Best DVD version of the English "Varan the Unbelievable"?

[johnboy3434]

There's been at least two DVD releases of the Americanized version of Varan, one from Synergy and one from Reel Vault. There may be more, but that's all I can find at a glance. However, I'm having a hard time finding any reviews that compare the picture quality between the two (and any potential others). Which one should I get?

And no, "don't get any of them, that version sucks" is not a valid answer.

[Terasawa]

I’ve only seen the Synergy version but I would not be surprised if it’s the same master, made from 16mm. I’m pretty sure it’s actually the same master that VCI used for video releases in the 1990s. The Synergy disc has a Synergy watermark in the bottom right of the image for some of the film; if the Reel Vault version doesn’t then that would almost certainly be the better version.

[johnboy3434]

I’ve only seen the Synergy version but I would not be surprised if it’s the same master, made from 16mm. I’m pretty sure it’s actually the same master that VCI used for video releases in the 1990s. The Synergy disc has a Synergy watermark in the bottom right of the image for some of the film; if the Reel Vault version doesn’t then that would almost certainly be the better version.

Fucking Hell, really? In what universe is that acceptable, even for a questionably-legal bargain bin release? Well, the TK review for the Reel Vault version doesn't mention a watermark, and I imagine that would be first and foremost on their complaint list, so I'm guessing Reel Vault wins.

[Great Hierophant]

skreeonking Hell, really? In what universe is that acceptable, even for a questionably-legal bargain bin release?

It is not legal in the slightest degree, so do not expect any kind of quality or integrity with the original source.

[johnboy3434]

It is not legal in the slightest degree, so do not expect any kind of quality or integrity with the original source.

Putting a watermark over large sections of the film isn't even common among unscrupulous bootleggers, so illegality doesn't explain it.

[Terasawa]

Thanks for mentioning the TK DVD review of the Reel Vault version, johnboy, I'm going to look into that.

FYI, for anyone that wants to see this version, the Synergy "master" (which I doubt is theirs to begin with) is streaming on Amazon Video for Prime members.

[Arbok]

Thanks for mentioning the TK DVD review of the Reel Vault version, johnboy, I'm going to look into that.

Here is the review in question, and no I don't recall a watermark appearing at all (unless it was only on screen briefly and I was looking away when it was there):

https://www.tohokingdom.com/dvd/varan_u ... ult15.html

[Terasawa]

Thanks for mentioning the TK DVD review of the Reel Vault version, johnboy, I'm going to look into that.

Here is the review in question, and no I don't recall a watermark appearing at all (unless it was only on screen briefly and I was looking away when it was there):

https://www.tohokingdom.com/dvd/varan_u ... ult15.html

Thanks! They're definitely different transfers. Compare this to the screenshot in the site review.



Reel Vault's version looks so soft that it might just be ripped from one of VCI's VHS releases.

Here's an example of the Synergy watermark, which shows up probably four or five times during the movie.

[Arbok]

Thanks for sharing, definitely looks like the Reel Vault version is the worst one to have picked up.

[o.supreme]

Greetings, as an owner of one of the VCI copies released on VHS, it unfortunately does seem likely that these questionable DVD releases are form this source. I've questioned their legality on Amazon, and haven't been given any answer, which is odd. For what it's worth, as much as people bash this film, I'm all for preserving every possible alternate cut and dub of any Toho film. many VHS tapes are degrading, and wont last much longer. I've converted most to digital, but even still are not that great. Too bad there wasn't a rich kaiju film enthusiast benefactor who would really take the time to invest in finding the best film prints that exist, and converting them to digital sources to be preserved for future generations.

[Pkmatrix]

This thread has made me think, it's probably a worthwhile enterprise to try creating a reconstruction of this considering Crown International Pictures hasn't existed in over 25 years (I suspect the Varan the Unbelievable cut has fallen into the public domain, though I'd have to do some research to confirm) and Toho seems absolutely uninterested in restoring or preserving any of the alternate American cuts aside from KOTM'56. I kinda doubt we're ever going to get a real HD restoration, and considering this is a totally different film than Giant Monster Varan (less than half of the runtime is footage from the Toho film) that really is a shame IMO. It's not great by any measure, but it shouldn't be ERASED.

