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|
Article:
7
Date: 5/18/08
Year: 1956
 |
Rodan
(1956) |
Company:
Video Treasures - Vestron Inc. (1983)
Country: United States
Category: Slip Cover |
| Vestron's
1983 release of Rodan
(1956) comes in a box that features the titular monster
soaring over the Saikai Bridge (showing off his incredible
wingspan in the process). The back cover gives a summary
of the movie's plot, while a still photo sits at the
top right hand corner. While not the "original
creature feature" as the box dubiously claims,
it certainly is a classic and is well represented
by this VHS cover. |
|
 |
Rodan
(1956) |
Company:
HGV Video Treasures - Vestron Inc. (1983)
Country: Canada
Category: Slip Cover |
This
is the slip cover for the 1983 release of Rodan
"The Original Creature Feature" from Vestron
Incorporated's "Video Treasures" line. The
cover, which pictures Rodan being fired upon by some
jet fighters and barely being missed by a rocket (which,
judging from the scale, is as big as one of the fighters)
looks like a hand painted, retouched amalgam of various
images from the film itself. We have the name "Rodan"
in orange lettering just above the tag proclaiming
that this is - The original creature feature!
- in rather nondescript black font with an exclamation
point. The "Video Treasures" line is promoted
on the bottom of the sleeve. The side bar is merely
a repeat of the name "Rodan" in a lighter
shade of lettering with a small cropped representation
of the cover art.
The back of the sleeve has two pink framed lobby card
photos side-by-side over the name "Rodan"
and the now familiar catch phrase: - The original
creature feature! - A synopsis of the film is
included and it is fairly accurate, although the last
time I checked Rodan was slightly more than
a 100 tons and had a wingspan that was closer to 400
and not 270 feet. Also, the Meganulon are curiously
labeled caterpillars. |
|
 |
Rodan
(1956) |
Company:
Paramount/Gateway (1992)
Country: United States
Category: Slip Cover |
| In
1992, Paramount and Gateway brought several well known
Toho films to home video, including the first Godzilla
film and this one, Rodan
(1956). This has always been one of my favorite
video covers and I'm glad to review it here.
The front artwork is nothing short of amazing.
Rodan is depicted trashing a Japanese city as the
JSDF hopelessly tries to halt the monster's approach.
In the foreground, the artist depicts Kenji Sahara,
Yumi Shirikawa, the married couple killed by Rodan,
and several others, including one that looks like
Akihiko Hirata's doctor character. The title is
rendered in the typical "monster" font
used on all of these Paramount/Gateway releases.
Of course, the spine is naturally the title under
a bordered version of the art featured on the top.
The red font really clashes with the green and yellow
background, however. The back, too, is similar to
the other Paramount/Gateway releases of Toho films.
There is a great picture of Rodan facing off against
some Japanese tanks (which actually appears to be
hand drawn!) The synopsis is a fantastic blend of
the seriousness of the film and the tongue-in-cheek
approach the company was noted for using in subsequent
descriptions. It all ends with a quote from Shigeru's
soliloquy at the film's finale, but it's too bad
the film is spoiled from all this.
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