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Stars:
Akira Takarada, Kumi Mizuno, Akihiko Hirata, and Jun Tazaki
Writer:
Shinichi Sekizawa
Director:
Jun Fukuda
Feature
length: 87 minutes
Extras:
Previews
Languages:
Japanese and English Language Dubbed Two-Channel Monaural Sound
Subtitles:
English Language Subtitles
Packaging:
Amaray Keep Case
Chapter
Stops: 12
Sound:
Two-Channel Monaural Sound
Year
of Theatrical Release: 1966/DVD Release: 2005
Theatrical
Distributor: Toho Co. LTD
Home
Video Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: PG
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
In
1954 Japan released what Americans would come to know as “Godzilla” upon the
world. Just over fifty years later, Godzilla is a part of contemporary pop
culture and is arguably the king of all giant movie monsters. The films have
changed greatly over the years with Godzilla first emerging as a threat and then
becoming a protector of the Earth before becoming a threat once again. The new
Godzilla films of recent years have utilized a mixture of traditional and
computer generated effects to display these behemoth creatures like never
before. In fact the traditional man in a suit has improved over the years and
regardless of how realistic or unrealistic the beasts might appear, there is a
general consensus that still prefers this technique in articulating the big
“G” to the giant mutant CGI iguana like creature that appeared in the 1998
American Godzilla feature film.
Japan
is in many ways a post apocalyptic culture since their country experienced two
atomic attacks that ended the Pacific side of World War II. Understandably this
has had a profound impact on their cultural psyche and “Godzilla” is a
manifestation of this fear. Japan is also an interesting country because it has
in many ways become quite westernized almost to a surreal extent and yet the
rich Japanese culture has withstood the test of time and has become integrated
within their modern world.
In
“Godzilla Vs. The Sea Monster,” a young man searching for his brother, who
was lost at sea, boards a small ship with two buddies. The ship is the getaway
vehicle for a safecracker on the run. In an attempt not to reveal his true
identity to the others, he befriends the young men and even allows them to stay
overnight aboard his ship. However the next morning they all find themselves in
the South Pacific because the one searching for his brother snuck out during the
night and set the ship out. Before they can attempt a course correction, a
mysterious storm strikes and from out of the ocean depths comes Ebirah, a giant
lobster like creature that sinks the ship with one of it’s giant claws. The
next morning the men find themselves on the beach of a deserted island where the
notorious terrorist organization known as “Red Bamboo” has taken a large
group of natives from Infant Island to work as slaves in a factory where they
create a strange yellow liquid that enables their ships to pass by Ebirah
without harm. When one of the natives escapes, she teams up with the four
castaways to help save her people so they can call back to Infant Island and
summon Mothra to their rescue. Yet a new challenge occurs when Godzilla, who has
been hibernating on this remote island, is awakened and begins a rampage that
could destroy all.
This
might be one of the earliest Godzilla features that portray the creature in a
sympathetic light, almost like an antihero. The costume in particular with this
Godzilla looks rather dopey, but for what it is, Godzilla is still fun to watch
especially when he and Ebirah begin tossing a boulder back and fourth at each
other as if it were a ping pong ball. The Ebirah costume is quite impressive
even by modern standards. The scenes where the claw emerges from the depths
still look frighteningly real. Mothra shows up in the films closing minutes to
save the day, but despite the obvious strings used to make the giant bug fly,
Mothra is still an interesting creation to behold. There is one Japanese actor
in the film who plays one of the Red Bamboo villains that has a strange
resemblance to genre film icon Christopher Lee. It’s quite uncanny.
Sony
Pictures Home Entertainment has been releasing “Godzilla” DVD titles to
celebrate the 50TH anniversary with beautifully restored anamorphic
widescreen transfers down converted from high definition masters. The results
are truly amazing. “Godzilla Vs. The Sea Monster” looks terrific with
bountiful bright colors and clarity of picture I never imagined possible. This
Godzilla film is one of my personal favorites. I remember watching it on TV as a
kid, but no broadcast I ever saw looked this vibrant. Excellent work on behalf
of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and I think one has to acknowledge Toho Co.
LTD since they are the studio that produced these films and therefore whatever
source materials used to make this transfer probably originated there.
“Godzilla Vs. The Sea Monster: 50TH Anniversary” is presented
with an anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) aspect ratio that preserves the manner in
which the film was exhibited theatrically as closed as possible for home video
users. This is the English language version in that the credits are in English
instead of Japanese, but both a clear two-channel Japanese Monaural Soundtrack
as well as an English Language Dubbed Two-Channel Monaural Soundtrack is
included as listening options and English Language Subtitles are encoded onto
the DVD as well. Previews on the DVD include the “Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.”
Japanese teaser (: 24), a Godzilla compilation trailer (1:55), “Mirror Mask”
(1:09), “Anacondas: The Hunt For The Blood Orchid” (1:18), and
“Steamboy” (1:16).
The
DVD menus are standard interactive still frames that are easy to navigate.
“Godzilla Vs. The Sea Monster: 50TH Anniversary” will debut on
DVD-Video on Tuesday, February 8, 2005 at retailers on and offline courtesy of
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
©
Copyright 2005 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
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