The original Japanese version of “Godzilla” will be storming into U.S. theaters to celebrate its 60th anniversary. Rialto Pictures has announced that it will release a new restoration of the 1954 version in all its splendour. The cult classic monster movie will debut April 12 at the fifth TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood. The vintage film will then be released nationally beginning at New York’s Film Forum which runs from April 18-24.
THE JAPANESE ORIGINAL is much darker in tone than the dumbed-down U.S. release version
Full release schedule courtesy of Rialtopictures.com:
:: April 18 – 24 NEW YORK, NY Film Forum
:: April 25 – May 1 SANTA FE, NM Jean Cocteau Cinema
:: May 2 – 5 PORTLAND, OR Hollywood Theatre
:: May 2 – 8 SEATTLE, WA SIFF Cinema Uptown
:: May 23 – 26 HOUSTON, TX The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
:: May 28 LEXINGTON, KY Kentucky Theatre
:: July 17 COLUMBUS, OH Wexner Center for the Arts
“GODZILLA was originally released here in 1956 as Godzilla: King of the Monsters, an atrociously cut, dubbed and re-edited version that inserted American actor Raymond Burr into the action; only an hour was used of the original’s 98 minute running time. Burr does not appear in the original, uncut version, which has an all-Japanese cast including Kurosawa regular Takashi Shimura, who the very same year appeared as leader of the Seven Samurai.”
“As directed by Ishirô Honda, with special effects by the legendary Eiji Tsuburaya, GODZILLA: THE JAPANESE ORIGINAL is much darker in tone than the dumbed-down U.S. release version, which entirely eliminated the original’s underlying theme: in the Japanese version, the monster is clearly a metaphor for the nuclear menace and the film itself a cry for world peace and disarmament. The American version also cut out all of the original’s astonishing Strangelove-like black humor.”
Geeks are geared and ready for Gareth Edwards’ reboot set to be released on May 16. Checkout the first full official trailer for “Godzilla 2014”. The film stars Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston and Ken Watanabe. The “Godzilla” reboot is also one of our Most Anticipated Movie Released of 2014.
Source: slashfilm.com
