Review: GMK Soundtrack from Perfect Box

Movie: GMK
Composer: Ko Otani
Record Label: Toho Music
Running time: 75:48Discs: 1
Released: 2010
Reviewed By: Matti K.

Review: ****/*****
The second disc in the sixth Godzilla soundtrack box contains the soundtrack of GMK, composed by Ko Otani, who previously worked with Shusuke Kaneko on the Heisei Gamera trilogy. This score is not quite as good as his work on the aforementioned trilogy, but it is really entertaining nonetheless.
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The fact that Otani utilizes a lot of synthesizer effects in his music may turn some people off. However, a lot of fans have shown appreciation for this score. Otani has created a number of memorable themes for the movie, and that does lead to some repetition, although not to an irritating amount of it. The new theme for Godzilla is really foreboding. The tracks "Main Title", "The God of Destruction Appear", and "A Desperate Crisis" are among the ones where the theme gets the most effective use. The second primary theme is the one of King Ghidorah, which is usually accompanied by an eerie male chorus, especially in "The Sleeping Three Headed Dragon". Mothra also gets her own short theme motif, which is actually a new variation of her original song, as you often hear, "Mosura ya, Mosura ya" being sung. Otani has composed a new military march too, which seems to be a tradition for him as he created a different military march for each of the Heisei Gamera movies. The final new theme is usually referred to as the track it’s used the most in: "Determined to Protect the Future". This theme is really beautiful, and the track itself is one of the highlights of the score. Other brilliant cues are "Confrontation of the Two Giant Monsters", "God of Sky: King Ghidorah" and "Godzilla’s Rage", which are among my favorites. Akira Ifukube’s classic Godzilla theme and "Great Monster War March" are used in the "End Roll".
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Now, the disc is quite a big improvement over the previous release of this soundtrack. The entire score is finally available for the first time on CD. All the cues that weren’t previously included are here. The bonus tracks are also brand new. Most of them are edits of certain cues as they’re usually heard in the final movie. The first edited version of "God of Sky" King Ghidorah" (track 46) is perhaps the most significant of these, as the middle section uses the Godzilla theme instead of the Ghidorah theme, like the original version does. Unfortunately, the quality of these tracks isn’t the best, as the volume level goes up and down constantly in most of them, when is most likely because the tracks were pulled from a 5.1 channel film source according to the booklet. The last three bonus tracks are demos from Otani. They’re all interesting to listen to. Two of them contain early versions of Otani’s themes for Godzilla and Ghidorah, and he even uses a bit of Ifukube’s Godzilla march in the third demo.
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The booklet as a pretty "frightening" picture of Godzilla’s face on the front cover, if I may say so myself, and pictures of Chiharyu Niyama, Kaho Minami, and Ai and Aki Maeda. Aside from the usual track notes and other stuff, there’s also a profile of Ko Otani and an interview with him.
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In the end, the GMK disc is one of the primary reasons to get the sixth box. It doesn’t contain the separate Ifukube tracks and the sound effects that were included on the previous CD release, those can be found on other discs. The complete score and new bonus tracks really make this one a winner.
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Further pictures of the GMK CD can be viewed by:
http://journalismg2km.blogspot.com/2010/05/gpscbs6-photos.html

MM9 (2010)

Shinji Higuchi - after a year of a hiatus (unless you count him being the executive producer and part camera man on GEHARHA) from making his Kurosawa remake THE LAST PRINCESS - is coming back to the science fiction genre in a big way with a new television series entitled MM9 (Monster Magnitude 9). This will mark the man marked "The Second Tsuburaya" and the "Heisei special effects king"’s first divulgence into television drama.

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The basis for the television series would be the MM9 stories by science fiction writer Hiroshi Yamamoto. The stories were originally published like manga in separate issues of Tokyo Sogensha’s magazine "Mysteries!", published in a circuit of 2005-2006. A year later, the stories were compiled into one complete book. The story that the book series tells is one of Ultraman-like style - kaiju are part of everyday Japanese life, usually shrugged off as a usual natural disaster. To combat the kaiju are the Science Patrol-like Kitokutai section of the Japan Meteorological Agency use their smarts to do battle with the daikaiju threat.

