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Article: 7
Date:
5/18/08
Year:
1954

Godzilla (1954)

 Company: Video Treasures - Vestron Inc. (1983)
 Country: United States
 Category: Slip Cover

This is the 1983 Vestron Video release of Godzilla (1954), which is quite possibly this film's very first stateside release. The cover features a colorized still of Godzilla, while the rear summarizes the movie and mentions the presence of Raymond Burr. The dubious claim that Godzilla is 40 stories tall seems to be derived from the infamous dubbing error, but the "pretty Japanese lady scientist" line is the real head-scratcher of the synopsis. Also featured is an out-of-place still of Godzilla from Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973).
Credit: Michael Calhoun

Godzilla (1954)

 Company: Paramount/Gateway (1992)
 Country: United States
 Category: Slip Cover

This is the one. The classic. The King. While the description on the back pretty much sums up the idea of the American version of the original Godzilla movie, at the end it seems to come off as a recommendation for watching the film. The cover sports a slightly-altered illustration of Godzilla's famous Japanese poster stance (albeit the slime-green coloration of the King of Monsters). Also note the appearance of strange, small electric currents trickling off of Godzilla's spines. The cover boasts Godzilla savagely melting a fighter jet in his very hand whilst Tokyo burns behind him (take note of the sinking bridge, taken straight from the film).

An illustration of Raymond Burr's character, reporter Steve Martin, is seen in the front sternly clenching his pipe in his mouth, completely oblivious to the wanton destruction occurring right behind him. Also take note of two characters from Son of Godzilla (1967) present at the bottom left of the front cover, Goro and Riko. Although, Riko looks slightly altered, making her more masculine and aged-looking. The usual caption sprawled along Paramount's Godzilla releases is replaced with a simple "Monster Classic". Overall, the cover doesn't sport as many errors as other releases, but still retains the corny atmosphere of the others.

Credit: Shounen_Goji

Godzilla (1954)

 Company: GoodTimes Home Video (1995)
 Country: United States
 Category: Slip Cover

In 1995, Goodtimes released the American version of Godzilla (1954), known as Godzilla, King Of The Monsters. On the front cover, instead of using the Godzilla from the movie, they used the Godzilla from Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975). Holding a train car in his hand, he stands in front of a generic city skyline.

The title of the movie is cut in two parts. The first part, "Godzilla", is located at the top, mixed with caps and lower-cased light green letters. The second part, "King Of The Monsters", is located across the bottom, all in caps, colored in red, and with a yellow outline.

On the each side of the box is the title of the movie, all in black. Godzilla’s name in the title is written like the one on top of the front cover.

On the back of the cover, in the background, is a generic city skyline. If you look closely at the buildings on both the front and back cover, you can see that they are the same. The title of the movie is cut into two parts again. "Godzilla" is located under the summary, and is written and colored like the one on the front cover. "King Of The Monsters" is located at the left side, all in caps, and colored in black. On top of the back cover, there are the words "Hail To The King", colored in black.

One thing to note in the summary is that it states this film ‘has spawned twenty sequels’. Depending on exactly when this VHS was released in 1995, it could have actually been twenty-one... although it is more likely that (since Godzilla vs. Destoroyah (1995) was released in December of that year) that there were only twenty fully-released sequels at the point this VHS was released.

Credit: Kaiser Ghidorah

Godzilla (1954)

 Company: Filmax Home Video (1998)
 Country: Spain
 Category: Clam Shell

Released by Filmax Home Video in 1998 to cash in with the US GODZILLA (1998), this cover features a popular production still of Godzilla chewing a train, with the film's title in Spanish: "Godzilla, Japan beneath the Monster's Terror". Quoted are both Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino (quite possibly to raise attention). The back cover shows a fistful of stills from the movie, as well as its full cast and crew; and also a very vague synopsis. This was the first time the film was released uncut in Spain. Filmax has brought several Tokusatsu films to VHS in its original aspect ratios and has managed to pull the best a VHS can give in terms of quality, only hurt by the fact these films are horrendously dubbed in Castilian.
Credit: Hank Xavier

Godzilla (1954)

 Company: Simitar Entertainment, Inc. (1998)
 Country: United States
 Category: Slip Cover

The year 1998 was a big year for Godzilla, as the American movie GODZILLA (1998) was about to be released in theaters. For this reason, Simitar and other companies were releasing Godzilla films on video in massive quantities. One of Simitar’s releases was the American version of Godzilla (1954), known more commonly in the US as Godzilla, King of the Monsters.

