Why So Blu?

Godzilla – The Criterion Collection (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)

At this point, it’s pretty clear that I’m happy to talk about anything Godzilla-related. I’ve written my share of posts on Why So Blu regarding the King of the Monsters. The original 1954 Gojira was previously released by the Criterion Collection on Blu-ray over a decade ago at this point, followed by a massive Showa Era collection release for Criterion’s #1000 spine. A 4K upgrade for director Ishiro Honda’s classic made plenty of sense. Fortunately, it delivers as well as it can. Along with maintaining the fun extras from the previous release, this newest version has stomped its way onto a UHD disc and looks and sounds excellent as a result.

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 Film:

The story is the same as it ever was. Set in post-WWII Japan, firmly stationed in the atomic age, a dinosaur-like beast has been awoken from its undersea hibernation due to nuclear bomb testing. Despite efforts to understand what is going on, this giant monster causes massive destruction, including the ravaging of Tokyo, prompting a debate over what sort of dangerous weapons can be used to destroy it.

Directed by Honda, a veteran who had already been making elaborate war films and movies featuring underwater photography, his interest in making a feature dealing with nuclear testing was only amplified by the American monster flick The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. From there, taking on his first kaiju film, Honda went from putting together a simple story to developing an earnest and tragic disaster film that served as a metaphor for the nuclear holocaust.

Given Godzilla’s status as the longest-running film franchise, this initial entry was obviously a hit, but that came from more than just the intended spectacle. Honda worked with cinematographer Masai Tamai and special effects director Fiji Tsuburaya to help bring this concept to life in ways not seen before. Composer Akira Ifukube was on hand to deliver the first of many memorable Godzilla scores, complete with recognizable themes and an aim to build up the intended horror for a 1950s monster movie.

On top of all this, Honda had a great cast who took their roles seriously. This includes Akira Takarada, Momoko Kōchi, Akihiko Hirata, and, most importantly, Takashi Shimura, the star of many films by Akira Kurosawa, including Seven Samurai, released in the same year. It has a capable cast that could relate to the emotions of the time, which really spoke to how compelling Gojira must have felt at the time. While the sequels would deliver big monster fights and kid-friendly aspects (that I also love), the first film is a more somber affair, and having the right people involved really allows for an effective take emphasizing the true terror intended from the arrival of Godzilla.

Having spoken and written many times about this film and all things Godzilla-related, to hear even more about all of my thoughts on this film, below you can find the Godzilla commentary track we recorded for the podcast I co-host, Out Now with Aaron & Abe:

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Video:

Encoding: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 2160p

Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1

HDR: N/A

Layers: BD-66

Details: “This new digital transfer was created by TOHO Archive Co., Ltd. from a 35 mm master positive.”

Clarity/Detail: While it’s generally fascinating to see the results of old classics remastered and restored in 4K, some limitations come with certain films. With Gojira, no HDR has been applied, but even with a movie utilizing old elements, I can’t deny how crisp and detailed this presentation looks. There’s a moderate level of grain, which is to be expected. Still, with only so many detail elements to work with from the start, the enhancements on display may seem minor at first, but contrasted against the Blu-ray, there’s a lot to appreciate here.

Depth: Look at the scenes featuring huge crowds or how the miniature models are arranged to convey the size of Godzilla, and one can appreciate just how well the dimensionality functions for this presentation.

Black Levels: A proper 4K transfer wins again when considering the strength in the black levels. The image is much less washed out than before, with deeper blacks and almost no real sign of crushing. It’s a benefit here, given all the nighttime sequences and darker areas of the black-and-white film at play.

Color Reproduction: N/A

Flesh Tones: Not a film known for major close-ups, but we receive an appropriate amount of detail when focusing in a bit more.

Noise/Artifacts: The film looks nice and clean, with no issues in sight.

 

Audio:

Audio Format(s): English LPCM 1.0 Monaural

Subtitles: English SDH

Details: “The original monaural audio was remastered from a 35 mm soundtrack positive by the Criterion Collection.”

Dynamics: It’s a mono soundtrack, which will only provide so much to dig into. And yet, this is a solid track, allowing the dialogue and various sound effects the room needed to come to life. It’s a track that never hits any flat moments or deals with poor mixing. Plus, Ifukube’s music is what truly shines the most here, and it continues to play well on what is likely a track that’s near-identical to the previous release.

Low-Frequency Extension: N/A

Surround Sound Presentation: N/A

Dialogue Reproduction: Everyone is heard loud and clear.

 

Extras:

This is a two-disc set with all of the originally released extras still featured on the Blu-ray disc, while one of the commentaries can be found on both. Amusing is the presence of the American cut of Gojira, though it’s still only in HD. It would have been nice to see another retrospective doc on here, especially in honor of Godzilla’s 70th anniversary, but there’s no shortage of great information to be found in this set. Plus, the cardboard case has a fun foldout component to emphasize the enormity of our title kaiju character. 

Features Include:

• Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (HD, 80:53) – The 1956 American release, co-directed and edited by Terry O. More, and now featuring Raymond Burr in select scenes.
• Commentary One – Originally recorded in 2011, critic and author David Kalat provides an interesting discussion of what Godzilla is all about, what it means in a socio-political sense, and more. As a commentator, Kalat actually has scripted what he intends to say, making for a more dramatic use of the format, and mileage on this may vary.
• Commentary Two – Kalat returns to dig into the foreign distribution aspect of Godzilla and provides additional context regarding the changes made for the American version.
• Cast and Crew – Interviews with various cast and crew members from various times. All are presented in Japanese with English subtitles.
  • Akira Takarada (HD, 12:58)
  • Haruo Nakajima (HD, 9:48)
  • Yoshio Irie and Eizo Kaimai (HD, 30:08)
  • Akira Ifukube (SD, 50:43)
• Photographic Effects (SD, 9:05) – A look at the visual choice made to produce the effects needed for this film.
• Tadao Sato (HD, 14:05) – An interview with Japanese cinema expert and critic Tadao Sato about the history and significance of Godzilla.
• The Unluckiest Dragon (HD, 9:38) – A visual essay from Greg Pflugfelder about the true story of the fishing vessel Daigo Fukuryu Maru.
• Trailer One (SD, 2:56)
• Trailer Two (SD, 1:37)

PLUS – An essay by critic J. Doberman

 

Summary:

You’re not going to hear any real negatives when it comes to Gojira. The original entry in the massive Godzilla franchise is a fantastic start and one of the few in the series to really take itself seriously and attempt to address significant topics. This new 4K release does well by Big G, with a proper representation of the film, even if it can only shine so much given the nature of the original elements. The nice collection of extras also continues to shine, making this a solid upgrade, but a 4K UHD is worth owning if it’s your first time going for it.

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