Reddit mentions of Godzilla Vs Biollante

Hi, everyone. Long-time lurker, first time poster. Thought I’d join the trend of showing off DVD/Blu-Ray collections, while also providing a buying guide and advice for UK fans (and fans generally).



First of all, due to the limited number of films released in the UK (Godzilla ’54, King Kong vs. Godzilla, Godzilla ’98 and Godzilla ’14), if you want to own all the films on physical media you will need a multi-region DVD player in order to watch them. Fortunately, you don’t necessarily need to buy a new DVD player, as there might be a way to make your current device read and play disc from any region. I recommend having a look at http://www.videohelp.com/dvdhacks to see whether the make/model of your current player has a way to convert it to multi-region playback. Please note that these are based on user reports and have not all been tested or verified by the site, so discretion is advised. From personal experience, I have altered two (maybe three) of my own DVD players for multi-region playback and all are functioning fine.



Now, here are some links and details for each of the films/boxsets in my collection:

• Godzilla ’54 – region 2 DVD – Japanese audio only - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Godzilla-DVD-Akira-Takarada/dp/B000CFX5M8/ref=sr_1_4?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1485955687&sr=1-4&keywords=godzilla
  
  
• Godzilla Raids Again – region 1 DVD – Japanese and US versions - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Godzilla-Raids-Again-Region-NTSC/dp/B000MV8AJU/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1485955727&sr=1-1&keywords=godzilla+raids+again This release is now out-of-print.
  
  
• King Kong vs. Godzilla – region 0 DVD – Japanese audio only - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/King-Kong-vs-Godzilla-Kingu-Kongu-tai-Gojira-1962-Japanese-Monster-Movie-DVD-/172235178598?hash=item281a044266:g:j80AAOSwMNxXWL0F This is a bootleg, but is currently the only way I have found to get the original Japanese version in the UK. The US version can be found here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/King-Kong-Vs-Godzilla-DVD-x/dp/B000ESST38/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1485955904&sr=1-2&keywords=king+kong+vs+godzilla A region B Blu-Ray is coming out later this month.
  
  
• Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster – region 1 DVD – Japanese and US versions - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ghidorah-Three-Headed-Monster-Region-NTSC/dp/B000OCY7IU/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1485956013&sr=1-1&keywords=ghidorah+the+three-headed+monster This release is now out-of-print.
  
  
• Godzilla: Showa Classics Volume 1 – region 4 DVDs – Japanese and English Dub (but not sure whether the US edits are present, or just international dub) - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Godzilla-Showa-Classics-Volume-1-DVD-Region-4-/152079377891?hash=item2368a325e3:g:EKEAAOSw2GlXKsup Includes the films: Godzilla ’54 (both Jap and ‘King of the Monsters’), Mothra vs. Godzilla, Invasion of the Astro Monster, Ebirah: Horror from the Deep (possible dub-titles as opposed to translated subs), Son of Godzilla, Destroy All Monsters.
  
  
• Godzilla: Showa Classics Volume 2 – region 4 DVDs – Japanese and English Dub (but not sure whether the US edits are present, or just international dub) - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Godzilla-Showa-Classics-Volume-2-DVD-Region-4-/131772716312?hash=item1eae441518:g:16EAAOSwWBJXA9yZ Includes the films: Godzilla: All Monsters Attack (A.K.A.: Godzilla’s Revenge), Godzilla vs. Hedorah (possible dub-titles as opposed to translated subs), Godzilla vs. Gigan (possible dub-titles as opposed to translated subs), Godzilla vs. Megalon, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1) (possible dub-titles as opposed to translated subs), Terror of Mechagodzilla.
  
  
• The Return of Godzilla – region 3 DVD – Japanese audio only - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Return-of-Godzilla-DVD-Japanese-NEW-English-Subtites-Region-3-Sci-fi-/371213182923?hash=item566e07a7cb:g:3W4AAOSw7NNT8jhd I should note that I do not recommend this release. It is in letterbox 4:3, the interlacing is very bad, picture a bit dim and unfocused and the English subs share the screen with simplified Chinese (and aren’t 100% accurate). Your best bet would be the recent Kraken release on Blu-Ray: https://www.amazon.co.uk/RETURN-OF-GODZILLA/dp/B01FZ8I7R4/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1485956663&sr=1-2&keywords=return+of+godzilla Features Japanese and English audio (international dub), presumably a much better images quality, and according to Blu-Ray.com it’s region free (http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Return-of-Godzilla-Blu-ray/156546/). Kraken also released the movie on region 1 DVD.
  
