Godzilla

One of the neat aspects of the new Godzilla "Perfect Collection" boxed sets is their exclusive bonus discs - faithful CD replicas of classic Godzilla-related LPs from the past. The bonus disc in the first G-Box, simply titled GODZILLA, is a collection of musical highlights from the "Showa" series of G-films (1954-1975) . The original LP was first released in 1978 on the Toho Records label (catalog number AX-8100), and later reissued on Star Child (K22G-7222), a division of King Records. In 1989, just in time for Godzillas 35th Anniversary, Star Child gave the album its first CD release (230A-7021), adding 6 bonus suites that were most likely taken from other LPs. This version of the disc was also reissued for Godzillas 40th Anniversary in 1993 (KICA-2211). The packaging of both CDs duplicated the original LP artwork, and even included a miniature fold-out version of the black & white insert that came with the LP. The latest CD edition of this classic album is an even more accurate reproduction of the original vinyl release. Not only does it come with the folded insert, it also faithfully duplicates the original silver-and-red obi strip - complete with the LP catalog number, Y2,200 price and a list of other vintage LPs on the back - plus, the CD itself duplicates the LPs green label, which features a cartoon drawing of the Big G. Unfortunately, this accuracy is reflected in the track listing as well, as the bonus suites from the earlier CD editions have been dropped. However, there is one new bonus track - the film version of the scene from "Godzilla" where the monster attacks the radio tower and its doomed occupant. Musically speaking, the album is a fun, listenable collection of choice tracks, punctuated with key sound effects and dialogue. Unfortunately, the sound quality leaves something to be desired. Even the original vinyl LP had muddy sound, in addition to a few slightly off-pitch cues and occasional dropouts. The previous CD versions were just as bad (if not worse), and the new edition shows only minimal improvement - its a bit louder, and maybe slightly cleaner, but the "wow and flutter" is still evident. Still, it was most likely Tohos intention to preserve the album as it was originally heard, and it is certainly an entertaining and visually appealing artifact from the 70s. Audio-conscious G-fans can always dip into the remastered soundtracks for cleaner versions of these cues. Additional notes from Larry & Sam Previous versions of this album are listed as "Godzilla Sampler" on this site. At this point we have to question that title because every listing that weve seen of the LP or CD show it simply as "Godzilla". There were also two other LPs from the same series titled "Godzilla 2" and "Godzilla 3" (these will also be the bonus discs in the next two boxed sets). Somewhere along the way the first time this showed up on the site it was referred to as "Godzilla Sampler" but we can no longer find that reference.