Clues of this television series’ production were hinted at back on April first when a picture which was said to be part of a production called XX9, which was later said to be a joke. However, it was a hint at this series. Now, the series has been officially said to be premiering on July 7, 2010 on MBS and will start releasing episodes on a weekly basis.

Writing for the show is Kazunori Ito, who at 56 is not only a veteran science fiction writer himself, but also was one of Higuchi’s colleges on the Heisei Gamera series. Doing directorial duties is Kiyotaka Taguchi, another past college of Higuchi on GEHARHA and also directed the popular independent film G. Another director will be Tomoyuki Furumaya, a 3 time award winning director who’s most current work was writing and directing the 2010 film BUSHIDO 16. Another director mentioned was Ataru Oikawa, known for works such as "Tomie" which was given a nod to in the two recent Ju-On films, showing his status in Japanese cinematic culture.

The cast will consist of 17 year old award winning actress Anna Ishibashi and 28 year old Machiko Ono, playing the characters Sakura Fujisawa (the rookie) and Mochizuki (person responsible for Sakura’s training) respectively. Also in with the cast is Issei Takahashi (KILL BILL VOL. 1, ULTRA Q: DARK FANTASY, DETROIT METAL CITY), Yasuhi Nakamura (JU-ON 2, ONE MISSED CALL), Satoru Matsuo, Sarutoki Minagawa (KAMEN RIDER 555, OTAKUS IN LOVE), Takako Kato, and Yutaka Matsushige (GODZILLA 2000: MILLENIUM, RINGU, RASEN, PRINCESS BLADE, ONE MISSED CALL, K20: FIEND WITH 20 FACES).

Seems to be a good production with some good talent. Can’t wait!

Review: Akira Ifukube Recording Archives

Title: Akira Ifukube Recording Archives
Length: 62 Minutes
Company: Toho Music
Region: 2
Release: 2010
Video: Full Screen 1.33:1
Audio: Japanese 2.0
Subtitles: None
Review:***/*****

By: G-Matt
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This is the bonus DVD that was given as a free extra with the sixth and final 50th Anniversary Godzilla Soundtrack Perfect Collection box to all the lucky ones who had bought all five boxes before. The DVD contains four features, each a different recording of Akira Ifukube’s music.
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The first feature, which runs approximately 19 minutes, is a recording of the very first performance of Ifukube’s Symphonic Fantasia, which consists of three suites made from his kaiju/tokusatsu music. The feature starts out quite interestingly. We see the late Akihito Hirata, who acts like the host of the show, reenacting some of his famous lines as Dr. Serizawa from the original GODZILLA. He even wears a lab coat and an eye patch. After taking them off, Hirata basically introduced the event. Then Tomoyuki Tanaka, who produced all the Godzilla films till GODZILLA VS. DESTROYAH, shows up and gives a speech, apparently talking about his experiences of working with Ifukube. Then Ifukube himself comes up to the stage briefly to get flowers from Tanaka. Next, Ishiro Honda, the director of many of the classic Toho kaiju and tokusatsu films, appears and gives a speech about Ifukube as well. After that we finally get the orchestra playing. Unfortunately, since the speeches already fun for over half of the feature’s runtime, we only get to hear the beginning of the first suite (Godzilla’s theme and the Faro Island prayer). Since this recording is the oldest of the bunch, dating back to 1983, the video and audio quality are, not too surprisingly, poor. The transfer looks very soft and the audio sounds quite muffled, so this recording was probably taken from an old generation VHS or something.

