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|
Article:
7
Date: 5/18/08
Year: 1972
 |
Godzilla
vs. Gigan (1972) |
Company:
New World Video (1988)
Country:
United States
Category:
Slip Cover |
| This
is the 1988 New World Video version of Godzilla
vs. Gigan (1972). Like their other contemporary
VHS releases (Godzilla
vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) and The
Return of Godzilla (1984)), this box features
the very same artwork that would grace Starmaker's
re-release four years later (although the successor
would find itself devoid of the claim: "All new!
Never before seen on video!”). The blurb does
contain one slight error, as it makes it seem as though
the Nebulans seized control of Children's Land (when,
in truth, they were the ones who were directly involved
with the park's construction). As an interesting side
note, even though the voice actors use the name "Angilas"
in the dub, the synopsis utilizes the less antiquated
monster moniker, "Anguirus". |
|
 |
Godzilla
vs. Gigan (1972) |
Company:
StarMaker Entertainment Inc. (1992)
Country:
United States
Category:
Slip Cover |
| When
it comes to covers for the Showa movies, StarMaker
could easily take the cake for best. Their Godzilla
vs. Gigan (1972) cover features a great modification
of the poster, just like their Godzilla
vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) release. Godzilla
and Gigan face off as a group of masers shine... bright
lights on Gigan as two versions of the priestess from
Godzilla
vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) pray. Ok, so maybe
this isn't the best cover ever, but it looks
good enough. The front cover is bordered by a golden
frame that stretches out to the sides and the fringes
of the back. Speaking of the sides, both are exactly
the same. Each side shows off the title in a black
box and a smaller image of the front cover (minus
the praying "twins"). The back is tipped
with two screen shots, one showing Gigan and King
Ghidorah standing over a beaten Godzilla (*gasp!*)
while the other shows the main characters in the alien
base (*yawn*). Beneath the pictures, sandwiched between
the synopsis, is the title of the film. Speaking of
the synopsis, it's not half bad. The only complaint
is the naming of the hydra "King Ghidra",
but this was in the 1990's when the preferred international
spelling was still a bone of contention. Just be glad
they don't say "Godziller" like the movies
often do (or in this case, "Godzillia"). |
|
 |
Godzilla
vs. Gigan (1972) |
Company:
Anchor Bay Entertainment, Inc. (1997)
Country: United States
Category: Slip Cover
|
| Yet
another Anchor Bay release, the front cover holds
true to the company's tradition of placing a green
'84 Godzilla in the background, while the main villain
(or in the case of their Son
of Godzilla (1967), the "heroes")
poses in front of him. Oddly enough, it seems as though
Anchor Bay messed up on Gigan's color scheme as well,
as the space creature is now colored a very ugly-looking
shade of brown (aside from his "eye" and
metal parts, which are all of correct hue).
As usual, one side of the box features a section
of Anchor Bay's multi-VHS Godzilla 1985
poster. The other side of the box simply features
the title of the film, the word "Godzilla"
in a rather cool looking font, and a small portrait
of Godzilla's head (again taken from the Godzilla
1985 poster).
The back features a mostly accurate summary of
the film, although the home planet of the Nebulans
is simply referred to as "Space-M" when
it should really be "Nebula Space Hunter M"
(although it's nothing to raise a fuss about). Also,
on the back, there is an incredibly ugly picture
of a bright green Godzilla firing an orange heat
ray at a (once again) brown Gigan (who doesn't seem
to be doing anything) while a wall of flames surround
them. |
|
 |
Godzilla
vs. Gigan (1972) |
Company:
4 Front Video (1998)
Country: United Kingdom
Category: Clam Shell |
| Well,
in terms of blandness, this cover certainly fails
to disappoint. On the front we have a strange silhouette
of a roaring Godzilla with a boring scaly background.
The Japanese spelling of "Godzilla" is rendered
in big green letters; also, there is a large, flaming
(literally) version of the name "Godzilla"
in Roman letters. On the side, as with all releases
of Godzilla by 4 Front Video, we have Godzilla shooting
a flamethrower-like beam from his mouth. On the back,
there is a strange shape with green flames lapping
about the perimeter. The summary is almost perfect,
for it contains only one minor mistake: "The
tape when played sends a code to all monsters in space
including Godzilla" which could confuse some
into thinking that Godzilla is actually in space!
Below, there is a sort of mini-credit list talking
about all the main characters and some legal stuff.
Overall, it sure keeps a low profile like other releases
from 4 Front Video (which is now defunct). Also, it
is obvious that this release was produced to cash-in
on Godzilla popularity in 1998 (thanks to the US Godzilla
remake). |
|
 |
Godzilla
vs. Gigan (1972)
and Godzilla vs.
Mechagodzilla (1974) |
Company:
StarMaker Entertainment Inc. (1993)
Country:
United States
Category:
Slip Cover |
| As an
economical alternative to buying StarMaker's 1992
releases of Godzilla
vs. Gigan (1972) and Godzilla
vs. Mechagodzilla (1974) separately, this
Special *2* Tape Set
from 1993 portrays what can only be described as a
far more utilitarian sales strategy. A dolphin grey
background and thumbnail artwork (of the richly detailed
cases from the prior release of these tapes) take
up the majority of the visible space on this case.
As an added way to stress efficiency, the blurbs are
simply abridged versions of the previous year's releases.
Not that this would have been much of a problem, but
the paragraphs chosen tend to feature the same grammatical
error as the first prints, with the adjective "ancient"
rendered as the obsolete noun: "ancienty".
The reference to Mechagodzilla's mass being "50
tons" is extremely inaccurate, as well. Nevertheless,
if aesthetics were far from the top of your list in
the early '90s (and you didn't mind setting Godzilla
vs. Megalon (1973) slightly out of chronological
order), then this certainly proved to be a more than
helpful way to hit two balls with one racquet. |
|
 |
Godzilla
vs. Gigan (1972)
and Godzilla vs.
Mechagodzilla (1974) |
Company:
StarMaker/Anchor Bay (1995)
Country:
United States
Category:
Slip Cover |
| This
"double feature" 2-pack contains two of
StarMaker's previous releases... and the titles and
StarMaker covers are present with all their errors
intact as well, backed-up by a ferocious image of
the 1984 Godzilla facing down some approaching fighter
jets.
For the most part, the descriptions on the back
of the slip cover are accurate and to the point.
The only obvious errors are the misconceptions about
Mechagodzilla made by StarMaker, but these are forgivable,
given their proclivity to exaggerate the facts. |
|
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