The front cover seemingly emulates the Godzilla from The Return of Godzilla (1984). At the very top are the words, ‘The Original Godzilla Movie’. This quote makes it seem like that this is the original Japanese version, which it isn't. The title of the movie is cut into two parts: ‘Godzilla’ is located up at the top and ‘King Of The Monsters’ is located down at the bottom. Each side of the box displays a thumbnail version of the art work from the front cover, along with the movie title.

On the back cover, between the movie title and summary, are the words, ‘In original glorious Black and White’. There are three pictures from the movie. The first picture is Godzilla firing his Atomic Ray, the second features Steve Martin (Raymond Burr), and the third still reveals Godzilla amidst a burning Tokyo.

In the summary, it states that, ‘Dr. Serizawa has discovered a weapon that could destroy all life in the bay-including Godzilla. But which disaster is worse, Godzilla’s fury, or the death of Tokyo Bay?’

Credit: Kaiser Ghidorah

Godzilla (1954)

 Company: Simitar Entertainment, Inc. (1998)
 Country: United States
 Category: Slip Cover
 - DIGITALLY REMASTERED EDITION -

The case for the digitally remastered version of Godzilla (1954) boasts very few aesthetic differences from its non-digitally remastered counterpart of the same year. The front cover image is expanded (the artwork of which is, by the way, a stunning piece with no unneeded distractions); the rear cover features a greenish, textured background; and finally, all of these changes are punctuated by Godzilla's so-called "Stamp of Approval". Content-wise, this release features a video art gallery, a collection of trailers, and also a documentary.
Credit: Michael Calhoun

Godzilla (1954)
 Company: Classic Media Inc. (2002)
 Country: United States
 Category: Slip Cover
This is Classic Media's release of the American version of Godzilla (1954), starring Raymond Burr. The cover shows Godzilla roaring over a blurry image of a city. In the background, Steve Martin, Emiko Yamane and Dr. Serizawa are looking down at the beast. Also in the background, there are some stills of Godzilla peering into a birdcage and Godzilla grasping a train in his enormous maw. One thing that should be noted in the description is that it says Godzilla is a 400 foot Tyrannosaurus rex. Of course, Godzilla is far from looking like a T-rex in any way, and is less than half the height listed (although the dub is misleading in this regard).
Credit: Gyaos

Godzilla (1954) and Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)
 Company: GoodTimes Home Video Corp. (1996)
 Country: United States
 Category: Slip Cover
The first thing to notice about this particular 2-pack slip cover is the lavish, yet cheesy layout. Godzilla faces off against Megalon, spouting a stream of flames amidst the vista of a rocky atoll near an unknown, possibly Pacific island (while the blurry and greenish facade of the King of Monsters himself fades into the flame-colored sky above the combatants). The front of the cover also sports some pretty cheesy Microsoft Powerpoint-esque fonts.

The back of the cover features some strange movie "covers" for the featured films. The first of the films' synopses (which are expectedly corny and somewhat erroneous) is accompanied by a tweaked image of the Megaro-Goji (colored a bluish-green) standing in front of a generic city skyline while holding a train car, while the cover for the entire 2-pack itself is utilized for the other synopsis' still.

Credit: Shounen_Goji

Godzilla (1954), Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975), and Godzilla Trailers and Sci-Fi Monsters (1998)
 Company: Simitar Entertainment, Inc. (1998)
 Country: United States
 Category: Slip Cover
In 1998, Simitar released a 3-tape set of Godzilla (1954), Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975), and their own exclusive: Godzilla Trailers and Sci-Fi Monsters (1998). The illustrations for the two included movies are rendered quite well, and the tapes themselves are recorded in EP mode (as opposed to Simitar's minority of SP Godzilla releases). The bonus video includes a fine documentary of sci-fi trailers, represented on the case by more of Simitar's signature artwork.
Credit: Michael Calhoun