Classic Kaiju still missing on Region 1 DVD

[Gojira69]

To the completists among us...

Here is what I could think of which has yet to get a legitimate release in DVD in region 1.

Atragon with A.I.P. English sountrack
Gamera vs. Barugon with A.I.P. English sountrack
Gammera, the Invincible with A.I.P. English sountrack
Godzilla 1985 with English soundtrack
Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster with Titra English sountrack
King Kong vs. Godzilla with original Japanese soundtrack with English subtitles
Return of Godzilla with original Japanese soundtrack with English subtitles

[Tamura]

^ Technically the SEA MONSTER dub you speak of is a Titan dub (Titra renamed themselves Titan in the mid-'60s), but otherwise you've got most of them covered.

[20th Century Boy]

Gamera vs. Barugon with A.I.P. English sountrack
Gammera, the Invincible with A.I.P. English sountrack

Aren't these available on various public domain releases? We're also missing Half-Human, but I don't think we're getting that anytime soon...

[Gojira69]

Gamera vs. Barugon with A.I.P. English sountrack
Gammera, the Invincible with A.I.P. English sountrack

Aren't these available on various public domain releases? We're also missing Half-Human, but I don't think we're getting that anytime soon...

I had posted we've not seen a legitimate R1 release of those. I don't consider Alpha legit. Maybe legal, but not legit. You ever watched one of their DVDs and not felt just a little ripped-off?

[Godzilla6014]

Your probably aware of this already I know most of us probably are. A lot of these films have muiltpile different English dubs. A lot of them even have cut dubs and uncut dubs we get that a lot with old companies like Cinema Shares and AIP. So it depeneds on which versions you mean Such as if your saying that some of these versions aren't available legaly on DVD but should be. Are you just talking about what you would like to see on DVD? or are you wanting us to help you make a list?

[20th Century Boy]

Gamera vs. Barugon with A.I.P. English sountrack
Gammera, the Invincible with A.I.P. English sountrack

Aren't these available on various public domain releases? We're also missing Half-Human, but I don't think we're getting that anytime soon...

I had posted we've not seen a legitimate R1 release of those. I don't consider Alpha legit. Maybe legal, but not legit. You ever watched one of their DVDs and not felt just a little ripped-off?

Ah, I see. Yeah, those releases really stink. It would also be pretty cool if some kaiju DVD releases included original American title credits as a bonus feature, if only for nostalgia's sake.

[Rockzilla]

Gamera vs. Barugon with A.I.P. English sountrack
Gammera, the Invincible with A.I.P. English sountrack

Aren't these available on various public domain releases? We're also missing Half-Human, but I don't think we're getting that anytime soon...

The public domain releases are in the absolute worst quality imaginable. So yeah I don't think anyone wants those.

The Sandy Frank dubs for those two are also unavailable on DVD/Blu-ray. I know they aren't very popular amongst fans, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't get released on DVD/Blu-ray.

[tymon]

What about the Son of Godzilla and Godzilla vs. Hedorah US dubs? I don't think they're on DVD anywhere.

[Goji]

^You're correct.

I wouldn't hold my breath for the Hong Kong and Titan dubs for BARUGON/Sandy Frank GAMERA and GAMMERA THE INVINCILE to show up on DVD anytime soon (not counting the MSTK versions, of course), considering the Shout! DVD's only came out a couple of years ago. These dubs/versions were all supposed to be included on the Shout! discs, but because of time constraints and lack of useable materials, they weren't able to.

[Gojira69]

What about the Son of Godzilla and Godzilla vs. Hedorah US dubs? I don't think they're on DVD anywhere.

I did not realize there was a US dub for Son of Godzilla. Was it AIP? About Hedorah, I don't know how I missed that one. I'll add both to the initial post.

[Crazy Jim Films]

I actually happened upon the Sandy Frank dub of "Gamera Vs. Barugon" as part of some budget triple feature pack under the title of "Gamera Strikes Back". I had never heard it called that before but I felt like I hit the lotto with that discovery. It wasn't the best quality print and it was full-screen but I grew up with that dub of the film and couldn't stand the other one.

[Terasawa]

This thread is very informative and relevant.

I actually happened upon the Sandy Frank dub of "Gamera Vs. Barugon" as part of some budget triple feature pack under the title of "Gamera Strikes Back". I had never heard it called that before but I felt like I hit the lotto with that discovery. It wasn't the best quality print and it was full-screen but I grew up with that dub of the film and couldn't stand the other one.

