New Varan DVD

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AngurusGrimes
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New Varan DVD

Post by AngurusGrimes »

So today I decided to finally buy Varan on DVD. When I looked on Amazon the Media Blasters DVD it wasn't available so i'm assuming it's out of print. There is a newer Varan DVD on there though labeled Synergy Archive Series. The problem is I can't find anything about this particular DVD release online. Is it in English? Is anything cut from the movie? Any help you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated.

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synthfiendx5
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by synthfiendx5 »

Yes I own this. It is a made on demand dvdr of the fullscreen american cut. Quality is about the same as the vhs, if not a hair better.
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AngurusGrimes
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Re: New Varan DVD

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synthfiendx5 wrote:Yes I own this. It is a made on demand dvdr of the fullscreen american cut. Quality is about the same as the vhs, if not a hair better.
How does it compare to the media blasters release?

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synthfiendx5
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by synthfiendx5 »

Media blasters is widescreen and Japanese version only, and looks a hell of a lot better than the synapse one. I own both to get both versions of the movie as they are pretty much different movies.
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Starsteam
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by Starsteam »

I bought the Synapse one last year, it's basically next to a bootleg (and I'm doubting it's licensed). Generic menu, low quality, but at least the price is a little more reasonable than most of the DVD-R titles I see on Amazon.
The Japanese and American versions are pretty much different films like synth said, so it might be preferable to a completest to pick up both the MB copy and this one.

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Pkmatrix
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by Pkmatrix »

AngurusGrimes wrote:So today I decided to finally buy Varan on DVD. When I looked on Amazon the Media Blasters DVD it wasn't available so i'm assuming it's out of print. There is a newer Varan DVD on there though labeled Synergy Archive Series. The problem is I can't find anything about this particular DVD release online. Is it in English? Is anything cut from the movie? Any help you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated.
The Synergy DVD is NOT Giant Monster Varan - the 1958 Toho movie that was released by Media Blasters as "Varan the Unbelievable" - it is Varan the Unbelievable, the barely-related AMERICAN movie released in 1962.

If you're interested in the now fairly rare American movie, give it a shot. It is in English, no subtitles, with an American cast and the only bits left from the original movie being the monster footage.

If you're interested in the Japanese version, though, skip the Synergy release and track down the Media Blasters DVD. The two movies are entirely unrelated.

EDIT:

I'm going to copy in text from another post I wrote up explaining how different the two movies are, just FYI.
Pkmatrix wrote:It's COMPLETELY different. I cannot emphasize that enough. It is the most radical Americanization I've ever seen, and probably the most extensive of any Japanese giant monster movie. It's on the scale of what was proposed for The Volcano Monsters, although nowhere near as good as that idea.

In Giant Monster Varan, a scientific expedition to study a rare species of moth in the Japanese Alps stumbles across a remote village that worships a local God. The outsiders insist that their beliefs are just ancient superstitions, but end up angering the God (Varan) who then exacts vengeance upon Japan.

In Varan the Unbelievable, a joint US-Japanese military desalinization test in a saltwater lake on a small Japanese island runs into a snag when the superstitious villagers refuse to leave. When the test is conducted anyway, they awaken Varan who then goes on to ravage the island.

Completely different plots, completely different casts, completely different soundtracks. It's more accurate to think of Varan the Unbelievable as a thematic SEQUEL (like the Daimajin films or The Man with No Name films relationships to each other) than as an alternate cut of Giant Monster Varan.
As I said before:

Media Blasters' "Varan the Unbelievable" is Giant Monster Varan (1958).
Synergy's "Varan the Unbelievable" is Varan the Unbelievable (1962).

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Godzilla21
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by Godzilla21 »

Pick up the Media Blasters one. Very good quality and the special features are pretty top notch for a niche film.
SpaceG92 wrote:
<=25% joke. >=75% topic. Even then - that's pushing it.

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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by Rodan »

Godzilla21 wrote:Pick up the Media Blasters one. Very good quality and the special features are pretty top notch for a niche film.
I would love to do this along with the whole Media Blasters Toho Three-Pack if anyone can point me to where I could do so without paying an arm and a leg.

As it is, I'm glad this thread pointed out the existence of that print-on-demand American cut for me. I have a bit a soft spot for it and wouldn't mind owning both versions.

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AngurusGrimes
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by AngurusGrimes »

Is it possible to find the Media Blasters DVD for a reasonable price?

elmeaux
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by elmeaux »

Yes. I got mine from DeepDiscount.com earlier this month for $9.98 shipped.

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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by MandaSaurus »

Stick to the Media Blasters - I wouldn't touch ANY American 'cut' with a 10-foot pole... :P

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Hellblaze
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by Hellblaze »

I'm not having any luck with that and does anyone know if they will re-release this DVD and who will get Mothra soon?
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Tohosaurus
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by Tohosaurus »

Don't know anything about this, but stick with the MB DVD anyway. Good overall release.
Hellblaze wrote:I'm not having any luck with that and does anyone know if they will re-release this DVD and who will get Mothra soon?
MB's Varan release? Difficult to say. Sony has the rights to Mothra and it's currently available in their Icons of Sci-Fi Collection. Mill Creek also offers it in a multi-feature.
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Hellblaze
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by Hellblaze »

Tohosaurus wrote:MB's Varan release? Difficult to say. Sony has the rights to Mothra and it's currently available in their Icons of Sci-Fi Collection. Mill Creek also offers it in a multi-feature.
Man that sucks so both don't have a dvd of their own instead in multi-packs with other monster movies and no idea when Varan will get a re-release. -_-
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Tohosaurus
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by Tohosaurus »

Hellblaze wrote:
Tohosaurus wrote:MB's Varan release? Difficult to say. Sony has the rights to Mothra and it's currently available in their Icons of Sci-Fi Collection. Mill Creek also offers it in a multi-feature.
Man that sucks so both don't have a dvd of their own instead in multi-packs with other monster movies and no idea when Varan will get a re-release. -_-
Varan did have an individual DVD release, but I don't think it's in print anymore. I do wish Mothra had its own release and with commentary.

Part of me hopes that Section23 will scoop up all Toho titles from MB and Classic Media and put them on DVD and Blu releases through Kraken Releasing.
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Godsteigman
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by Godsteigman »

Its OOP along with the box set with the Mysterians and Matango...Someone wants 250.00 for the set on ebay waaaaaugh !! :)

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Godzillian
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by Godzillian »

Godsteigman wrote:Its OOP along with the box set with the Mysterians and Matango...Someone wants 250.00 for the set on ebay waaaaaugh !! :)
Glad I snagged the box set at the NYCC in 2011 for $20 then. Only wish I could have gotten Space Amoeba and Atragon too before then went OOP and become insanely expensive.
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Crazy Jim Films
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by Crazy Jim Films »

I'm kind of kicking myself for not picking up that three-pack, last year, at a horror convention.
Check out the PG version of my short film, "Destroy All Sisters".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNVCmLaqznA&t=1s

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MandaSaurus
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by MandaSaurus »

I'm kicking myself for not picking it up at Best Buy for $30, back when it was first released...

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BabyG1975
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Re: New Varan DVD

Post by BabyG1975 »

So I see that nobody has messaged on this forum for 5 years but i have some questions....

1.) Is this release a bootleg or is it just unlicensed?
2.) Is it the same for Reel Vault's release in 2015?
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