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The second feature is the recording of the Ostinato album, and it runs for about 25 minutes. Durring this feature we get to seer (or hear) the performances of many of the tracks from the album, including the "Main Title" from the original GODZILLA, the "Get Rodan" theme from RODAN, "Earth Defense Conference" from THE MYSTERIANS, the military march from DOGORA, the "Main Title" from LATITUDE ZERO, and the battle march from BATTLE IF OUTER SPACE. For the most if the time we are shown the studio with the conductor and the orchestra, but sometimes we get to see the recording booth where Ifukube oversees the process. Now about the condition of this feature: it’s actually the sharpest looking and sounding of the bunch, even though it’s the second oldest (1986).
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Next we have a 16-minute recording of the score of GODZILLA VS. MOTHRA (1992). During this one we see the orchestra playing the cues while the movie scenes are played on a screen for the conductor to see. A couple of the cues we get to hear weren’t actually used in the final movie, especially the organ heavy track composed for the discussion between Mothra and Battra. The movie scenes are obviously not in their final editing stage, as things like Godzilla’s heat ray haven’t been added in yet. At the end of the feature, Ifukube is shown briefly. While the audio in this feature isn’t bad, the video keeps going out of focus, becoming blurry quite often.
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Finally, we have a two and a half minute recording of the score for GODZILLA VS. DESTROYAH (1995). Unfortunately though, we only get to see one cue being performed, which is a slow tempo version of the Godzilla march. This time Ifukube is actually conducting (at least I think so). Again, the video and audio quality are a big shabby. The audio is especially is in a bad condition, as it sounds incredibly scratchy.
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All in all, while this DVD is a nice bonus to get with the sixth soundtrack box set, I’m still a bit disappointed with it. Like I said, the quality on some of the recordings is a bit lacking. But the biggest problem is the lack of footage on some occasions. It would’ve been nice to se more footage from the Symphonic Fantasia performance and the GODZILLA VS. DESTROYAH score recording. Also, I know that footage from the recording of the GODZILLA VS. MEMCHAGODZILLA (1993) does exist, because it was included as an extra on the old German DVD of the movie. So I wonder why it wasn’t included here. Apart from these issues, most fans of Godzilla and Akira Ifukube should be pleased enough with this DVD.

GINO - Box Set

Please, no hate comments.

GXMG Box Set Set Pics

YMSF Gives Us Another Blessing

Words cannot describe this...

No set release date yet...

Mothra & Godzilla: Future Destiny Book II - The Human Perspective

Above is a video showing the human side of things in KG founder Donny Winter's fan fiction epic, "Mothra and Godzilla: Future Destiny Part 2", the second installment of a trilogy. This video, containing no Toho-related material as for cause of deletion, shows a very, very emotional side of a human story in a kaiju adventure. Staring in the video is Donny Winter (doubling as director), Sahra Rau (as the girl in the sepia tone scenes), and Cyndi as the long haired girl that we see looking out the window near the end. The story of the video is all about the loss of a loved one, and with parallels (such as Donny's character and Sahra's character smelling the same flowers), it has a deeper meaning to some. Enjoy!
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Do not forget that the first installment, "Mothra and Godzilla: Future Destiny" is up and published on Kaiju Galaxy forums. Join and read the epic!

GFW OST from Box Set

Review: GAMERA - THE GIANT MONSTER

As I listen to August Ragone’s audio commentary for the DVD, I am writing this review for the first legal, legit DVD release of DAIKAIJU GAMERA in the US. I was lucky enough to have the DVD come out right when my family’s pay check arrived, therefore I was most lucky to be treated to a day of going to different stores and while almost getting the first volume of the manga AKIRA (which I should have been a bastard to get), I did go to Best Buy to get this DVD (conveniently taken out of the scifi section and put into horror). Of all the good decisions I have made, waiting to see the first Gamera film as such is one of the best.
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Watching Gamera for the first time, I got to give the film more credit than what I originally considered. The direction by Yuasa is pretty impressive. With a nice black and white format, he really brings some fresh (for the time anyway, and some more me personally) photography choices to the genre. Such as the beginning credits with close ups on Gamera and his body. These are some very good shots, and a good third of the special effects shots are pretty good, maybe enough to say that it is maybe a notch or two below Tsuburaya. The most impressive special effects sequence in the film though is Gamera’s attack at the geothermal plant and everything else leading up to our first experience seeing the process which Gamera goes through to get that flying saucer flying ability he is so well known for.
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However, something which I have to give the film credit for is that it is obvious that this film has had more of an influence in kaiju eiga other than just turning Godzilla for a time into his pop-culture securing role as a hero. DAIKAIJU GAMERA seems to share many parallels with Godzilla’s 1984 film, "The Return of Godzilla". Such is the coming together of the Americans and Soviets in Japan (though the two films have the endings of this triumvirate show very different outcomes - with GAMERA showing Russia and America successfully come together to defeat a common menace while the 1984 Godzilla film shows the two super powers unwilling to work together due to nuclear weapons use disagreements and the Soviet’s mess up with the nuclear weapon which they had prepared before the popular cabinet meeting scene in the 1984 film, as if they were assuming the Japanese would accept the weapon). Also, it is interesting that both films end or almost end with the monster’s being (temporarily) rid of on/in Oshima Island with both films exhibiting a volcanic explosion. More parallels are apparent (such as parallels with "GAMERA: THE BRAVE", but I will go into them later in time.
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The DVD itself is quite a piece of work. Starting with the cover, it is pretty good looking, maybe better looking than the digital image which I have seen on the forums. When opening up the DVD case, it gave me a feeling of no longer disliking translucent DVD cases, with the anatomical pic of Gamera being something as interesting as the booklet given. The booklet, containing an essay also present on the Toshiba/Daiei Video DVD release of the film in 2002, gives in Yuasa’s own words some of his thoughts regarding Gamera. They are good notes, and while I would like to go into detail in one of the things mentioned, I am going to restrain. It is a good booklet and has a smaller, more tangible version of the anatomical pic of Gamera. And we also have a credits list, and it is nice to see Brett mentioned (who is also working on a DVD release of DESTROY ALL PLANETS, the AIP version of GAMERA VS. VIRAS).
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An image of the "GAMERA PRESERVATION LD BOX SET".