The "Sandy Frank dub" is actually an international dub produced in Hong Kong (by the same people that did GODZILLA VS. GIGAN). Sandy Frank's GAOS is also an international dub, but the other three he released were new dubs.

I did not realize there was a US dub for Son of Godzilla. Was it AIP?

No. AIP didn't dub or release SON OF G (and actually, AIP didn't dub any kaiju films). It was dubbed by Titan Productions (formerly Titra Sound Studios) which also dubbed GODZILLA VS. THE THING, GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER, DESTROY ALL MONSTERS, etc. Like SEA MONSTER, it skipped a theatrical release and went straight to TV. Walter Reade-Sterling was the distributor for both the island movies.

[o.supreme]

Both Gamera (The Sandy Frank dub) and Gamera vs Barugon (the International dub used by sandy frank) were released as part of the MST3K DVD collection volume XXI by Shout! Factory. They need no release beyond MST3K . I wouldn't mind an official English language dub of Gammera the Invincible and War of the Monsters, but I already have probably 2 or 3 grey market DVD's which are adequate, Also I have the official Neptune VHS of Gammera the Invincible self converted to DVD which is beautiful.

This thread is very informative and relevant.

Seconded!

[Space Hunter M]

By technicality, Continental's GHIDRAH is still missing. Classic Media's DVD is only a very amateurish recreation of the theatrical version, ripe with digital fades, out of order shots and a missing Walter-Reade logo.

[Tamura]

We should include GODZILLA VS THE THING because obviously an incomplete, heavily cropped and slightly out-of-sync version with a digital fade-in at the beginning won't do, unless you have no standards at all.

[Captain Aktion]

I think there's a few missing from that list. Off the top of my head I don't believe the American version of Varan is on DVD nor the original dub of The Mysterians. I'm pretty sure there's more...

[Godzilla6014]

Obviously my question never got answered by anyone so I guess I pretty much fiugered it out. Ok So, here's a breif list of what's not been released on DVD.
Godzilla Raids Again (With Gigantis title card.)
King Kong vs. Godzilla (International uncut version.)
Invasion of the Astro-Monsters (International uncut version.)
Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (AIP dub)
Ebriah: Horror of the Deep (International uncut version with Ebirah title card.)
Son of Godzilla (AIP dub)
Destroy all Monsters (Not much of an issue due to Media Blasters releasing it unless otherwise someone wants the English credits at the end or something. Plus it wouold be better to not have a version that freezes up constantly)
Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (AIP dub)
Godzilla vs. Hedorah (International uncut Sci-Fi version with different ending title.)
Godzilla on Monster Island (Cinema Shares dub)
Godzilla vs. Gigan (International uncut version with Speech Bubbles. Sci-Fi version.)
Godzilla vs. Megalon (Cinema Shares dub)
Godzilla vs. Megalon (International uncut version red opening credits and white the end card. Sci-Fi version.)
Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster (Cinema Shares dub. No telling if the bionic monster version exist anymore or not.)
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (International uncut Sci-Fi version with those two lines included.)
The Return of Godzilla (International version)
Godzilla 1985 (New World Video version)
The Return of Godzilla (International.)
Godzilla vs. Biollante (Doesn't seem like the uncut dub is on the Blu-ray unless you use the English translater on there.)
Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (Uncut with ending credits)
Godzilla vs. Mothra (Uncut with ending credits)
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (Uncut with ending credits)
Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla (Uncut with ending credits)
Godzilla vs. Destroyah (Uncut with ending credits)

Can't think of anymore at the top of my head and besides everyone else covered just about everything that I didn't. Maybe some that others but here you go.

[Terasawa]

We should include GODZILLA VS THE THING because obviously an incomplete, heavily cropped and slightly out-of-sync version with a digital fade-in at the beginning won't do, unless you have no standards at all.

What copy of "The Thing" is on the old Simitar DVD? Isn't it different from Classic Media's?

It's from a different (less complete) source. In fact, it's the same 35mm source that was pan-n-scanned and released in the 80s as GODZILLA VS. MOTHRA. The Classic Media DVD version is longer because -for some reason- the old UPA/Simitar version is missing a number of small scenes. However, the older version has the "Commence Plan C!" exchange that's missing on the CM version.

