cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/22159855

The monstrous Godzilla is colossal in more ways than one, dominating screens since 1954. One of the most recognizable reptilian figures in cultural history, fans lap up the spectacle of this kaiju (a Japanese term for large monster) towering over urban landscapes and battling with other untamed beasts. In 1989, one of the weirdest movies in the genre was released, Godzilla vs. Biollante, becoming a firm franchise favorite for many fans…

Director Kazuki Ōmori delved deep into his imagination for Godzilla vs. Biollante. The film proudly displays some of the coolest special effects of the franchise, one of its strangest antagonists, and some great social commentary. It’s been a challenge for anyone to track down a watchable physical copy of the movie, and anything on streaming usually has poorly translated subtitles, but that all ends next spring. Audiences will be able to get their hands on the 4K restoration of the film (with new, properly handled subtitles and a 5.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack), so they can judge how wonderfully eccentric it is for themselves.

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Along with the restoration, The Criterion Collection release is stuffed with special features as usual:

There’s a new audio commentary featuring film historian Samm Deighan, host of the podcast Eros + Massacre and coeditor of the book Revolution in 35mm. There’s also a making-of program from 1993 featuring director Kazuki Ōmori and special-effects director Koichi Kawakita, among others. There are deleted special effects, TV spots, and a short documentary from 1993 about the Biollante and Super X2 vehicle concepts.