News Article:

Godzilla vs. Biollante on DVD and Blu-Ray in the US

Date: 09/28/2012 (Updated: 10/23/2012) Author: Anthony Romero Source: Echo Bridge

Working with Miramax, Echo Bridge is bringing Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989) to DVD and Blu-Ray for the first time in the US.



The titles will be releasing simultaneously on December 4th, 2012. The DVD will retail for $6.99, while the Blu-Ray edition will retail for $14.99. The DVD is already available for pre-order, as is the Blu-Ray edition. The company is pushing not only for an online release, but also retail outlets such as Best Buy.



The title will present the movie in its original, widescreen aspect ratio. The source is stated to be the one used to create the earlier Japanese Blu-Ray edition of Godzilla vs. Biollante, which will be mastered to create the DVD source as well. Two Japanese language tracks, one 2.0 stereo and another a remix 5.1 surround, will likely be included on the release. English subtitles, freshly commissioned, will be provided. In addition, the English dub track many are familiar with from the earlier Miramax/HBO release will also make an appearance.



Extras for the title are currently under wraps. It's known that an audio commentary will be done by Ed Godziszewski, mastermind behind Japanese Giants for several decades and did earlier commentaries for Mothra (1961) and Battle in Outer Space (1959). The other two features are around 45 minutes in length for one and the other less than 10 minutes, although are being kept a secret. The first feature is likely the very extensive, standard definition "Making of" feature found on earlier DVD and Blu-Ray releases, which should contain some of the famous deleted scenes from the movie and runs 48 minutes long.



The Blu-Ray will be released on a BD50: a dual layer, 50GB disc. While Echo Bridge has been known for quick releases in the past, Godzilla vs. Biollante is turning out to be an exception with amble time being spent on the creation of both discs.



The DVD will be region 1 (US and Canada), while the Blu-Ray will be Region A (the Americas and Southeast Asia). It will be sold in the North American market.

Update: The specs for the upcoming Godzilla vs. Biollante release have been unveiled for the Blu-Ray edition, pictured on the left. These are expected to be fairly similar to the DVD release, shown above:



- Widescreen 16X9 1:85 (1080p)

- 5.1 DTS Original Japanese Language

- 2.0 DTS Japanese Language

- 1.0 Dolby Digital English Language

- Making of Godzilla vs. Biollante (Standard Definition - English Subtitled)

- Behind the Design

- English translation of on screen text

- English subtitles translated from original Japanese dialogue

- English SDH subtitled to match the English audio track



The "Making of" estimated in the original post is indeed included, which features the deleted scenes from the movie. The "Behind the Design" is the other mentioned feature. Important to note is the lack of an audio commentary, which was previously mentioned. Apparently, this is because Echo Bridge was note able to get Miramax/Toho's approval before they had to start manufacturing.



If the commentary is approved, Echo Bridge is planning a future printing that will include the feature and looking to change the cover a little to help note for buyers so they know if they are getting the version with or without the commentary.

For additional material, below is the unused cover, which contains a smaller Biollante on the cover and reused the title appearance from the VHS release. Also included is a shot of the main menu and also the subtitle menu, which was taken from the extensive thread found on the Toho Kingdom forums about the release and is also where a lot of this information came from as well.





