Criterion streaming Godzilla films + Criterion Showa Box Set

[Kaiju no Kami]

Of course Michael Myers isn't Godzilla - but even the smallest of chances sometimes a giant miracle can happen.

I'd say Godzilla has a much bigger fanbase than Halloween.

As a pretty active horror fan as well as a Godzilla fan, I'd disagree. There is a huge following for modern (meaning, broadly, post-1968) horror among whom Halloween is an undisputed, lionized, canonized masterpiece. There aren't a lot of people who obsessively talk about and collect merchandise for Halloween compared to Godzilla, but that's not because Halloween is less widely or highly regarded, but because its fans have so many other properties among which to divide their attention, whereas Godzilla is a more dominant property in a much smaller niche.

Oh don't get me wrong, I love the Halloween series too (well, moreso the first four movies), but rarely have I met people who are into Halloween compared to Godzilla.

[Godzilla21]

I'd say Godzilla has a much bigger fanbase than Halloween.

As a pretty active horror fan as well as a Godzilla fan, I'd disagree. There is a huge following for modern (meaning, broadly, post-1968) horror among whom Halloween is an undisputed, lionized, canonized masterpiece. There aren't a lot of people who obsessively talk about and collect merchandise for Halloween compared to Godzilla, but that's not because Halloween is less widely or highly regarded, but because its fans have so many other properties among which to divide their attention, whereas Godzilla is a more dominant property in a much smaller niche.

Oh don't get me wrong, I love the Halloween series too (well, moreso the first four movies), but rarely have I met people who are into Halloween compared to Godzilla.

I got to agree with eabaker. The horror community is pretty big and dwarfs Godzilla IMO. I go to Monsterpalooza, Scare LA, etc every year here in LA and those conventions have huge attendance. I've been to G-Fest too and it doesn't compare. He is also right about Godzilla merchandise. I'm only speaking from personal experience but when I sell Godzilla items on Ebay, Craigslist, etc I get a ton more views and watcher than any other property (Star Wars, Trek, horror, Alien, Predator, etc)

[Godsteigman]

Halloween is indeed a masterpiece. I love it ..Im a horror movie fan, I have that Halloween set too And yes Criterion releases are worth the money..Im sure this Godzilla set will be at least 200.00 to 300.00, whatever the Zatoichi set goes for - and I probably wont wait for a B&N sale since Godzilla is my favorite pop culture character - and has been for over 35 years !

[Alternity Orange]

Love the Halloween series. I'd have to agree that its fanbase dwarfs that of Godzilla (in the US anyway). But I also think G-Fans spend way more money on collectibles than Halloween fans. As far as discussing minutiae they're about equal.

[Kaiju no Kami]

See, that's just it, if the Halloween franchise was really as big as the Godzilla one, there would be way more collectibles available. NECA would be releasing various Michael Myers figures like they are with Jason and did with Godzilla. I wouldn't have to go to the most remote stores to get a Myers t-shirt either.

I also don't see poster shops at the conventions I go to selling Halloween posters, but they do sell Godzilla ones.

Now maybe this new Halloween movie coming out this year will change all that, but right now, I'm not sure I can agree with your assessment.

[Alternity Orange]

There is definitely a lot more Godzilla merchandise out there. But there are Myers figures and posters available. I just don't think the two fanbases cross over enough for people to spend the amount of money on Halloween that they do for Godzilla. But when something comes up they do, the Halloween novels regularly sell for over $200 on eBay.

[eabaker]

See, that's just it, if the Halloween franchise was really as big as the Godzilla one, there would be way more collectibles available.

Grown-ups buying and obsessing over toys has long been a major aspect of Godzilla fandom. Merchandising in general is not as central to horror movie fandom as it is to kaiju fandom; and, again, those fans tend to have much more diversified interests within the genre. Your typical horror fan is not spending as much time or money on any one franchise as your typical kaiju fan is spending specifically on Godzilla.

[Kaiju no Kami]

There is definitely a lot more Godzilla merchandise out there. But there are Myers figures and posters available. I just don't think the two fanbases cross over enough for people to spend the amount of money on Halloween that they do for Godzilla. But when something comes up they do, the Halloween novels regularly sell for over $200 on eBay.

There's Halloween novels?

[Alternity Orange]

Yep. A grand total of 7. Four novelizations and three young adult books. Extremely hard to find and when you do, you pay $200-$300 for each on average.

