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Post #1353875

Author
G&G-Fan
Parent topic
"This is Tokyo" Fan-Edit: Gojira (1954) and Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1956) combination (Released)
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1353875/action/topic#1353875
Date created
11-Jun-2020, 1:32 AM

This fan-edit combines the original Japanese version of the original 1954 Godzilla film and the American re-edit called “Godzilla: King of the Monsters!” It adds all of the Raymond Burr footage to the original Japanese cut, keeping both most of Steve Martin’s scenes and almost all of the scenes with the original cast, extending the run-time to a total 1 hour and 40 minutes. This way, you get the best of both worlds, with the brilliance of the original Japanese cut and the great acting and iconic lines of Raymond Burr that I have lots of nostalgia for.

This edit is available, just PM me if you would like to see it.

Source: Criterion Blu-Ray (which includes the original Japanese cut and the US re-edit, though KOTM had to be upsized a little)

JP = Original Japanese Version
US = Godzilla: King of the Monsters!

Cut list:
-(US) Opening titles from “Godzilla: King of the Monsters!”
-(US) Steve Martin narrating as he awakes in the ruins of Tokyo and is brought to the emergency hospital where he meets Emiko Yamane. Steve Martin’s flashback begins on the plane to Japan.
-(JP) Godzilla sinks the Eiko-Maru (with roar added, idea from US cut).
-(JP) Ogata cancels his date with Emiko.
-(US) Steve Martin is stopped by security at the airport.
-(US) Steve Martin meets Iwanaga.
-(JP & US) Iwanaga takes Steve to SDF Naval Office, where we intercut with the Japanese version of Ogata with the coast guard talking about the disappearance of the Eiko-Maru.
-(JP) Godzilla sinks the Bingo-Maru.
-(JP) Journalists report sinking, military official talks with families.
-(US) Steve leaves a message for his editor at newspaper office.
-(JP) Survivors of Bingo-Maru found by third ship.
-(JP) Military reports that survivors were found.
-(JP) Military learns that third ship was also sunk.
-(JP) Newspapers report that shipping is shut down.
-(JP) Survivor of third ship washes up on Odo Island.
-(JP & US) Steve, military officials, and reporter Hagiwara land on Odo Island to interview locals.
-(US) Steve and Iwanaga watch islander ceremony and learn the legend of Godzilla.
-(JP & US) Steve and Iwanaga witness Godzilla attack and destroy the village admist a storm.
-(JP & US) Odo Islanders testify before the Diet (US); Professor Yamane proposes a scientific expedition (JP with a shot of Steve added during Yamane’s speech).
-(US) Steve leaves press box, asks Yamane for permission to join expedition.
-(JP & US) Expedition leaves for Odo Island (shots of Doctor Serizawa from the original Japanese cut added to the US cut of the scene so both Steve and Serizawa are present in the scene).
-(JP & US) Emiko and Ogata’s conversation, intercut with Steve silently watching nearby with his narration describing the love triangle between Ogata, Emiko, and Serizawa.
-(JP & US) Japanese cut of the expedition surveying Odo Island, with quick shots of Steve and Iwanaga in the crowd watching intercut.
-(JP & US) Godzilla rises from behind the mountain, intercut with the shots of Steve from the US cut.
-(JP & US) Yamane’s report to the Diet, with a quick shot of Steve watching added.
-(JP) Ogata tells Emiko that Serizawa is what’s preventing him from marrying her, but Emiko assures him that she’s always thought of him as a brother rather then a lover. The scene where the newspaper reporter talks to them right after is cut though (you’ll see why later).
-(US) Steve has phone conversations with his editor and Dr. Serizawa.
-(JP & US) Steve narration added to Japanese cut of Emiko at Serizawa’s house (starting with after the reporter has left), intending to break her engagement with him, but Serizawa shows her the oxygen destroyer before she can. I was intending on keeping the whole reporter subplot in at first but it wouldn’t make sense as in his phone conversation with Steve, Serizawa says that Emiko was going to meet him that night for something important, and because the phone call between Serizawa and Steve is important, I’ve decided to have Emiko go to Serizawa’s house herself to tell him she will not marry him like the US cut.
-(JP) Emiko returns home but doesn’t tell Ogata what happened.
-(JP) Navy tries to kill Godzilla with depth charges.
-(JP) Yamane, upset at reports that the Navy has killed Godzilla, sits alone in his office.
-(US) A party boat spots Godzilla in Tokyo Bay. I used the US version because it had more sound effects.
-(JP) Godzilla attacks. At first I was intending on adding the shots of Steve here but after thinking about it I realized that he really has no reason to be in this scene.
-(US) Montage of military mobilization and residents being evacuated with Steve’s narration.
-(US) Iwanaga tells Steve the military’s plan.
-(JP) Military officials call Yamane to a meeting, but he has no idea how to kill Godzilla.
-(JP) Ogata, intending to ask Yamane for permission to marry Emiko, gets himself thrown out of the house.
-(JP & US) Godzilla’s second attack on Tokyo, intercut with Steve reporting into his tape recorder; US cut of Godzilla approaching the electric towers and Godzilla destroying the building Steve is in.
-For both Godzilla’s first and second attacks I’ve added roars to places where they were needed but weren’t placed in either cut (when he has his mouth open but there’s no roar).
-Completely cut the scene where Godzilla is driven off by jets for a few reasons. First, it helps set in stone that the military cannot stop Godzilla. It’s kind of strange that they say that they need the oxygen destroyer when they seemed to be able to drive Godzilla off with jets just fine. Are jets his kryptonite or something? Why do jets make him retreat when he had no problem with tanks? It completely undermines the need for the oxygen destroyer if they can just make him retreat with planes. Second, it keeps the ominous, chilling tone of the scene going. Why did the filmmakers think it would be a good idea to have it be dark and dour, then have a happy moment of levity, and then back to dark and dour? Third, the effects in this scene are very wonky even compared to the rest of movie. After destroying the bridge, he dives back into the ocean, leaving the people of Japan without any hope.
-(JP) Aftermath of Godzilla’s attack.
-(JP & US) Emiko tells Ogata and Steve about the oxygen destroyer; the flashback of Emiko seeing the oxygen destroyer disentegrate fish and her conversation with Serizawa about it afterwords is from the Japanese cut.
-(JP) Ogata and Emiko convince Serizawa to use the oxygen destroyer against Godzilla.
-(JP) Serizawa insists that he help Ogata use the oxygen destroyer.
-(JP & US) The death of Godzilla, with cuts to Steve from the US version multiple times to show he is on the ship.
-(JP & US) Ending; the Japanese cut of Ogata and Emiko mourning Serizawa, but with Steve’s narration and the English end credits.