Then there's the Frontier Missile scene, which is incomplete on every US home video release. Only the Marketing Film DVD from Germany has the complete scene.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xwynxh ... P9pp_JCgZ4

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xwz98g ... QHd02cZ6zs

[Goji]

Godzilla Raids Again (With Gigantis title card.)

Toho won't allow it. They insist that the movie have the video generated RAIDS AGAIN card for home video releases from now on. The only way to "get" it would be to acquire one of the rare VHS releases, a TV recording, or an actual print itself.

King Kong vs. Godzilla (International uncut version.)

This version has never been released on home video, and is basically 'lost' for the time being.

Destroy all Monsters (Not much of an issue due to Media Blasters releasing it unless otherwise someone wants the English credits at the end or something. Plus it wouold be better to not have a version that freezes up constantly)

The freezing issue is only caused by a layer change, and isn't an issue on all of the copies of the DVD. It's not even a problem with the BD.

The international *and* AIP credits are both on the BD release as extras, but are exclusive to the BD, and are unfortunately not on the DVD.

Godzilla vs. Hedorah (International uncut Sci-Fi version with different ending title.)
Godzilla on Monster Island (Cinema Shares dub)
Godzilla vs. Gigan (International uncut version with Speech Bubbles. Sci-Fi version.)
Godzilla vs. Megalon (Cinema Shares dub)
Godzilla vs. Megalon (International uncut version red opening credits and white the end card. Sci-Fi version.)
Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster (Cinema Shares dub. No telling if the bionic monster version exist anymore or not.)
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (International uncut Sci-Fi version with those two lines included.)

-Tristar's version of HEDORAH on DVD is the same as the international/Sci-Fi versions with the exception of one or two missing lines of English dialogue, the absence of Ken's haiku, and the different placement of the End card. (Also the copyright info, but those are present on all of the Tristar Showa DVD's)

-GODZILLA ON MONSTER ISLAND and GODZILLA VS. MEGALON's "Cinema Shares dubs" are the same as the international dubs you've always heard. Other than the "hard bitch" line in GOMI, it's uncut. MEGALON's U.S. release was obviously cut, but the dub is the same as the international version.

-Toho does still have an international print of GIGAN with the speech bubbles intact (which I know, because I saw it screened at G-Fest a couple of years ago), but for whatever reason, it was not utilized for the Tristar DVD.

-Toho apparently still has a 35mm print of the red text version MEGALON available, as it was screened in California a couple of years ago, according to August Ragone. The "Oops" version of MEGALON released by Media Blasters includes the white international credits as an extra, but the End card and title information appear to be new/different from the red text version seen on Sci-Fi, and offered by Toho for screenings.

-GODZILLA VS. THE COSMIC MONSTER would be nice to have in a "Ultimate" BD/DVD release of the 1974 film, though I imagine widescreen elements for it would be almost impossible to find, much less in good condition.

-GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA's two missing lines on the Tristar disc are unfortunate, but they can be restored by utilizing New World's LaserDisc, the Taiwanese DVD, or even a Sci-Fi recording.

Godzilla vs. Biollante (Doesn't seem like the uncut dub is on the Blu-ray unless you use the English translater on there.)

What do you mean? The dub is uncut. The international version does feature the "Godzilla Alerts" on screen, in English, but because the Japanese version was utilized for the DVD/BD, they had to be translated on-screen.

[Godzilla6014]

Godzilla Raids Again (With Gigantis title card.)

Toho won't allow it. They insist that the movie have the video generated RAIDS AGAIN card for home video releases from now on. The only way to "get" it would be to acquire one of the rare VHS releases, a TV recording, or an actual print itself.

Oh ok I see your point it seems like that I've rented a VHS of it a long time ago that had the title card I believe it most have been the Video Treasures tape that included that. .

King Kong vs. Godzilla (International uncut version.)

This version has never been released on home video, and is basically 'lost' for the time being.

Huh it did seem like that version has been lost before it's was ever released. Probably the most rare of the International dubs.

Destroy all Monsters (Not much of an issue due to Media Blasters releasing it unless otherwise someone wants the English credits at the end or something. Plus it wouold be better to not have a version that freezes up constantly)

The freezing issue is only caused by a layer change, and isn't an issue on all of the copies of the DVD. It's not even a problem with the BD.

The international *and* AIP credits are both on the BD release as extras, but are exclusive to the BD, and are unfortunately not on the DVD.

