Comments on: Showa “Gamera” coming from Shout! Factory in 2010!

By: Kevin Pyrtle

Kevin Pyrtle — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 01:56:55 +0000

I dare say a lot of that has to do with the Japanese companies themselves, who are often very reticent about loaning out their films for foreign transfers (particularly if satisfactory masters already exist). Neptune Media didn’t do any better with Daiei in the late 90s, working from the older masters the company had produced for Laserdisc release a few years previously.

By: Doug Gorius

Doug Gorius — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 01:22:00 +0000

I sent an email to Cliff at Shout Factory suggesting they look into finding the textless opening and end titles for the Gamera films so that the US credits could be recreated, and he responded saying that Kadokawa didn’t give them any textless sequences. Grrrr. Just goes to show you that DVD companies releasing Tokusatsu will only use what the Japanese company gives them, and not even TRY to come up with anything original.

By: Andrew Simon

Andrew Simon — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:50:55 +0000

This is FANTASTIC news! Thanks for sharing it, Kevin. I’m not fairly familiar with the Sandy Frank prints, only owning the GAMERA VS. ZIGRA VHS myself, so I’m not a stickler for its presentation – after all, anything, I wager, would be better than the Alpha Video/Retromedia discs several years ago. I can’t wait to pick the DVD up (Mayish? Yippie!) Here’s hoping the other films will recieve immediate releases, as well!

By: Kevin Pyrtle

Kevin Pyrtle — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:46:37 +0000

Well, we can hope otherwise I suppose (I’ll be sure to post final supplements as soon as they’re announced either way). Having subbed Gamera officially available at less than $50 a pop for the import discs is something I look forward to all the same.

By: Ted Johnson

Ted Johnson — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:26:02 +0000

From what they told me, I doubt any of that will be bothered with. Cause I offered up the same options you just did and they dismissed it.

By: Kevin Pyrtle

Kevin Pyrtle — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:19:46 +0000

Well, with the exception of War of the Monsters, it would be pretty easy for them to sync-up the AIP dubs with their new HD masters, so hopefully that option is on the table, at least. Sad as it may seem, I’d like to have the Sandy Frank dubs represented as well. Perhaps they’ll at least include the alternate AIP opening and closing credits as an extra on the applicable discs?

By: Ted Johnson

Ted Johnson — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:39:30 +0000

I totally offered up the Daieiscope prints of the AIP versions I made and they turned them down, sighting that the print quality wouldn’t be as good as the HD masters. BFD… I guess quality is more important than having them at all. :-/