Godzilla's Revenge (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Year Movie Released in Japan 1969 Year Movie Released in U.S. 1971 This disc represents a primary reason why I am buying the PC Box Set. It will be my real introduction to the soundtrack. GODZILLAS REVENGE is not one of my favorite Godzilla movies, in fact for many years I avoided it and consequently I never paid much attention to the score. The main reason Im getting the Perfect Collection series is to acquire all the non-Ifukube scores I passed on my chance to pick up (for $12.99 each) back in the 90s. This review will be mostly subjective because I dont have an earlier release or even the original Japanese version of the movie to compare with this new release. Over recent years, I have grown to like "GODZILLAS REVENGE" and its score. Accepting that composer Kunio Miyauchi is not Akira Ifukube, the mood of the music is perfectly suited to the kiddy fare of the movie. The exciting music heightens Ichiros adventure and the monster fight scenes. Even when supplanting the original scores of the footage lifted from earlier movies, the music still fits the visuals appropriately. The symphonic forms favored by Mr. Ifukube are replaced by driving rock ensemble genre music appropriate for a surf movie. I have become a fan of the Toho surf music that is featured in teen sock hop scenes in "GODZILLA VS THE SEA MONSTER" and "FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD". This disc actually reminds me more of the theme music for The Munsters. Like that 60s TV show theme, "GODZILLAS REVENGE" music sounds like it was performed by a tight, professional outfit. While this teen beat may not have been the ultimate musical challenge to the studio musicians, the playing is still bright, lively and stirring. The new release does not have much new material not on the earlier disc, other than the numbing repetition of the Monster March. I used to think the Monster March screeched by Lily Sasaki, was the worst track in all my Godzilla music compilations. However, even if I have gotten used to her odd delivery, I think eight or nine versions on one disc is excessive. The score only has a few of themes that are repeated extensively with minor variations in tempo or instrumentation. In spite of the materials limitations, the musicians professionalism produced a crisp performance that holds my attention for this discs fifty-five minute playing time. The last track does not appear on the Futureland release. Punpunpun (punpun is the Japanese onomatopoetic expression for anger or a bad smell), fits in the theme songs genre usually found on Japanese monster movie soundtrack final tracks (the best example is Godzilla March at the end of "GODZILLA VS GIGAN". Punpunpun has the feel of Sergio Leons themes for Spaghetti Westerns (or as they are known in Japan, Macaroni Westerns). Punpunpun is strikingly listenable as it is different from all the preceding tracks. Appropriate to "GODZILLAS REVENGE", Punpunpun is sung by a chorus of children.