Media Blasters Finally, and Officially, Announces Godzilla Acquisitions

[Nailwraps]

Well, if it just the commentary(ies) than that's fine with me (forgive me if you disagree) just as long as both cuts are uncut.

[Darga]

Originally Posted by MorallySound

Woah! I need to track me down that Italian "Cozzilla" version!

Yes, that looks pretty wild. I'd never even heard of it before.

[Nailwraps]

Update!:

http://forum.blu-ray.com/blu-ray-mov...iew-up-31.html

"Media Blasters MEGALON Update: The MEGALON DVD and Blu-ray were put on hold late last year because there was an issue between Toho and Media Blasters over some of the extra content on DESTROY ALL MONSTERS. Both companies wanted to resolve that problem, and after that Toho would review MEGALON before it went to press so there wouldn't be a repeat of what happened with DAM.

The DAM issue is still unresolved, but regardless Toho has now started their review of MEGALON. That review may take some time so there's no word yet on when the discs will be released, but at least there's now some progress towards that happening."

[rxfiend]

I finally got an email from Deep Discount the other day that they finally cancelled my order. Definitely sucks as I ordered it back during their sale and it was only $15. I hope Media Blasters / Toho get their shit worked out so we can get this blu-ray sometime this year!

[X-human]

Originally Posted by Nailwraps

The DAM issue is still unresolved.

That's weird because Amazon.com still has it in stock! After this tidbit, it's shit or get off the pot time for anyone indecisive about picking it up.

I'm somewhat surprised because Amazon did have it in stock, after being out of stock, so I figured Media Blasters worked through it. Still glad I picked mine up.

[X-human]

With Media Blasters laying off 60% of their workforce we've got another ominous piece of news:

Stuart Galbraith IV has posted the following:

I researched, wrote, and recorded an audio commentary track for Media Blasters with my pal Steve Ryfle, for that pantheon of cinematic art, GODZILLA VS MEGALON. We did some of our best work on this title, but in a flash of spectacular foolhardiness, they screwed up and now the disc and our hard work in all likelihood will never see the light of day, to say nothing of the generous contributions of members of the original cast and crew, who really made this track something special.

Media Blasters has also been making one meaningless promise after another to pay me for above-and-beyond work Steve and I delivered way back in October. (I’ve been hearing the wire/check’ll go out next week for the last nine weeks.) As some of you know, they recently laid-off 60% of their staff, and my own theory is that they’re simply out of cash, partly because of the financial mess they themselves created with these two Toho titles.

Regardless, I’ve been writing professionally for 23 years, and never in my experience have I encountered a more incompetent and dishonest home video label. It’s been one unbelievably lame excuse after another, unreturned voice-mails and unanswered emails, a refusal to own the problem and treat it with any sense of urgency. In short, a total lack of professionalism. A word to the wise: Media Blasters CANNOT BE TRUSTED to pay its bills.

And so, this week Steve Ryfle and I informed Media Blasters’ John Sirabella and Carl Morano that unless I am adequately compensated they cannot legally use our commentary track even if Toho finally approves every other extra feature on the disc. As with Toho and its unlicensed extras, I’ve not signed off on the commentary’s use. If necessary I’m prepared to fly to New York to get an injunction to block its release and/or have copies pulled from distribution a la DESTROY ALL MONSTERS.

If this statement seems harsh, you’ve probably never been ripped off like this. Steve and I spent the last two months quietly trying to resolve this issue with a minimum of fuss, but at every step Media Blasters made it clear they just can’t be bothered.

http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum....-#reply-797807

Media Blasters has been on the precipice for awhile now and frankly I'm amazed they've lasted as long as they have but because of that I'm reluctant to say that they're clearly done.

[Jeremy]

While they may not be clearly done, it's unlikely that Media Blasters will ever return to its previous levels of "accomplishment" (with their uneven output quality the quotation marks are entirely appropriate). Companies that slash their workforce that badly may survive, but they usually don't regain the prominence and market share that they have lost. At best, Media Blasters will limp along, probably renting out cheaper office space in New Jersey and cutting the number of releases they put out.

