Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

For the discussion of Toho DVDs, Blu-Rays, CDs, streaming services, VHS, and other formats where Toho films and soundtracks can be found.
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realinvaderdesign
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Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by realinvaderdesign »

Seeming that there is alot of division on the recent showa box set coming out, Id be interested to know who you'd think should distribute future toho releases in the west? whether it be from the showa to the present (though in the case of rodan and war of the gargantuas thats probably in criterions hands)

Mill creek could be a good option, i thought their mothra release was decent, and the upcoming ultra sets look promising.

Arrow video aswell perhaps seeming they apparently have gamera on apple tv

theres also 88 films which focuses more on cult/exploitation films

what do you guys think?
Last edited by realinvaderdesign on Tue Oct 08, 2019 2:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Terasawa
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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by Terasawa »

Honestly, at this point I think it’s irrelevant. The problem is with Toho and how they want their films seen: Toho’s existing HD masters (only if they’re already available on video in Japan) and maybe Toho’s English versions.
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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by airforce111 »

I mean, if Criterion couldn't budge toho, I honestly can't think of anyone better than Criterion (Their job on 1954 is still amazing)

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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by Tamura »

It doesn't really matter who releases Toho media in the US. The content will be the same no matter what. Maybe the cover or menus will be different, but even those are strictly controlled by Toho. US distributors are just conduits for Toho-approved material. Absolutely all content must be pre-approved or subject to a bureaucratic approval process so cartoonishly protracted that it ultimately becomes pointless for US distributors to even go to the trouble of creating their own bonus features... this is why we'll never hear Ed's commentary for Biollante. I'm sure Toho's approval process has been responsible for delays in the past. They also want all of the US versions buried in the ground except King of the Monsters. Toho might as well open up their own video distribution company or streaming service stateside since they want to make it impossible for US distributors to do anything.
Last edited by Tamura on Tue Oct 08, 2019 5:10 pm, edited 9 times in total.
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Terasawa
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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by Terasawa »

Tamura wrote:Toho might as well open up their own video distribution company or streaming service stateside since they want to make it impossible for US distributors to do anything.
I can’t see them entering video distribution in the U.S. They have the perfect setup right now: presumably they make their money from licensing the movies and they don’t have to worry about manufacturing or selling the discs.
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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by Great Hierophant »

Fans with the skills, time, resources and contacts needed to preserve these films in the best available quality.

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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by MandaSaurus »

That's an easy question. Kraken Releasing. Their Godzilla 1984, Godzilla vs Gigan, Godzilla vs The Sea Monster DVDs are superb...

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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by realinvaderdesign »

MandaSaurus wrote:That's an easy question. Kraken Releasing. Their Godzilla 1984, Godzilla vs Gigan, Godzilla vs The Sea Monster DVDs are superb...
Id actually be surprised if they managed to get the licence again but I doubt it be the case anytime soon

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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by Terasawa »

MandaSaurus wrote:That's an easy question. Kraken Releasing. Their Godzilla 1984, Godzilla vs Gigan, Godzilla vs The Sea Monster DVDs are superb...
To each his own: I thought the G84 release was awful and the Showa releases were only good because they used the HD masters created by Sony a decade earlier.
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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by Tamura »

I want to see more increasingly one-sided licensing deals. I don't care who releases future Toho media in the US in the future since it doesn't matter, but I want each release's content or lack thereof to be an ever more obvious indication of really stupid and terrible contractual obligations. And I want it to reach such an absurd degree that more people will realize what we're missing each time Toho hamstrings an American video release.
Last edited by Tamura on Sat Oct 26, 2019 9:42 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by heiseigodzilla425 »

Terasawa wrote:
MandaSaurus wrote:That's an easy question. Kraken Releasing. Their Godzilla 1984, Godzilla vs Gigan, Godzilla vs The Sea Monster DVDs are superb...
To each his own: I thought the G84 release was awful and the Showa releases were only good because they used the HD masters created by Sony a decade earlier.
Not to mention that the packaging needlessly insults the American version just because they couldn't afford to clear the rights for it. Like, how did that conversation at Kraken go?

"Looks like we can't afford to include Godzilla 1985 in our release. How do we handle it?"

"Insult it, obviously. If we make fans feel stupid for liking it, then they won't care if its not included."

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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by Tamura »

Would've been better off not even mentioning G85. Why advertise an alternate version you are contractually obligated to not include? If I were just a random person reading the back, the first thing that would come to my mind would probably be "this sounds interesting, why didn't they include this version as an extra?" The way they disparage it is just really insincere, too, since we know they wanted to include it.

