Criterion streaming Godzilla films + Criterion Showa Box Set

[UltramanGoji]

Since someone talks about who's get Criterion and other nonsense, I would like to ask who's officially owns the Ultra Series?

Tsuburaya. Only US companies to release the series on disc have been BCI, Mill Creek, and Shout Factory.

Yeah... About that, earlier today when I looked at my Ultraman DVD, I had discovered it. It said...
"© 1966 Tsuburaya Production Co.Ltd; licensed by Tiga Co., Ltd. as agent for Tsuburaya Chaiyo Co., Ltd. and Sompote Saengduenchai ™ Tsuburaya Productions Co., Ltd."
Um... What do you think?

This was already addressed earlier:

Sompote Sands is a filmmaker and special effects creator who is the founder of Chaiyo productions. He was the directer for The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster Army movie and he worked with Eiji Tsuburaya and Akira Kurosawa when he studied film making at Toho for two years.

...aaaand attempted to steal ownership of the Ultraman franchise through forgery, which set Tsuburaya back almost 20 years through court proceedings that only just resolved in the last year.

[goji1986]

^Thanks, UltramanGoji.

Now can we stay on topic please? This has nothing to do with Criterion.

[Godzilla21]

^Thanks, UltramanGoji.

Now can we stay on topic please? This has nothing to do with Criterion.

Well, considering there is nothing really to be "on topic" about since there hasn't been any new news in months I've enjoyed learning some new things in the thread

[Greyshot151]

^ Anyone that doesn't post on topic past my comment will get a warning without question. Now as I said. BACK ON TOPIC

[Kaiju no Kami]

Be nice if there was something more to discuss. Any updates from Criterion at all?

[UltramanGoji]

Be nice if there was something more to discuss. Any updates from Criterion at all?

If there were, do you think the thread would be as dead as it is?

Everyone should just accept at this point that we're not getting anything until 2019, so around October should we start expecting to hear some news as that's when they'll first announce their 2019 titles.

[Godzilla21]

Be nice if there was something more to discuss. Any updates from Criterion at all?

Unfortunately someone reported all the Ultraman talk to the mods so with the lack of news and no off topic talk there isnt much to discuss

[Kaiju no Kami]

Be nice if there was something more to discuss. Any updates from Criterion at all?

Unfortunately someone reported all the Ultraman talk to the mods so with the lack of news and no off topic talk there isnt much to discuss

So someone got offended the topic was like a normal conversaion and strayed from its original discussion point for a bit? That's always hilarious.

UltramanGoji, I already figured they wouldn't have these released until next year no matter how much I want them now, I just wish they would have given us some sort of tease by now.

[omgitsgodzilla]

New titles are announced every 15th, three months before the month of release. We're not likely to get any outright confirmation until February at the earliest, which would be when the May 2019 titles are announced, but I believe there's some kind of teaser drawing that's sent out in their newsletter every New Year's that contains hints of upcoming titles, so we might see something in that as well. However, August Ragone has expressed skepticism on Twitter about them having anything ready earlier than 2020, so there's that to keep in mind as well.

[miguelnuva]

Okay so I know that Sony released the international Toho dubs of the showa films on DVD correct? Can someone tell me how many showa dubs exist and the chances Criterion will get them.

I know DAM for example has two dubs and the Japanese track so it would be cool to have the Japanese, international dub and then English dubs of the showa films on blu ray.

[Terasawa]

Okay so I know that Sony released the international Toho dubs of the showa films on DVD correct? Can someone tell me how many showa subs exist and the chances Criterion will get them.

I know DAM for example has two subs and the Japanese track so it would be cool to have the Japanese, international dub and then English dubs of the showa films on blu ray.

There's an entire topic devoted to this in the General Toho Films forum. It's been stickied for years.

[Goji]

Can someone tell me how many showa subs exist and the chances Criterion will get them.

I know DAM for example has two subs and the Japanese track so it would be cool to have the Japanese, international dub and then English dubs of the showa films on blu ray.

I'm assuming you meant dubs, not subs, because that's the only way this makes any sense.

And yeah, like Terasawa said, we've had a topic about this kind of stuff stickied for years.

http://www.tohokingdom.com/forum/viewto ... f=1&t=7462

[omgitsgodzilla]

Basically, I'd say the odds of getting International dubs for the films that have them is pretty good. (That includes the International soundtrack for Astro-Monster, which is mainly just the US dub synced to the Japanese version of the film.) This is evidenced by the fact that some or all of them have been made available on streaming platforms; they're basically a no-brainer since they can be synced to the Japanese version as-is, like they did with Rashomon.

