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

[Tohosaurus]

I'm sure they'll want to include trailers for new releases, not something from over two decades ago, nostalgia or otherwise.

[Tamura]

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.

In BIOLLANTE, burnt-in Japanese subtitles appear 57 times, not counting place names and the like. In total, 11 minutes and 45 seconds of shots (over ten percent of the movie) have some sort of super burnt-in, whether that be credits, subtitles or otherwise. This doesn't take into account the length of time the supers last onscreen, but instead the shot lengths.





I don't mind the Japanese cut of this film as much as I used to, since I've seen it a lot. I'm just hoping for a miracle in which this film gets released in a different-looking version from the rest (every official DVD uses the Japanese version, I believe). It's always good to have variation.

[Rockzilla]

Now That is just terrible.

[Legion1979]

I've been watching the Japanese version of "Godzilla vs Biollante" since 1990 and I never once thought, "Wow, those subtitles sure are obnoxious".

[Cimmerian Dragon]

They don't bother me in the slightest. I mean, yeah, all things being equal I guess I'd prefer not having them cluttering the picture. But like I said, when you get right down to it, it's really a non-issue for me.

[Rockzilla]

I've been watching the Japanese version of "Godzilla vs Biollante" since 1990 and I never once thought, "Wow, those subtitles sure are obnoxious".

Everyone is different man.

[mxg744]

Just checking in to let everyone know I am still here reading your posts.

No new news, still haven't gotten a response from Miramax/Toho verifying which version of the film they are delivering. I did get my Hong Kong LD and Toho BD late last week. The BD looks good, but I have not checked the LD yet.

[o.supreme]

Greetings mxg744. Even if you come here about once every ten days just to let us know exactly what you said above, you will have the praise of pretty much ALL of the fans here. Unlike Media Blasters who has fallen into contempt with less than reputable business practices, and misleading release dates.

Thanks for all your efforts and communication.

[KeizerKing81]

Just checking in to let everyone know I am still here reading your posts.

No new news, still haven't gotten a response from Miramax/Toho verifying which version of the film they are delivering. I did get my Hong Kong LD and Toho BD late last week. The BD looks good, but I have not checked the LD yet.

They're delivering the film to you next week, correct?

[mxg744]

Well. I guess I should post here more often. I just got an email minutes ago from Miramax letting me know that the HDCAMSR will be at FotoKem today and ready for us to start working with next week.
From what I can interpret, it is an exact clone of the Japanese BD source with original Japanese language stereo and re-mastered Japanese language 5.1 legs.
We are getting an English stereo track that was found separate from the HDCAMSR checked to see if it conforms to this new master, and if it does we will have everything to start working on the disc!

[Tamura]

Here's what my friend Michael had to say about the BIOLLANTE screening in Hamburg:

Just arrived back in Berlin. I went to see the 2 Godzilla films in Hamburg at the Metropolis cinema, so here are some impressions (WARNING: long text following):

After buying the tickets I booked, I went downstairs to the lounge and waited for the screening of BIOLLANTE to start. After some time the cinema's elevator opened and some Japanese looking individuals stepped out. I immediately recognized Mr. Kazuki Omori (and I wondered if anyone else did). Anyway, about half an hour later it started getting more crowded and we went down another flight of stairs to the screening room.
Before the screening Kazuki Omori was introduced and said a few words.
Then, finally, the film started.

So here's what most of you are probably interested in, the quality of the International print of BIOLLANTE. Well, the beginning and some small parts in between looked really scratched or damaged, but overall I'd say it looked pretty good for its age! However, there was one part where it seemed like a little bit was missing, right before it cuts to the scene with Colonel Gondo and Kuroki talking about Miki Saegusa.
Sound-wise, it had the same imperfections as the other prints I've seen, that is, some parts the sound got off pitch for a short period of time, e.g. the scene where the Super X is on the runway and there was a scene with a short drop out (I don't remember the exact scene).

Overall, it was really impressive to see this on the big screen. It also made me realize again how much I love the English dub of this film. Besides the awesome combination of the character Colonel Gondo and the voice of Rik Thomas, I enjoyed most of the voice acting in this. I think most of the voices also fit the characters, with the exception of some minor characters. And of course, the large cast was just voiced by about 6 or more people, so characters like "Johnny Foxtrott" were voiced by Rik Thomas as well. Which I, due to Rik Thomas' awesomeness, didn't mind.