Is there solid evidence in support of the music licensing issue? Was this just speculation on Matt's part? I can't remember the exact language used in the interview. I bet it's horseshit.
Last edited by Tamura on Sat Oct 26, 2019 6:01 pm, edited 5 times in total.
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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by Terasawa »

Tamura wrote:Is there solid evidence in support of the music licensing issue? Was this just speculation on Matt's part? I can't remember the exact language used in the interview. I bet it's horseshit.
The best I can find quickly with some Google-fu:
Greenfield also stated that the Americanized version GODZILLA 1985 will, unfortunately, not be included. “That’s a big part of why it’s taken so long to announce this title. We tried, but unlike the Classic Media [Godzilla/Toho DVD] releases, where the dubs used were controlled by one company, the GODZILLA 1985 situation is a mess,” he explained.

“Between all the changes of ownership and title that have occurred after New World released their version, the fact that you’re dealing with two entirely different production teams belonging to different sets of unions, and the fact that music from another film by a different composer was reused in NW’s dub [GODZILLA 1985 used music from Christopher Young’s soundtrack for the New World Pictures movie DEF-CON 4]… there’s a point where it became clear that it just wasn’t going to happen. And it’s not just that it would cost more than the title could probably make to try and clear all the myriad of issues, but that you’d be on pins and needles waiting for someone to pop up and make a claim over something you’d missed for years afterward.”
Also this blatant lie:
“The original materials came from Toho, but we have a fantastic production team and studio that’s been going through and massaging everything. It’s a huge improvement over my old Japanese laserdisc and I think the fans will be quite happy with the picture and audio.”
Woo-hoo, their Blu-ray is a "huge improvement over" the "Japanese Laserdisc." Fucking lol. For my money this is arguably the worst Godzilla Blu-ray on the North American market.

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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by Tamura »

Yeah, that's the main appeal of Godzilla Blu-Rays for me. They're usually a step above laserdisc quality. They keep the atmosphere of the early DVD era alive. It's just so nostalgic seeing movies get SD quality upgrades in 2019. It reminds me of going to Best Buy in 1999 all over again.

I was worried the situation would be different now - you know, modern transfers of everything in at least 2K, the bare minimum a cult movie distributor like Vinegar Syndrome does for multiple 1970s pornos every month - but thankfully we're able to continue this ritual. I don't want Blu-Rays that have really nice transfers and comprehensive extras, I just want Blu-Rays that make me feel good and meet the basic expectations of a DVD.
Last edited by Tamura on Sat Oct 26, 2019 6:53 pm, edited 13 times in total.
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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by Malchik »

Like I said in the Criterion thread, due to the quality if the video of the films, some company like Mill Creek would be good for an affordable boxset.

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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by kingkevzilla88 »

Arrow Video, 88 films, Eureka, Powerhouse Indicator, Vinegar Syndrome, Severin and Second Sight.
All of them doing incredible work genre films and I would love to see what they could do with Toho's catalogue. Indicator are doing amazing Hammer Harryhausen box sets, they really go above and beyond with a lot of there stuff. Their Night Of The Demon release had four cuts(!) of the movie, so imagine what they could do with something like Frankenstein Conquers The World, or The Mysterians.

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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by realinvaderdesign »

kingkevzilla88 wrote:Arrow Video, 88 films, Eureka, Powerhouse Indicator, Vinegar Syndrome, Severin and Second Sight.
All of them doing incredible work genre films and I would love to see what they could do with Toho's catalogue. Indicator are doing amazing Hammer Harryhausen box sets, they really go above and beyond with a lot of there stuff. Their Night Of The Demon release had four cuts(!) of the movie, so imagine what they could do with something like Frankenstein Conquers The World, or The Mysterians.
If you like what 88 films does you should see their releases of inframan and mighty peking man, been tempted to check those harryhausen sets out aswell

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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by MandaSaurus »

I just want to get a copy of Son of Godzilla and Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla that doesn't cost an arm and a leg...

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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by kingkevzilla88 »

realinvaderdesign wrote:
kingkevzilla88 wrote:Arrow Video, 88 films, Eureka, Powerhouse Indicator, Vinegar Syndrome, Severin and Second Sight.
All of them doing incredible work genre films and I would love to see what they could do with Toho's catalogue. Indicator are doing amazing Hammer Harryhausen box sets, they really go above and beyond with a lot of there stuff. Their Night Of The Demon release had four cuts(!) of the movie, so imagine what they could do with something like Frankenstein Conquers The World, or The Mysterians.
If you like what 88 films does you should see their releases of inframan and mighty peking man, been tempted to check those harryhausen sets out aswell
I have the Mighty Peking Man release, it pretty good disc. Been wavering about upgrading to blu-ray for Inframan, as the DVD is really good.

If I was you I would definitely get the Harryhausen sets before they go out of print and start going for stupid money. Saying that, the Sinbad movies are getting individual re-release. So it just depends on if you want the book that comes with them.

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Re: Who would you want to distribute future toho media in the west?

Post by Terasawa »

Hate to be that guy, but Columbia allowing Indicator to include four versions of Night of the Demon shouldn’t be indicative of what they could do with any Toho property.
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