Toho Kingdom

There was a Fav Soundtrack thread, I remember posting in it recently about how GMK is one of my favorites...

edit: found it viewtopic.php?f=6&t=21144

Afinally a thread I can enjoy 10 out of 10 times

Starsteam wrote:There was a Fav Soundtrack thread, I remember posting in it recently about how GMK is one of my favorites...

edit: found it viewtopic.php?f=6&t=21144

Hah! I posted one today too, and all I get is a personal message linking me to this general area.
I'm like "Ohh... I didn't even know this place existed."


But yeah, GMK is easily my favorite soundtrack. It blends perfectly with the film, the characters and what's going on. It's just fantastic.

Any of Ifukube's scores, Son of Godzilla, Godzilla vs Hedorah, 1974 Mechagodzilla, Biollante (though I don't think a lot of it fits the movie) and the two Kiryu scores.

Least favorites are Godzilla Raids Again, G2K and GFW.

G84, Godzilla vs Biollante, Gojira, Godzilla vs Destoroyah, G2K

Favorites: Biollante, King Ghidorah '91, G2K, GMK, two Kiryus.

For those who list King Kong vs. Godzilla as a favorite soundtrack, you can learn more about that film's score at my website, AKIRAIFUKUBE.ORG:

www.akiraifukube.org/biography_part_ten

Also got a FLAC rip of the Shin Godzilla soundtrack.

Favorite Showa Soundtrack: Either Destroy All Monsters or Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla

Favorite Heisei Soundtrack: All of them.

Favorite Millenium Soundtrack: Either Godzilla vs Megaguirus or Godzilla: Final Wars

Favorite Modern Soundtrack: Shin Godzilla

Picking a favorite is hard, but I'll list all the ones I'd give an A to as a grade.

Listed chronological:

1) Gojira (1954) = Its just so classic and haunting. Perfect for this film. The Prayer for Peace still gives me chills.

2) King Kong Vs. Godzilla (1962) = Deserves a mention for the creation of the Godzilla rampage theme and that awesome theme and chant for King Kong.

3) Mothra Vs. Godzilla (1964) = Probably Akira Ifukube's best complete work. The opening titles, the Mothra theme, the Godzilla themes for the action sequences, and Sacred Spring are all magnificent and makes for a fantastic complete score.

4) Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster (1964) = It worked in some themes from Ifukube that would become synonymous with the series, such as Ghidorah's theme, and that awesome main title theme that is often associated with Rodan.

5) Godzilla Vs. Monster Zero (1965) = Putting this one on there for the definitive version of what is now known by fans as the Monster Zero March, and that haunting Planet X theme (which worked better as a main title in the US edit).

6) Son of Godzilla (1967) = One of my more favorite non-Ifukube scores to be honest. The over the top cutesy theme is about as cutesy as I'm willing to go, but a lot of the battle music works quite well and fit the island setting nicely.

7) Destroy All Monsters (1968) = Nothing like a rousing Ifukube score to punctuate an army of monsters attacking the Earth. Would have liked to have the Godzilla rampage theme included though. However, I LOVE that over the top dramatic music that is played when the crew of the SY-3 try to burn off the control device. So great!

8) Godzilla Vs. Gigan (1972) = Okay, its basically an Ifukube best of show, but it goes to show how well his music fits when they literally just lifted tracks from other movies and plugged it in and everyone seems totally okay with it.

9) Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975) = The intense theme for the main title and for Mechagodzilla is fantastic and one of my personal favorite tracks from Ifukube. This is also the movie that took the Gojira main title and reworked it into an official theme for Godzilla. There are some very memorable cues here (listen to the music for Katasura at the end of the film).

10) Godzilla (1984) = This felt like it was done with Ifukube as an inspiration and we get some great military marches and intense music throughout. The main title is particularly memorable. The closing theme as Godzilla falls into Mount Mihara is appropriate as well. (Could do without the Goodbye Godzilla song in the end credits though, lol)

11) Godzilla Vs. Biollante (1989) = Mixes in some Ifukube tracks in an overall really nice score. The main theme is particularly great, and the theme for the Super X2 is almost on par with the Monster Zero March in terms of great military marches.

12) Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah (1991) = Ifukube returns with updated recordings of some of his classic work and an overall outstanding sounding score. As great as it is to have Ghidorah back for this one, Ifkube's return is similarly welcomed.

13) Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla (1993) = The main title for this film might be my favorite track ever composed by Ifukube. Its just so perfect. The rest of the music is similarly good, even if it relies a little too heavily on the softer prettier themes at times.

14) Godzilla Vs. Destroyah (1995) = Its only fitting that Ifukube gets to compose Godzilla's requiem, which he does to perfection. The main title is also one of the most memorable Godzilla music cues ever and helps to get the film off to a great start.

15) Godzilla 2000 (US Version, 2000) = I saw the US version of this film first and something that shocked me when I finally saw the original cut was the differences in the music. The Hattori score is extremely repetitive of itself. That isn't to say Ifkube or John Williams don't repeat a lot of themes, but the main theme for this score (which is replayed ALOT) isn't even that great to begin with. So to see how the music was beefed up for the US version, which has rousing battle themes, cues that improve some of the character driven moments, and a few extra Ifukube tracks for good measure, it made me appreciate the US edit even more. Also, the best aspects of Hattori's score are kept, so its a best of all worlds involved.

16) Godzilla X Megaguirus (2000) = Michiru Oshima is my favorite Godzilla composer not named Akira Ifukube. Her theme for Godzilla is awesome for invoking impending doom (like the Jaws theme) but also capturing a god like majesty for Godzilla as well. The music associated with Megaguirus and the battle themes are nearly perfect. This is one case where I would say that the best aspect of a Godzilla movie is the music, hands down.

17) Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla (2002) = Its Michiru Oshima at it again, and she hits it out of the park again, adding into it some great cues to associate with Mechagodzilla.

18) Godzilla: Tokyo SOS (2003) = I wish Oshima had fully taken the torch from Ifukube and kept scoring Godzilla films into the modern era. For a final effort, this is also great work from her, working in some nice music for Mothra to go along with her preestablished themes for Godzilla and Mechagodzilla.

19) Godzilla (2014) = Alexander Desplat seems to draw some inspiration from John Williams and Spielbergian like films for his score which has everything you'd want out of a Godzilla score: Rousing action music, and great themes that invoke a sense of mystery and suspense. I would have liked an Ifukube track on there, but as a completely original score with no ties to the original series, I think it works quite well.

20) Shin Godzilla (2016) = This one is a bizarre hodge podge. It uses preexisting Ifukube tracks to great effect, as well as music from other sources like Evangellion. However, it also provides two of the best pieces of original music ever associated with the character "Persecution of the Masses" and "Who Will Know?" which give off an operatic and almost ballet like vibe to the destruction going on within the screen.

Showa: Gojira 1954, Mothra vs Godzilla, Godzilla vs Megalon, Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla
Heisei: Godzilla vs King Ghidorah, Godzilla vs Destoroyah
Millennium: Godzilla vs Megaguirius, Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla, Tokyo SOS
Other: Godzilla 1998, and Shin Godzilla