Godzilla 1985 [VHS]

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the original Godzilla film, the lizard king returned to the big screen after a decade of inactivity for this 16th Godzilla feature. Originally released in Japan in 1984 as The Return of Godzilla, this modern sequel sweeps away decades of sequels and even recaptures the awe and grandeur of the original film, while adding modern technology and increased military firepower. But let's not get too carried away: this is ultimately a classic Japanese monster movie, and the best moments are the Big G's rampages through Tokyo, knocking over buildings and crushing cars and trains underfoot. It's still a guy in a suit stomping through lovingly detailed miniatures, and by American standards it'll always have that delightfully cheesy camp element, but this painstakingly crafted affair is one of the easier such efforts to take seriously. And fear not, you can't keep Godzilla down for long: he returns in Godzilla vs. Biollante. American distributor New World Pictures dubbed and trimmed the Japanese version while adding new American scenes featuring Raymond Burr, who reprises his role as reporter Steven Martin from the original Godzilla. The videotape also features Marv Newland's goofy animated short spoof Bambi Meets Godzilla. --Sean Axmaker

Price: $11.99

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