At this time, Toho refuses to spend the money on restoration -- about nine years ago, when Criterion released their DVD of Akira Kurosawa's SEVEN SAMURAI (Shinichi'nin-no Samurai), Criterion did an extensive restoration (with the technology at the time), including a scene comparison. It was the inclusion of this comparison that enraged Toho, who felt that this implied that people outside their company knew better, and ordered that all of the DVDs be pulled. Criterion reissued the disc, sans the comparison, and also with the non-restored version of the film. The original issue of the disc has been worth top dollar, until recently.

Attitudes and times have changed, and Criterion have just issued an all-new double-disc special edition of SEVEN SAMURAI, which is apparently restored (both this film and GODZILLA suffered from the same editing room damage) -- I have yet to receive my copy to check it out. Perhaps, one day, someone will convince Toho that it's the right thing to do (some of the edit splices need to be corrected as well). If these things distract viewers today, it might be wise to have the film completely repaired in the future -- I am sure that if Honda and Tsuburaya (et. al.) could have done this in 1954, they would have.
August Ragone
kaijupro@yahoo.com