[omgitsgodzilla]

Well, that's another month with no announcement of a disc release of these films. At this point, if I had to guess, I'd say I wouldn't count on hearing anything until they're announcing titles for March-May 2019.

In other news, though, apparently G-Fest is talking to Janus Films about screening one or more of the films they've gotten the rights to -- my money's on DAM, since it's the 50th anniversary. It's taking a while, though, which is why they haven't announced the films despite the convention being in about a month.

[Joseph Goodman]

Where did you see that bit of info about G-Fest? We never got confirmation that Janus/Criterion had any theatrical rights beyond the first film.

[omgitsgodzilla]

I think somebody asked what the holdup was with the movie announcements on their Facebook page and they said it had to do with negotiations with Janus. I wouldn't know about any other confirmation or lack thereof when it comes to their having the theatrical rights to the other films.

[MaxRebo320]

Chances are though, G-Fest will just wind up showing digital screenings of Godzilla vs. Megaguirus for the 12th time, Gamera vs. Jiger, Death Kappa and Zarkorr the Invader.

[Mr_Goji_and_Watch]

Chances are though, G-Fest will just wind up showing digital screenings of Godzilla vs. Megaguirus for the 12th time, Gamera vs. Jiger, Death Kappa and Zarkorr the Invader.

lol

[UltramanGoji]

Chances are though, G-Fest will just wind up showing digital screenings of Godzilla vs. Megaguirus for the 12th time, Gamera vs. Jiger, Death Kappa and Zarkorr the Invader.

God, I will die if Megaguirus is shown again.

Hopefully most of those shitty giant monster movies that they almost always show each year will be shown during the crappy Thursday matinee instead of on one of the weekend nights.

[Goji]

Unless it's a U.S.-made kaiju film from a major U.S. studio (G'14, Kong:SI, etc.), or from a really big company (Funimation), all they screen are Blu-Rays, anyway.

Toho are still, somehow, not offering DCP's of their 1954-2004 output of G films, at least not to the festival circuit in the U.S. This was recently confirmed via one of the G-Fest organizers on social media. I stopped going to the screenings in 2012 after the Pickwick theater eliminated the ability to project actual *film*, and went all-digital. The last 35mm print of a Godzilla film they ever played was technically GMK in 2009. The tried to play G'54 in 2010, but one of the reels broke, and they were forced to switch to a DVD, and the drop in quality was verrrry noticeable. This was with Akira Takarada in the audience, which made it extra lame.

Since 2010, they have played only DVDs (which look absolutely awful on a theater screen of that size), and Blu-Rays that we all own at home, with the only exceptions being DCPs of the U.S.-produced films, and Shin from Funi.

Now, it would be cool if Janus actually sent G-Fest a DCP of whatever film they're planning on showing, but that's assuming it's all worked out before then. (Though to be honest, I'm not going, so personally I'm not even remotely concerned about it).

[Joseph Goodman]

Janus has a DCP of the first film, Sony has a DCP of Mothra, and that's it from US distributors. Even in Japan, Toho only has the first film (the newer 2014 restoration), the 4K of KKvsG, and Shin Godzilla.

It's lame when the same disc you can watch at home is screened, but when my local Alamo Drafthouse showed Godzillva VS King Ghidora from the Sony Blu-ray, I was shocked at how well the image quality help up. If a pedantic pixel-peeper like myself didn't find significant issues with it, I can't image most normal people would notice any flaws.

[UltramanGoji]

If a pedantic pixel-peeper like myself didn't find significant issues with it, I can't image most normal people would notice any flaws.

Yeah, honestly, while the hardcore videophile (I say that with love, I mean it) crowd might groan at the lack of proper prints, the real allure of the Pickwick showings to me are just hanging out with friends and watching the movies on a big screen in a big theater packed with other fans. I'm willing to watch a projected Blu-Ray.

[Goji]

I understand the appeal of it just fine, and how a Blu-Ray (specifically) looks isn’t really the issue, but I’ve done it plenty of times in the past, and I’d rather use that time to, you know, socialize with my friends that I rarely get to see otherwise.

[omgitsgodzilla]

Yeah, one does kind of wish they'd show better materials than what you can get at home, but honestly, a 2K DCP isn't exactly a quantum leap from Blu-ray in terms of resolution. It's definitely the preferable option if it's available -- even more so for 4K -- but a good Blu-ray is usually adequate imo. Universal's KKvG Blu-ray looked great at the Pickwick.

A DVD on a screen that big, though, that's an absolutely terrible idea.