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The DVD, once popped in is pretty good. Watching the special features first, the documentary, which is from the rare GAMERA PRESERVATION LASERDISC BOX SET from 1991, is some what of an interesting choice for the sole video special feature. It is a good feature to have, since it clearly makes notice of the other Showa Gamera films (to remind non fans who may buy this disc) and has a lot of good making of anecdotes from a lot of people involved with the production. The best thing about this thirty minute documentary is the "GAMERA VS. GARASHARP" feature, something which I have sparingly watched from SHRINE OF GAMERA and Youtube, is now on DVD in a great looking form which really gets your imagination going (got mine going anyway). I do not know how many special features are on the PRESERVATION yet, but if there is more I hope that they will be spread out through the release. Note, this special feature is not anamorphic, therefore some may want to adjust your TV with the aspect button on your remote to watch it in it’s original format.
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The picture galleries are pretty good, with the press book and international sales brochures getting their own galleries with film stills and some making of stills. All of these are good, and gives a nice behind the scenes look with the film. Same thing happens when you listen to August Ragone’s audio commentary. It's a very informative audio commentary. And August does have some fun with the commentary it seems, such as what he says when the assumed Commie plane crashes, thus releasing Gamera or the mentioning of a Col. Sanders beard, making August claim he is hungry for chicken. While it may stick out at first, these comments keep the audio commentary fun. A big part of the commentary though is the continuous mini-biographies and resumes for the numerous cast and crew of the film. Not a negative, but I can see some of the more casual viewers thinking "Wow… that’s a lot". But defiantly cool, showing August’s amount of research (August went on to tell me that there was one main helper, "there weren't five people assisting me with translation/research for the commentary script, there was only one: Jason Varney. He and I split the work to reduce production time. The other people, whom I listed in the booklet, contributed to other aspects of this release (some of it major, some of it, minor), including locating materials and information.").
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In the end, DAIKAIJU GAMERA is a DVD which deserves to be recognized. It towers over the Sony DVDs and is in the league of the Classic Media and Media Blasters DVDs (more on the side of Media Blasters). This DVD though represents many things. First, it carries on the tradition it seems that all legal Gamera DVD releases usually get better releases the first time around compared to the Godzilla films. Second, it marks the DVD release of probably the last major kaiju eiga benchmark. Last, it finaly gives August the DVD he deserves. While working on some of the more Henshin-oriented tokusatsu DVD releases, August has been awaited by fans to do a commentary for the Classic Media DVDs - with did not come to pass - and to have a part with the ICONS OF SCI-FI set (none of the affairs I will go into on this review). August seems to have outdone himself with the "Friend of Children" (though he will always be for me the "Guardian of the Universe" personally) and I hope that the future releases will be just as good, if not, better.
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Overall:
9/10

"Monster's Territory"

Now, for all interested, is a link which has scans of the unedited and untranslated version of a popular original Godzilla manga, "Monster's Territory".

http://gaou1954.hp.infoseek.co.jp/1/1.html