  
• Godzilla vs. Biolante – region 1 DVD – Japanese and English audio - https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/DVD-Blu-ray/Godzilla-Vs-Biollante-DVD-Region-US-NTSC/B00LVZJZ54/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1485956902&sr=1-1&keywords=godzilla+vs+biollante The price of this seems to be going up recently, so might be out-of-print. Also, my DVD copy is actually region free.
  
  
• Godzilla: Heisei Series Boxset – region 4 DVDs – Japanese and English Dub - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Godzilla-Heisei-Series-DVD-Region-4-/141950367571?hash=item210ce6b753:g:VUUAAOSwSX9XA9yd Includes the films: Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, Godzilla vs. Mothra: Battle for Earth, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (2), Godzilla vs. Spacegodzilla (possible dub-titles as opposed to translated subs), Godzilla vs. Destoroyah.
  
  
• Godzilla ’98 – region 2 DVD – English (amongst others) - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Godzilla-DVD-Matthew-Broderick/dp/B0002K118I/ref=sr_1_6?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1485957393&sr=1-6&keywords=godzilla+1998
  
  
• Godzilla: Millennium Series Boxset – region 4 DVDs – Japanese and English Dub - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GODZILLA-THE-MILLENNIUM-SERIES-6-disc-Set-DVD-REGION-4-Sealed-/162215551486?hash=item25c4cce1fe:g:ndMAAOSwv9hW6W~A Includes the films: Godzilla 2000 (only the US version), Godzilla vs. Megaguirus, Godzilla-Mothra-King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (3) (A.K.A.: Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla), Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S., Godzilla: Final Wars.
  
  
• Godzilla ’14 – region B Blu-Ray – English - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Godzilla-Blu-ray-Region-Aaron-Taylor-Johnson-x/dp/B00EXPOD9M/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1485957670&sr=1-2&keywords=godzilla+2014 Also available on DVD.
  
  BONUS
  
• Gamera Trilogy – region A Blu-Ray – Japanese and English audio - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gamera-Trilogy-Blu-Region-Free/dp/B005X9BPZM/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1485957807&sr=1-2&keywords=gamera+trilogy This Blu-Ray set is actually region free (http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Gamera-Trilogy-Blu-ray/27237/). Also, I recommend looking around at prices, you can pick this set up for less than half the price of this listing. In fact, importing the set from amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/Gamera-Trilogy-Blu-ray/dp/B005ENCIWG?SubscriptionId=AKIAIY4YSQJMFDJATNBA&tag=bluray-022-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B005ENCIWG&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER) is currently £13.36 incl. postage. This is what I did and I can confirm the set is region free.
  
  
  
  I hope you found this helpful. If you have any further questions, please let me know.
  

If you want the best picture quality, absolutely go for Blu-ray. If DVD is good enough for you, then by all means go for it -- it's generally cheaper anyway. Some films are available in multi-format combo packs; if you're fine with DVD for now but might switch to Blu later, then it might make sense to grab those.

The rights are definitely all over the place. Here's a handy breakdown of who owns what. Those Blu-ray double features (plus Godzilla 2000) cover the Toho-produced films from the '90s and '00s.

Criterion has released an excellent DVD and Blu-ray of the original Godzilla from 1954, which is an absolute must. Other than that, as far as we know, they currently own and are apparently working on discs of the rest of the Showa Godzilla series except for King Kong vs. Godzilla, Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster, Godzilla vs. Hedorah, and Godzilla vs. Gigan. (They also own Rodan and War of the Gargantuas; no word on whether those specifically will be released on disc.) We don't yet have release dates or official announcements for any of these films, and I personally wouldn't expect to hear anything before February, which is when their May 2019 releases will be announced.

If you just want to see as many of the films as possible and worry about the best available release of a given film later, here's a shopping list:

• Classic Media's Godzilla Collection box set. A good chunk of the Showa series in Japanese with subs and dubbed. OOP, but can probably be found cheaper than all the individual releases.
  
• Both volumes of Sony's Toho Godzilla Collection. Covers the '90s-'00s Japanese films, plus Rebirth of Mothra I and II. Note that these are reissues of older discs, so some are dub-only and/or pan and scan.
  
• Godzilla Stomp Box, containing Godzilla vs. Megalon and Destroy All Monsters.
  
• King Kong vs. Godzilla, Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster, Godzilla vs. Hedorah, Godzilla vs. Gigan, The Return of Godzilla, Godzilla vs. Biollante (OOP), the 1998 and 2014 American films, and Shin Godzilla are all available in standalone releases.
  
• The anime films are on Netflix. No word on whether these will get physical releases.
  
  Of course, aside from physical media, there are always streaming options of varying legality as well as bootleg discs, but I doubt the mods would take too kindly to my posting specifics about those here.
  
  Hope this helps!