EDIT: If someone were willing to go through the expense, there have been some successful experiments with upscaling Star Trek: Deep Space Nine SD videos to HD using the Gigapixel AI neural network.

Has Toho released the original Varan on bluray yet? Perhaps a combination of pulling from the the bluray and using the neural network to upscale the original VTU footage from the SD DVD...

[Terasawa]

Fortunately at least one 35mm scope print still exists in the hands of a private collector. I had the fortune of seeing that projected in 2011. Therefore an HD restoration is unlikely but not impossible.

[Pkmatrix]

Fortunately at least one 35mm scope print still exists in the hands of a private collector. I had the fortune of seeing that projected in 2011. Therefore an HD restoration is unlikely but not impossible.

Oh, that's great news! Hopefully someday someone will pay to have it restored and an HD or 4K (or 8K?) video scanned.

[Terasawa]

Yeah, I wish I'd stuck around to talk to the event organizers and the owner of the print, but we were pretty busy and we were fortunate to even make it to the theater on time. The print was in good shape, considering. No obvious splices that I recall although the ends and beginnings of reels showed more damage, which I think is pretty typical with vintage exhibition prints. I said in another thread recently that while it's not really a good movie, I was able to appreciate it a lot more on the big screen, with a receptive audience, since that's how it was intended to be seen by the crew that Americanized it.

[johnboy3434]

From my cursory research, it seems the Americanized film has lapsed into the public domain in the United States due to lack of renewal. As such, it probably is legal for Synergy and Reel Vault to sell copies of the film. Toho's only other recourse would be to prosecute for trademark infringement, since they still own the trademark on the name and design of Varan. However, it wouldn't be a guaranteed win for Toho even on those grounds, with the film free to copy and the box art only made from screenshots and contemporary art assets from the film's poster (which is most likely also in the public domain due to non-renewal). In other words, Synergy and Reel Vault did not create a derivative work from the trademarked material, but simply displayed the pre-existing public items. So yeah, these releases may be unofficial, but they're not illegal.

[o.supreme]

Fortunately at least one 35mm scope print still exists in the hands of a private collector. I had the fortune of seeing that projected in 2011. Therefore an HD restoration is unlikely but not impossible.

Oh, that's great news! Hopefully someday someone will pay to have it restored and an HD or 4K (or 8K?) video scanned.

That is indeed great news. In fact I'm fairly confident that quality film prints of most of the Toho non-Godzilla films have to exist somewhere...its just the expense of finding them and restoring them that may prove to be challenging

I know fans have synced and added the AIP dubs to several Godzilla films from superior video quality sources. I just wonder if attempts have been tried with such films as the RKO dub of The Mysterians, or AIP Dub of YOG..??

Additionally, my biggest concerns are the 3 Brenco films sitting in MGM's archive (Gorath, Human Vapor, and The Last War). I have all these on VHS, but they are in desperate need of updating.

[Terasawa]

I know fans have synced and added the AIP dubs to several Godzilla films from superior video quality sources. I just wonder if attempts have been tried with such films as the RKO dub of The Mysterians, or AIP Dub of YOG..??

There’s a good fan restoration of The Mysterians that uses the Toho Blu-Ray, VCI VHS of the U.S. version, and various other sources for stuff like Shiraishi’s Mysterioid Report cover page and the different optical SFX.

[Joseph Goodman]

Aren't those slightly different opticals in The Mysterians the same in the Champion Festival version as they are in the US version?

[o.supreme]

There’s a good fan restoration of The Mysterians that uses the Toho Blu-Ray, VCI VHS of the U.S. version, and various other sources for stuff like Shiraishi’s Mysterioid Report cover page and the different optical SFX.

Nice! I know where getting a bit OT here, but would the VCI VHS of The Mysterians be the one in the old Black Clamshell? I rented such a copy from BBV way back in 90/91, but haven't seen it since. Thereafter I've only ever come across the Star Classics VHS slipcover which also has the RKO dub.

[eabaker]

Nice! I know where getting a bit OT here, but would the VCI VHS of The Mysterians be the one in the old Black Clamshell? I rented such a copy from BBV way back in 90/91, but haven't seen it since. Thereafter I've only ever come across the Star Classics VHS slipcover which also has the RKO dub.

Going even further off topic...

Hey, o.supreme! Nice to see you on here! It's been a long time!