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GODZILLA DOUBLE FEATURE Directed By Jun Fukuda/Yoshimitsu Banno
During the 1970s, Toho went in a different direction with their Godzilla series. The films became more extreme, as their level of violence increased. Before the first series of Godzilla films was brought to a close (the Showa Era, starting with Gojira in 1954 and ending with Terror of Mechagodzilla in 1978), Godzilla Vs. The Smog Monster (aka Godzilla Vs. Hedorah) and Godzilla Vs. Megalon were released. A new round of talented directors, Yoshimitsu Banno and Jun Fukuda, were introduced, and the more artistic, adult-oriented Godzilla film was born. The time period where Godzilla's son, Manilla, used for comic relief, was over and the films featured more action. Bodies reduced to bone and squirting jugulars were to become the more shocking images in Godzilla films. Graphic violence was becoming standard in films of the time, and the Godzilla series was to join the ranks. Now, a new DVD has been unleashed by the Canadian company, Digital Disc, featuring a double feature of Godzilla movies that had been part of a Thanksgiving weekend television marathon in the New York area. Godzilla Vs. Megalon Nuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean has caused the underwater kingdom of Seatopia to send up a giant cockroach-like creature by the name of Megalon to the surface to destroy Japan. A few Seatopians are dispatched as agents to steal a robot named Jet Jaguar, and kill the scientists who created him. The agents plan to use Jet Jaguar to guide Megalon to Tokyo. The scientist manage to kill the Seatopian agents and send the robot get Godzilla on Monster Island for help. After the robot summons Godzilla, he heads back to meet Megalon. He programs himself to increase his size to battle the giant monster.
Before Godzilla arrives, the Seatopians summon Gigan (the cyborg monster from Godzilla Vs. Gigan aka Godzilla on Monster Island) to team up with Megalon. Jet Jaguar fights a losing battle to Megalon and Gigan until Godzilla appears..... When this film was made in 1973, the superhero theme was popular with audiences all over the world. Comic book superheroes like Spider-Man and the Hulk were slowly becoming a part of modern popular culture, as were the likes of Asian serial characters Ultra Man, Dyna Man and Infra Man. Jet Jaguar was modeled after these robotic characters. Continuing the superhero theme, Godzilla's suit was even tailored to match the changing tastes of the comic book culture (the new suit was slender with a less reptilian-looking head and large Animé characteristic eyes). Godzilla Vs. Megalon has had a poor history concerning presentation. Television and video prints were cut, badly spliced and had a murky appearance.
Unfortunately, the same fate befell this version of the film. It appears that the same full-frame print source was used for this disc as the Alpha DVD version. However, it is a different source from earlier video versions, sporting even worse splicing, more scratches and dust. The audio quality is as bad as the video. The Dolby Digital mono reveals pops and cracks present on the film print very clearly. Even the bad splicing shines through; splices end the narration at the beginning of the film mid-sentence. Godzilla Vs. The Smog Monster In the original Gojira, pollution in the form of radiation was the problem that spawned a deadly creature. Once Godzilla became a superhero, pollution was no longer a threat and the series became action-oriented. Toho decided to bring violence and a grim atmosphere back into the movies that originally made audiences fearful nearly two decades before. The fishing areas of Japan have become so polluted that a monster has spawned. Hedorah, consisting of poison gas, sludge and garbage destroys ships, emits acid mist, and lays death and destruction in its path. Godzilla battles the creature near the bay, only to find that the creature is nearly indestructible.
Hedorah evolves into a shape-shifter, allowing it to fly, walk on land and move through water. Locals decide to stage a music festival on Mount Fuji. When the festivities are underway, Hedorah shows up, threatening the lives of everyone there. Godzilla arrives to engage in a final battle with the smog monster, as scientists have a plan of their own..... Godzilla Vs. The Smog Monster is a very grim film with a strange side to it. In addition to graphic deaths (people burned by the acid mist, reduced to bones by poisonous sludge, etc.), several weird sequences conveying symbolism occasionally rear their bizarre heads. Scenes involving people sprouting fish heads and animations add to the sullen, bewildering mood of the film. The print used for this DVD is unlike any other found on video or television. The film is presented full-frame and appears as dark as earlier prints found on television. However, a few scenes where scientific theories are explained via narration over animation bear Japanese subtitles not found on previous video prints. The film, however, bears the American International Pictures logo, establishing it as an American print.
The American International version of the film features a completely different dub than the international version, Godzilla Vs. Hedorah (previously seen on cable and available through Sony Pictures DVD). Even certain lines are worded differently. The theme song for the film, "Save the Earth," is in the English language, as opposed to the original Japanese language on the international version. The sound quality, however, is as poor as the video quality. The Dolby Digital mono sound reveals the tinny audio of such an old print. It seems that no effort has been made to enhance the audio. No extras are present on this disc. However, the Sony discs for Godzilla vs. Hedorah and other movies in the series are without extras as well. One would hope that one day, films of these type would be released in definitive versions, including trailers and possibly alternate, English audio tracks (Sony's discs contain the original Japanese language versions along with the international dubs, and not the AIP dubs). Two unique Godzilla films included on one DVD is a find as far as collectors are concerned, especially since Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster is presented with the original AIP audio. Although the quality of the audio/video presentation is poor, whether or not a collector should purchase this disc is mainly a question of preference. |
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