[Legion1979]

Wouldn't bother me if this was sourced from the Japanese blu-ray. Personally, I think that copy looks pretty good.

[Brian R Culver]

In BIOLLANTE, burnt-in Japanese subtitles appear 57 times, not counting place names and the like.

This reminds me of something that may go without saying, but it’s probably better to say something now than be sorry later…

mxg744, please try to convince the powers that be to include an extra “slates” subtitle track to be played with the English dubbed version. There’s a lot of onscreen text critical to the story that will be in Japanese because of the BD source you’re using. The most prominent example is the “Godzilla Alert” notices which serve as a framing device, first being listed before the credits then repeated later one by one as each alert stage is reached. Another one off the top of my head is a subtitle establishing the 5 year gap between Dr. Shiragami’s tragedy in Saradia and his having returned to Japan in the scene that immediately follows. There are probably some “place names” and other things I forgot about too.

You or somebody should probably review your reference materials for this. I’m not sure which subtitles you’re using or how well any of your reference subs cover those, but it might be a good place to start checking. They’re also pretty well flagged on the HBO Video/International print as English subtitles, though I don’t know how accurate the translations are.

[goji1986]

Here's what my friend Michael had to say about the BIOLLANTE screening in Hamburg:

Just arrived back in Berlin. I went to see the 2 Godzilla films in Hamburg at the Metropolis cinema, so here are some impressions (WARNING: long text following):

After buying the tickets I booked, I went downstairs to the lounge and waited for the screening of BIOLLANTE to start. After some time the cinema's elevator opened and some Japanese looking individuals stepped out. I immediately recognized Mr. Kazuki Omori (and I wondered if anyone else did). Anyway, about half an hour later it started getting more crowded and we went down another flight of stairs to the screening room.
Before the screening Kazuki Omori was introduced and said a few words.
Then, finally, the film started.

So here's what most of you are probably interested in, the quality of the International print of BIOLLANTE. Well, the beginning and some small parts in between looked really scratched or damaged, but overall I'd say it looked pretty good for its age! However, there was one part where it seemed like a little bit was missing, right before it cuts to the scene with Colonel Gondo and Kuroki talking about Miki Saegusa.
Sound-wise, it had the same imperfections as the other prints I've seen, that is, some parts the sound got off pitch for a short period of time, e.g. the scene where the Super X is on the runway and there was a scene with a short drop out (I don't remember the exact scene).

Overall, it was really impressive to see this on the big screen. It also made me realize again how much I love the English dub of this film. Besides the awesome combination of the character Colonel Gondo and the voice of Rik Thomas, I enjoyed most of the voice acting in this. I think most of the voices also fit the characters, with the exception of some minor characters. And of course, the large cast was just voiced by about 6 or more people, so characters like "Johnny Foxtrott" were voiced by Rik Thomas as well. Which I, due to Rik Thomas' awesomeness, didn't mind.

At least one of those audio problems is present on the old VHS. When the Super X is prepped for launch on the runway, the music warbles for a second or two. At first I thought it was a problem with my copy, until I got a second one and it too was on that one. For years I thought it was part of the film until I got the Japanese R2 DVD.

[Goji]

^ Yeah, It's probably exclusive to the international version. I used to have a bizarre screener copy of BIOLLANTE (Dubbed in English, with a few alternate lines, and with on screen Japanese text) that had the same thing.

[KeizerKing81]

Well. I guess I should post here more often. I just got an email minutes ago from Miramax letting me know that the HDCAMSR will be at FotoKem today and ready for us to start working with next week.
From what I can interpret, it is an exact clone of the Japanese BD source with original Japanese language stereo and re-mastered Japanese language 5.1 legs.
We are getting an English stereo track that was found separate from the HDCAMSR checked to see if it conforms to this new master, and if it does we will have everything to start working on the disc!

Excellent news and anxiously anticipating more. Keep up the good work, mxg744.

[Manda2012]

I'm up for a new release of "G vs Biollante" on DVD. I don't have that film in my video library - yet.

[Goji]

*edit* Looks like DVD a release is happening.

[Rody]

They're only doing Blu-Ray?

Hmm; I had missed that part.

[wataru]

A DVD release isn't happening.

The title of this topic needs to be changed. Echo Bridge has the rights, and they're only doing a BD release.

Have they said this? Because Echo Bridge spawns more DVDs then BRDs.