding source for the English dub asI've tried to as well , at least digitally. While it was serviceable to just sync the Japanese video to the audio of the dub, having an official DVD or Blu-Ray that has both dubs would be a sell to me, as long as I got it in my collection.

The R3 DVD is pretty amazing , but having an official American release now is worth the wait that could have both languages. If any special features I'd love to see the claymation feature as well as the other special feature, but as long as the core needs are met, I'll be satisfied.

Thanks.

[Gawdziller]

But I work at Echo Bridge. I am the terrible person who makes all the BDs and DVDs you all seem to hate.

If you're someone who is releasing a Godzilla film in the US, I will bear your children if you wish me to.

[Brian R Culver]

Also, do any of you know where I can buy the HBO Laserdisc?

If you’re still looking for the HBO laserdisc for the audio, I have an extra copy. I’m willing to give it to you, no strings attached.

I suggest using the isolated left (1/Lch) audio channel when making the recording. The disc is mono and the right (2/Rch) channel has some distortion. To hear what I mean listen at about 1m18s into side A of the disc. All copies were pressed that way.

If you need it, just tell me how to get it to you. Your efforts are appreciated.

[Cimmerian Dragon]

But I work at Echo Bridge. I am the terrible person who makes all the BDs and DVDs you all seem to hate.

Echo Bridge does not TRY to release terrible versions of movies on DVD/BD. We merely work with what is delivered to us. We are an independent manufacturer and distributor really. We try to get these films out to the largest audience, which these days is the Walmart shopper, and sometimes that involves giving up on trying to locate all those amazing bonus features from the original DVD release or trying to force the filmmaker to track down the original HD cut of their film. We just can't do better some times. My apologies)

Look, I don't think that the fanbase in general hates your releases. You've said it yourself, you've done hits and misses alike. Regardless, even a remotely competent release of Biollante is better than the official R1 digital releases we have now, which amount to jack shit. Put something decent together, and I'll be very greatful. Doesn't mean I won't mention any flaws I come across, but I'll appreciate it nevertheless.

[Rockzilla]

The laser disc audio would be ok, but it wouldn't hold up to todays standards of DTS HDMA or Dolby True Hd. Hopefully Echo Bridge would consider using that international Print for both audio and video.

[Goji]

Hopefully Echo Bridge would consider using that international Print for both audio and video.

I think he's worried that that particular option will be too expensive, and wouldn't be able to convince the higher ups to do it. I hope it isn't completely out of the question just yet though.

[Tamura]

mxg744, How expensive would an SD rather than an HD transfer of the international print be?

Also, if the international version can't be transferred from 35mm in full under any circumstances, would it be possible to include the opening and ending credits from it as an extra? This is a practice usually done for anime releases, but too few US distributors have tried it on Japanese sci-fi and kaiju titles.

I assume it would be too infeasible to seamlessly branch all of the unique visuals from the 35mm print (Toho int'l logo, opening + ending titles, textless scenes, translated place names) into Toho's HD version, but if it were possible that would be the way to go. This is what Disney has done for their Miyazaki titles, I believe. Us fans of the English dubs and their corresponding visuals would really appreciate any efforts to include these visuals from the 35mm international print on this release. And once again, you have my thanks for reaching out to us.

[CTHimes]

mxg744, thanks so much for your dedication and hard work concerning GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE! I, too, would love to see Toho's International English print of the film used for the main movie, but I understand the cost of transferring it vs. the cost of using Toho's HD master of the Japanese is a big issue. Here's hoping you guys can find a way to do it, but I'd sure understand if it doesn't work out that way.

By the way, you should definitely include the trailer for THE OPPOSITE SEX (AND HOW TO LIVE WITH THEM) [1992] as an extra, if at all possible. I know it seems really odd, but this trailer plays at the beginning of the old HBO video of BIOLLANTE, and I think a lot of fans would probably get a kick out of it if it were on the Blu-Ray. I'm not sure if Miramax still has the rights to that, or if there are any existing elements (SD or HD) for the trailer, but I think that would be a really funny little thing to throw on the disc.

I'm not really expecting that to happen, though, but just in case you guys have a little extra room on the disc...

[Rockzilla]

From what I remember the on screen Japanese text was more frequent and annoying in Biollante than any other Heisei movie. I could be wrong though, because I haven't watched the other Japanese prints in quite some time.