Another Great, Scarce, Out of Print Original Japanese Laserdisc!

The ULTIMATE Godzilla Laserdisc Box Set!

GODZILLA
The DEATH BATTLE CHRONICLE

Deluxe Japanese Import Box Set

8 Classic Films:

King Kong vs. Godzilla

Godzilla vs. Mothra

Monster of Monsters, Ghidora

Invasion of the Astro-Monster

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep

Destroy All Monsters

Son of Godzilla

Mothra

CLV/CAV Laserdisc Box Set
**With Supplements**
(Catalog # TLL 2190)

Music by Akira Ifukube
Masaru Satoh
& Others

Original Japanese Issue!
Excellent Condition.
Has Original Booklet and OBI

Godzilla: The Death Battle Chronicle

Imagine KING KONG VS. GODZILLA, GODZILLA VS. THE THING, GHIDRAH THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER, GODZILLA VS. MONSTER ZERO, GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER, DESTROY ALL MONSTERS, SON OF GODZILLA and MOTHRA packaged together in one handsome, hefty, hard-boxed, laserdisc compendium! No imagining required: it exists! This oversized mega-box of eight letterboxed kayu eiga classics (which retailed in US import shops back in the early 90's for the extravagant sum of $600) has been known to exert an effect on laserdisc collectors even those collectors not usually susceptible to Toho productions not unlike love at first sight.

In 1971, director Ishiro Honda reedited most of his classic monster films to shoehorn them into a series of marathon matinees meant to stimulate interest in Toho's newer productions. Therefore, while these versions are condensed, they have not been senselessly butchered by an anonymous hack, nor are they without their own historic importance. To sweeten the deal, these discs are unique in that they isolate the music of Akira Ifukube (and other composers) on the second digital and analog tracks. In the cases of Mosura and Kingukongu tai Gojira, this prevents the set from presenting these films in their original true stereo sound mixes, but it is possible that the actual Champion reissues were also cut back to mono.

The heavy gray box, emblazoned with a black impression of Godzilla in profile (circa Gojira tai Mosura) and the English title for each film stamped in gold, safeguards a 24-page full-color brochure and eight individually sleeved platters. The sleeves are handsome in themselves, with the fronts devoted to reproductions of the original Japanese poster art for each film, and the back displaying a variety of color stills and "Chapter/Theme" indexes. The brochure is magnificently illustrated with reissue posters, promotional tie-in artifacts and color photos, and includes such features as a history of the "Champion Matsuri" films by producer Tomoyuki Tanaka, a pictorial directory of Toho actors and actresses (with special emphasis granted to Akihiko Hirata and Kumi Mizuno), and interviews with actors Kenji Sahara (who starred in RODAN and a dozen other Toho monster epics) and Yoshio Tsuchiya (another Toho fixture, best known for his title role in THE HUMA14 VAPOR), both of whom were featured in Toho's 1992 Gojira tai Kingughidorah. While the titles of some of these features are translated into English, the text is presented only in Japanese.

Toho has updated the spirit of the original Champion Matsuri releases by programming a lengthy, surprise supplement, promoting their new series of Godzilla "super battles" on tape and disc. This section begins with a teaser trailer for the projected Gojira 1983, composed of clips from the Toho classics of Honda and special effects wizard Eiji Tsubaraya. The film that came to be Godzilla and son Minira as seen in DESTROY ALL MONSTERS. Gojira 1984-is represented by teaser and theatrical trailers, as well as a behind the scenes look at Nobiyuki Yasumaru's sculpting and manufacture of that film's updated Godzilla (both animatronic and suit versions). Teaser, theatrical trailer and behind the scenes material are also offered for Gojira Lai BioUante (1989), followed by a teaser and theatrical trailers for Gojira Lai Kingughidorah (1992, the latter monster depicted in the former trailer by old clips of Tsubaraya's original creation). Gojira Lai Mosura (1993), the most recent release at the time of this package's appearance, is illustrated with a teaser and pre-release trailer, both of which depict Koichi Kawakita's new Godzilla bellowing at clips of Tsubaraya's Mothra from the 1963 film of the same name. The box set concludes with several "Godzilla Fantasia" pieces (music videos of Toho montages set to Ifukube recordings), which throw the unusual curve of being illustrated with outtakes from the classic Toho films.

While outside the financial means of most sane collectors, GODZILLA: THE DEATH BATTLE CHRONICLE is an undeniably intoxicating package. It has been named as home video's ultimate extravagance by CNN's Dennis Michael, and in his maiden "Sci Fi/Fantasy" column for TV GUIDE, Glenn Kenny cited his own splurging on this outrageous item as a credential for deserving that prestigious post. It is a thing of beauty to be sure!

This is an ORIGINAL Japanese issue, high quality laserdisc box set which has been long out of print and is NOT available on DVD. Retail was 49,400 Yen (Approx. $425. at today's conversion rates.)

$375.00