Now that my oldest son is getting more cognizant of what it is I do when I travel for business, there are some awkward conversations about why he can’t just drop everything and come with me to do something that sounds like fun.
For example, he is currently exasperated with me because he isn’t going to be allowed to join me in Austin, TX, for this year’s SXSW Film Festival, where Rialto Pictures and Warner/Legendary are going to be presenting a special screening of the original 1954 Ishiro Honda film “Gojira,” with director Gareth Edwards appearing afterwards for a Q&A that should also address this summer’s remake of the film.
That’s not actually technically accurate, though. I wouldn’t call the new film a remake because, aside from the presence of the giant monster who breathes atomic fire, the two films really don’t have much in common in terms of story. The new film tells its own story, and there’s a lot more going on here than just one giant monster destroying things.
The 1954 film was, of course, substantially altered when it was first released in America, and while we’ve had restorations of the original Japanese cut before, Rialto seems very excited about the notion of a theatrical release. They’ve just released a brand-new poster and trailer for the release, and we’re happy to be able to share them with you.
The trailer, which is embedded above, makes strong use of the Akira Ifukube score and one of the most iconic monster sounds of all time, and there’s no actual footage. That’s an interesting choice, one that trades on just how well-known those elements are.
While my kids won’t be able to join me for the special SXSW presentation, which I’m excited to see, I’ll make sure that they get a chance to see it theatrically if they want to in LA. The original one-sheet for the classic film is the only movie poster they have hanging in their bedroom, and Godzilla is such a big part of their fantasy lives. It’s a great year to be a fan of Toho’s biggest icon, and I look forward to this as well as the new movie.
You can see the release dates and theaters for the 1954 “Godzilla” here.
The new “Godzilla” arrives in theaters May 16, 2014.