Anyways, those on the fence should pick up DESTROY ALL MONSTERS on DVD or Blu, and also think about picking up some of their other Toho DVD releases and their more obscure Eurocult discs. Lots of companies don't want to deal with Toho's BS, so who knows when the Japanese titles will come back in print, and some of the less known European films may not find a market here again for awhile. Don't bother with the Blus of things like BURIAL GROUND or ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST, as if Media Blasters goes under those will eventually be picked up (and probably done much better) by companies like Severin, Synapse, Midnight Legacy, etc.

[elDomenechHDG]

Why are the people behind Toho so protective with their catalog? Are they STILL mad at the U.S. for messing around with the original Godzilla? Do they not like Raymond Burr? I know the Roland Emmerich remake was horrendous but why not just move on? (hee hee).

[Jeremy]

Well Toho is still a Japanese company. Corporate culture over there has many similarities, but also many appreciable differences, to Euro-American corporate culture. It's a different operating environment, with different laws and a different tax code. And Toho is still expected to be a good corporate citizen in its home country, which leads to decisions that are sometimes puzzling to us, like the partial withdrawal of a movie like LAST DAYS OF PLANET EARTH from circulation, or for that matter, the almost complete withdrawal of the Japanese version of HALF HUMAN.

That was the part where I defend Toho. I haven't done a whole lot of that lately, but they're not 100% bad. Still, my general opinion of them is that they are a third rate company with a first rate legacy. On the one hand, not only did they produce the Godzilla films, but also the bulk of Akira Kurosawa's greatest films were made or distributed through them, which makes them the heir to two (pardon the pun) monstrous cinematic legacies. On the other hand, most of their current film output seems to have a "meh" factor to it, adequate for domestic audiences but often no more, and certainly never to again revolutionize international cinema like it once did. And their presentation of their own older films is often mediocre. The transfer on DESTROY ALL MONSTERS is a restoration that Toho did a few years back, and while it is arguably a better presentation than Media Blasters could have pulled off on their own with their record of doing things, it does fall short of what fans had hoped for considering the prominence of this title. Its not just DESTROY ALL MONSTERS either, go over to DVDBeaver and check out some of the screenshots of Toho's own domestic Blu-Ray of SEVEN SAMURAI. It's DNR'd to death! Thankfully Criterion seems to be trusted by Toho in a way that no other American company is, so they are allowed to do their own restorations on Toho titles.

At this point Godzilla and the other monsters they own are little more than trademarks to them, which they obsessively control the same way that Disney obsessively controls the licensing of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Toho certainly should not be mad about the GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS cut. I doubt that they are, but then again, with them you never know - since there are plenty of American fans who somehow look at it as a hatchet job, there could certainly be people in their corporate suites who view it the same way. Certainly they would never allow an American producer to do that kind of thing to one of their movies today, but sixty years ago Toho was actively complicit in the American alterations of their movies. There is some evidence to suggest that they themselves cut footage out of GOJIRA from the version that was to be sent to the United States, and its a matter of record that they shipped the juvenile monster suit from HALF HUMAN to Hollywood in order to facilitate the shooting of new scenes with John Carradine and Morris Ankrum. It's also a matter of record that they were willing to ship their Godzilla and Angurus suits to Hollywood for new footage that was to be added to GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN, although the American producers ended up dropping those plans.

[Nailwraps]

Rumour time! The good news; Godzilla Vs. Megalon is still going to be released. The bad news; it will be a bare bones release:

http://stuartgalbraithiv.wordpress.c...from-seatopia/

[dave13]

bummer. i've enjoyed the showa series films i've seen, but without some bonus features to sweeten the pot, its unlikely i'll be inclined to blind buy this.

[fceurich39]

Godzilla vs Megalon bare bones dvd coming aug 14th but no blu-ray link here
http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2...la-vs-megalon/

[Nailwraps]

Media Blasters confirms shipping for Godzilla Vs Megalon!:

http://media-blasters.com/main/index...edium=facebook

[X-human]

So do we order this because it's doubtful Media Blaster will ever release anything more or do we hold off in the hopes that someday soon there will be more?

[rxfiend]

Good question. I want the movie on both formats, so I'm fine with purchasing this bare bones DVD. When/if a BD ever comes up, I'll spring for that too.