Alirght thanks for thanks for that info I thought that there was a major issue with the AIP dub I haven't watched it all the way through and I've heard some things about it freezing up pretty bad so I got concerned there for the longest time.

Godzilla vs. Hedorah (International uncut Sci-Fi version with different ending title.)
Godzilla on Monster Island (Cinema Shares dub)
Godzilla vs. Gigan (International uncut version with Speech Bubbles. Sci-Fi version.)
Godzilla vs. Megalon (Cinema Shares dub)
Godzilla vs. Megalon (International uncut version red opening credits and white the end card. Sci-Fi version.)
Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster (Cinema Shares dub. No telling if the bionic monster version exist anymore or not.)
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (International uncut Sci-Fi version with those two lines included.)

-Tristar's version of HEDORAH on DVD is the same as the international/Sci-Fi versions with the exception of one or two missing lines of English dialogue, the absence of Ken's haiku, and the different placement of the End card. (Also the copyright info, but those are present on all of the Tristar Showa DVD's)

Yeah I've heard that there were some minor differences here and there that helps. I've been looking for the Sci-Fi cut of that along with Gigan, Megalon and Mechagodzilla forever in a day. I'm just reffering to different versions of these films both big and small.

-GODZILLA ON MONSTER ISLAND and GODZILLA VS. MEGALON's "Cinema Shares dubs" are the same as the international dubs you've always heard. Other than the "hard bitch" line in GOMI, it's uncut. MEGALON's U.S. release was obviously cut, but the dub is the same as the international version.

But, he was reffering to Classic Kajiu missing on Region 1 DVDs. So, I know about the dubbing being the same I was meaning that different versions still haven't been released to home video on DVD. Also I was reffering to the perceptive of both different dubbing and cuts being made to the flims. That's why I put them on my list. GOMI was edited a little more than hard bitch line there were some bloody scenes that they cut and only the human violents was cut in GVSM still there are more cuts in it like you said.

-Toho does still have an international print of GIGAN with the speech bubbles intact (which I know, because I saw it screened at G-Fest a couple of years ago), but for whatever reason, it was not utilized for the Tristar DVD.

That's another one from Sci-Fi I'm trying to find. Odd how Tri-Star would do things like this.

-Toho apparently still has a 35mm print of the red text version MEGALON available, as it was screened in California a couple of years ago, according to August Ragone. The "Oops" version of MEGALON released by Media Blasters includes the white international credits as an extra, but the End card and title information appear to be new/different from the red text version seen on Sci-Fi, and offered by Toho for screenings.

Once again another Sci-Fi print I'm trying to find. I'm not meaning to sound rude or anything I'm just trying to explain what I did here. At the same time though your doing an excellent job on helping explain these things. I though the White credits were from the UK VHS version of the film.

-GODZILLA VS. THE COSMIC MONSTER would be nice to have in a "Ultimate" BD/DVD release of the 1974 film, though I imagine widescreen elements for it would be almost impossible to find, much less in good condition.

I would so agree with you 100%. Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster also had it's edits just like Godzilla on Monster Island and Godzilla vs. Megalon dubbing is the same on thiis one as well. It was also edited like GONMI and GVSM. Once again mainly human violant and probably a few monster violents. It doesn't have as many edits as GVSM but has more than GOMI. However, I do like your idea I feel that Toho needs to give films like this one a deluxe edition BD\DVD release. I want the same for Gigan and Megalon even Hedorah and many others.

-GODZILLA VS. MECHAGODZILLA's two missing lines on the Tristar disc are unfortunate, but they can be restored by utilizing New World's LaserDisc, the Taiwanese DVD, or even a Sci-Fi recording.

From what I've heard Sci-Fi aired two uncut versions with the only difference being the title card. One was from 94-01 and the MG was from 02-06. Yet another Sci-Fi version I'm on the hunt for.

Godzilla vs. Biollante (Doesn't seem like the uncut dub is on the Blu-ray unless you use the English translater on there.)

What do you mean? The dub is uncut. The international version does feature the "Godzilla Alerts" on screen, in English, but because the Japanese version was utilized for the DVD/BD, they had to be translated on-screen.

Gotcha I see what your saying now I couldn't tell from what Anthony said from his review on this site back in November It sounded like he said that it included the Japanese version only and that the English version was absent and that the English audio option was just a translation of the Japanese dialog. My mistake. Thanks for clarifying this for me.