Criterion's newly-released Blu-ray edition of Godzilla (1954) and Godzilla King of the Monsters! (1956) is definitely a must-have item. No other previously-released DVD or Blu-ray of these movies can even compare to this one.
I can categorically say that these movies never looked so good!
If you are expecting no scratches or other flaws in either movie, you will likely be disappointed. There are some scratches evident in both films. However, the images of both movies on this disc have never been as sharp or vibrant, or as clean (Criterion cleaned up both versions). My roomie (no kaiju fan by any stretch of the imagination) was very impressed. She was most impressed by the water images.
If I were to gripe about the Japanese version, it would be over the white subtitles. Criterion should have used yellow or some other colored font for easier reading. But that's just a pet peeve of mine.
The "long-lost" TransWorld Releasing Corp. logo card has been restored to Godzilla, King of the Monsters! at the start of the movie, following the Toho logo card (inserted in at Toho Co. Ltd.'s insistance). Also, the ending credits and Jewell Enterprises card have also been restored to the movie.
Both movies had their monaural soundtracks digitally restored. They've never sounded better!
My grade: A+.
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