The Godzilla Showa-Era Criterion Collection is a 15-movie monster mash

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

This October, Criterion is rolling out the red carpet for the King of the Monsters, Godzilla. As a way of marking the film company's spine number 1000, Criterion has announced GODZILLA: THE SHOWA-ERA FILMS Blu-ray set! This premiere edition calls for 15 films belonging to the King's Showa-Era offerings to assemble under one collection for the first time ever! That's fifteen films worth of kaiju battles, screaming pedestrians, and wondrous wirework, each presented in high-definition digital transfers. Moreover, the set also comes packed with a massive amount of bonus material, including a kaiju-sized hardcover book with details related to each film and new illustrations from sixteen different artists. There's also a batch of new archival interviews with members of both the cast and crew, plus a wealth of other features!

In 1954, an enormous beast clawed its way out of the sea, destroying everything in its path—and changing movies forever. The arresting original Godzilla soon gave rise to an entire monster-movie genre (kaiju eiga), but the King of the Monsters continued to reign supreme: in fourteen fiercely entertaining sequels over the next two decades, Godzilla defended its throne against a host of other formidable creatures, transforming from a terrifying symbol of nuclear annihilation into a benevolent (if still belligerent) Earth protector. Collected here for the first time are all fifteen Godzilla films of Japan’s Showa era, in a landmark set showcasing the technical wizardry, fantastical storytelling, and indomitable international appeal that established the most iconic giant monster the cinema has ever seen. (via Criterion)

The set retails for $179.96 USD courtesy of Criterion.

Behold!

EIGHT-BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION COLLECTOR’S SET FEATURES:

• High-definition digital transfers of all fifteen Godzilla films made between 1954 and 1975, released together for the first time, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks
• High-definition digital transfer of Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1956), the U.S.-release version of Godzilla
• Japanese-release version of King Kong vs. Godzilla from 1962
• Audio commentaries from 2011 on Godzilla and Godzilla, King of the Monsters featuring film historian David Kalat
• International English-language dub tracks for Invasion of Astro-Monster, Son of Godzilla, Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla vs. Megalon, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, and Terror of Mechagodzilla
• Directors Guild of Japan interview with director Ishiro Honda, conducted by director Yoshimitsu Banno in 1990
• Programs detailing the creation of Godzilla’s special effects and unused effects sequences from Toho releases including Destroy All Monsters
• New interview with filmmaker Alex Cox about his admiration for the Showa-era Godzilla films
• New and archival interviews with cast and crew members, including actors Bin Furuya, Tsugutoshi Komada, Haruo Nakajima, and Akira Takarada; composer Akira Ifukube; and effects technicians Yoshio Irie and Eizo Kaimai
• Interview with critic Tadao Sato from 2011
• Illustrated audio essay from 2011 about the real-life tragedy that inspired Godzilla
• New English subtitle translations
• Trailers
• PLUS: A lavishly illustrated deluxe hardcover book featuring an essay by cinema historian Steve Ryfle, notes on the films by cinema historian Ed Godziszewski, and new illustrations by Arthur Adams, Sophie Campbell, Becky Cloonan, Jorge Coelho, Geof Darrow, Simon Gane, Robert Goodin, Benjamin Marra, Monarobot, Takashi Okazaki, Angela Rizza, Yuko Shimizu, Bill Sienkiewicz, Katsuya Terada, Ronald Wimberly, and Chris Wisnia

Here's a list of the films you can expect to find as a part of this massive set:

Godzilla
1954 • 96 minutes • Black & White • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 1.37:1 aspect ratio

Godzilla Raids Again
1955 • 81 minutes • Black & White • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 1.37:1 aspect ratio

King Kong vs. Godzilla
U.S.-RELEASE VERSION
1963 • 91 minutes • Color • Monaural • 2.35:1 aspect ratio

Mothra vs. Godzilla
1964 • 89 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
1964 • 93 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio

Invasion of Astro-Monster
1965 • 94 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
1966 • 86 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio

Son of Godzilla
1967 • 85 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio

Destroy All Monsters
1968 • 89 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio

All Monsters Attack
1969 • 69 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio

Godzilla vs. Hedorah
1971 • 85 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio

Godzilla vs. Gigan
1972 • 89 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio

Godzilla vs. Megalon
1973 • 81 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
1974 • 84 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio

Terror of Mechagodzilla
1975 • 83 minutes • Color • Monaural • In Japanese with English subtitles • 2.35:1 aspect ratio