The real question is whether they'll include dubs for which that's not the case. A lot of the dubbed US releases made cuts of some kind to the films, which means you couldn't just lay the audio track over the Japanese video. You'd have to either use seamless branching while accounting for the visual differences between versions (different titles, added fades and dissolves, etc.), which would be more difficult but allow for less compression, or include an entirely separate copy of the film for the US version, which would be easier but require more compression.

[Shokara]

Basically, I'd say the odds of getting International dubs for the films that have them is pretty good. (That includes the International soundtrack for Astro-Monster, which is mainly just the US dub synced to the Japanese version of the film.) This is evidenced by the fact that some or all of them have been made available on streaming platforms; they're basically a no-brainer since they can be synced to the Japanese version as-is, like they did with Rashomon.

The real question is whether they'll include dubs for which that's not the case. A lot of the dubbed US releases made cuts of some kind to the films, which means you couldn't just lay the audio track over the Japanese video. You'd have to either use seamless branching while accounting for the visual differences between versions (different titles, added fades and dissolves, etc.), which would be more difficult but allow for less compression, or include an entirely separate copy of the film for the US version, which would be easier but require more compression.

True, but if the Criterion Collection's Blu-ray release of the original "Godzilla" is of any indication given its highly praised picture quality of both the original Japanese version and "Godzilla, King of the Monsters!," perhaps putting more than one entire version on one disc won't cause much of a problem.

[omgitsgodzilla]

That's true. I guess it all depends on what elements they can get their hands on. I don't know what the rights holders have on hand, though there are probably at least some film elements, since Classic Media's War of the Gargantuas included a completely new scan of the US version. There are also private collectors as well; that's how they came by the KotM print they used for their restoration. One hopes, if these collectors haven't reached out themselves, that Criterion has feelers out for privately-held prints, but it's really all contingent on who wants to come forward.

[Chrispy_G]

Criterion has announced their December slate. No Godzilla, which isn't surprising at all.

If they are in fact working on a Box Set....it would be pretty fantastic to get it in 2019 for the 65 year anniversary of the character.

[KillCrites]

Criterion has announced their December slate. No Godzilla, which isn't surprising at all.

If they are in fact working on a Box Set....it would be pretty fantastic to get it in 2019 for the 65 year anniversary of the character.

I'm still feeling pretty positive that they'll be released some time soon before or soon after Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Maybe it'll be announced in their May 2019 slate?

[Chrispy_G]

Criterion has announced their December slate. No Godzilla, which isn't surprising at all.

If they are in fact working on a Box Set....it would be pretty fantastic to get it in 2019 for the 65 year anniversary of the character.

I'm still feeling pretty positive that they'll be released some time soon before or soon after Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Maybe it'll be announced in their May 2019 slate?

It would certainly seem like a good idea. A Godzilla Box Set would be among their 'mainstream' titles. I get a hunch that they didn't acquire 11 Godzilla films because their Godzilla Criterion release flopped. They have done mainstream films like Breakfast Club and The Princess Bride. A Godzilla Box Set has more film aficionado appeal than a Zatoichi or Olympics Box Set, if you ask me. I'd say Godzilla has a broader appeal to move units in that regard.

So yeah...whether they time it with the release of KOTM in theaters, or time it with the 65 year 'to the day' anniversary in November...I just get a feeling that 2019 is going to be a big year in a lot of ways for Godzilla. If they are cooking up a set, there isn't a much better time to release it.

[UltramanGoji]

A Godzilla Box Set has more film aficionado appeal than a Zatoichi or Olympics Box Set, if you ask me.

You had me up until this part and then...then I was lost.

[Mr_Goji_and_Watch]

A Godzilla Box Set has more film aficionado appeal than a Zatoichi or Olympics Box Set, if you ask me. I'd say Godzilla has a broader appeal to move units in that regard

The vast majority of film buffs I know who aren't fans dismiss the series outside of 54 and Shin. The sequels still don't get the recognition they (well, some) deserve, mostly because film-buffs assume everything after 54 spawned the perception the genre has and because most fans just can't be taken seriously. And as far as I know, the sequels are pretty much ignored in Japanese film circles as well, which just makes people say "see, even Japan doesn't care." If anybody is gonna buy a hypothetical box set, it's gonna be hardcore Godzilla fans, Criterion collectors, and film buffs who are nostalgic for the likes of Godzilla vs Megalon.