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Thanks for the info Keith! You seem to have the inside scoop.


You're welcome, Sam. I have friends at Toho and I've spoken with people at Classic Media about their plans. I'm also lucky enough to know several people who are usually "in the know" about this genre. Check out the contributors' list fot SciFi Japan for examples:
www.scifijapan.com/articl...tributors/

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I'd personally love it if they put out GODZILLA vs THE THING in that version widescreen enhanced (nostalgia, you know),


I right there with you. The Simitar discs weren't the best in terms of quality but I loved that they used original US version of the film like GODZILLA VS THE THING and MONSTER ZERO instead of the later retitlings.

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but I suppose when they do it will be retitled GODZILLA vs MOTHRA and both may be re-dubbed, like some of the other recent Tokyo Shock releases?


I wouldn't expact any of the upcoming Classic Media DVDs to be redubbed. Classic Media bought UPA's library so they have all the original US materials (the same materials UPA license to Simitar 7-8 years back) and won't need to redub the films.
My guess is their GODZILLA VS MOTHRA DVD will be like Simitar's was; the packaging would give the new title while the original US title is on the print.

There are different dubs on the Media Blasters/Tokyo Shock DVDs (and some of the Sony Toho discs) for a few big reasons. In 1962 Toho began dubbing some of their movies into English to expedite foreign sales. The dubbing was originally done at recording studios in Tokyo, but since the 1970s they've been primarily made in Hong Kong. These are generally referred to as the "Toho international dubs".

Most of the international dubs were not performed by actors, but by English speaking foreigners (lawyers, military, teachers, etc) living in Japan/HK, so the dubs are often rather weak. Because of this, the American distributors would often redub the films into English a second time usuing professional voice actors. Films like AIP's versions of ATRAGON, GODZILLA VS THE THING, and GODZILLA VS THE SMOG MONSTER were dubbed at Titra Sound in NY, UPA dubbed MONSTER ZERO and WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS at Glen Glenn Studios, Ryder Sound did the dubs for KING KONG VS GODZILLA and GODZILLA 1985, and so on.

In most cases Toho does not have the materials for the US dubs. One big problem is that many of the companies that original released the Toho films in America are long gone, so that means all the original materials for the dubs they created no longer exist. So when a company like Media Blasters or Sony decides to buy US rights to release ATRAGON or SPACE AMOEBA or GODZILLA VS HEDORAH, Toho provides what they have; the original international dubs. That's why we're getting "new" dubs of these films on DVD, even though the dubs are actually decades old.

Keith