For years fans of Japanese science fiction were stuck with westernized versions not only infamous for their lousy dubbing, but which often were even further altered from their original form. Scenes were cut or rearranged, sometimes new footage was added and, on television and almost always on home video, these movies were available only in ugly (and often ancient) pan-and-scanned masters.

MechaGodzilla, Hedorah, and Gigan were products of an era when the Japanese film industry had nearly collapsed. Daiei, the studio behind the rival "Gamera" movies, went bankrupt while Nikkatsu Studios switched to soft-core porno. Toho was substantially reorganized and most of its longtime contract talent was let go. Several long-running movie series ended their runs in the early-'70s (the popular "Company President" films with Hisaya Morishige, for instance), but Godzilla limped along through a series of no-budget wonders for what by then had become a predominantly kiddie market.

What's most startling about Columbia/TriStar's DVDs is that, seen in their original Japanese and in gorgeous 16:9 widescreen transfers, even entries as mediocre as Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla almost magically become colorful, lively entertainments. At long last these movies look like real, well, movies. Particularly gratifying is that the efforts of genre filmmaker Jun Fukuda -- a talent equal to Seijun Suzuki, Kihachi Okamoto and Kinji Fukasaku -- can finally be appreciated for the master craftsman he was. Though much more at home making contemporary crime thrillers, Fukuda nonetheless goes a long way to infuse his grievously undernourished Godzillas with clever and well-paced cutting, super-caffeinated camerawork, and even an imaginative title design (which Fukuda did on all his pictures). It's a Herculean effort.

MechaGodzilla is about a race of silver-suited space apes bent on conquering Earth (they wear shoddy Planet of the Apes-style makeup with little, zit-like horns). Their instrument of destruction is MechaGodzilla, a formidable robot clone of the Big G. When Godzilla loses the first round to his Space Titaniumed opponent, our band of human heroes call upon an ancient Okinawan monster-god, King Seesar, a creature intended to resemble a komainu statue, though to western audiences less familiar with Shintoism it looks more like a scaly Cowardly Lion. Eventually, an electrically recharged Godzilla steps in and saves the day.

Besides Fukuda's craftsmanship, another big plus is the picture's exciting, jazzy score by Masaru Sato, best known abroad for his influential music for Yojimbo (1961), Sanjuro (1962) and myriad other action films for Akira Kurosawa, Kihachi Okamoto, and others. Akira Ifukube's weighty Godzilla themes are better remembered, but their epic-ness was at odds with the cheap, lowbrow antics of films like Godzilla vs. Gigan. Sato's lighter touch and faster pace is better suited to Fukuda's style (he also scored the director's Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster and Son of Godzilla). Sato gives the battle scenes their own unique flavor while Fukuda's travelogue-like use of the Okinawa locales is given a lush exoticism.

Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla was the first entry to acknowledge a growing league of older fans by including actors associated with earlier films. After three films populated by colorless human actors, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla brings back genre favorites Akihiko Hirata (Dr. Serizawa in the first Godzilla), Hiroshi Koizumi (the main scientist in Mothra) and Kenji Sahara (star of Rodan).

The previous two entries, Godzilla vs. Gigan and Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973) were bargain basement monsteramas relying heavily on stock footage from earlier films. Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla, while cheap, has almost no stock shots, and special effects director Teruyoshi Nakano gives his effects sequences the same frenzied energy of Fukuda's live action footage. Never given the budgets accorded to predecessor/mentor Eiji Tsuburaya, Nakano has compensated for the lack of detailed miniature cityscapes with scads of colorful pyrotechniques and optical effects, which pay off nicely in the face-offs between Godzilla and his robot rival. Unfortunately, the Godzilla costume is an embarrassment, a cartoonish affair complete with pup-like snout and painted-on eyes (you can even see the brushstrokes on the pupils). Worse, longtime Godzilla actor Haruo Nakajima had retired, and less-experienced stunt players took over the role. Where Nakajima had given the King of the Monsters a real personality over a dozen films, Isao Zushi plays Godzilla as if he were Ultraman buried under all that rubber, a super-sized superhero rattling around a loose-fitting costume, desperate to get some air.

Video & Audio

This one's a stunner. Those weaned on the more familiar panned-and-scanned home video and TV versions, and even fans who until now have resorted to expensive Japanese laserdiscs or, worse, mendacious bootleggers, will be floored. The CinemaScope image, in 16:9 anamorphic format, is near-flawless with superb color, contrast and resolution. (For the record, this is the uncut Japanese version, not the edited U.S. release originally distributed by Cinema Shares and variously known as Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster and Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster.) The lifeless, Australian-accented English-dubbed version is there for those who want it, but viewers are better served by the original Japanese track which is stronger to boot. Both are Dolby Digital mono, with optional English and French subtitles. (Regrettably, Beru-Bera Lin's gloriously silly serenade to King Seesar, "Miyarabi's Prayer," is not translated.)

Extra Features

The only extras are a batch of trailers and previews, including a Japanese teaser trailer (without subtitles, in 4:3 matted format) for Godzilla: Tokyo SOS (2003), and (in 4:3 full frame format) a promo for Sony's Godzilla cartoon series.

Parting Thoughts

Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla is cheap and outlandish, but its underfinanced artisans, troupers all, make this great Saturday matinee entertainment. If you don't like Godzilla, this one isn't going to change your mind, but even those with only a passing interest will be surprised at just how entertaining a Godzilla movie can be when seen in its original form with a pristine transfer.

Stuart Galbraith IV is a Los Angeles and Kyoto-based film historian whose work includes Monsters Are Attacking Tokyo! The Incredible World of Japanese Fantasy Films. His new book, Cinema Nippon will be published by Taschen in 2005.