Godzilla's Fight [Godzilla Vs. Hedorah] - Manabe, Riichiroh
Main Title [Godzilla Vs. Gigan]
Main Title (Repeat) [Godzilla Vs. Gigan]
Godzilla March [Godzilla Vs. Gigan][Version]
Main Title [From Godzilla Vs. Megalon] - Manabe, Riichiroh
Godzilla of Monser Island [From Godzilla Vs. Megalon] - Manabe, Riichiroh
Mechagodzilla FX [From Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla] - Satoh, Masaru
Godzilla Vs. Anguiras [From Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla] - Satoh, Masaru
Miyarabi's Prayer [From Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla] - Satoh, Masaru
Main Title [Terror of Mechagodzilla]
Mechagodzilla II [Terror of Mechagodzilla]
Godzilla's Entrance [Terror of Mechagodzilla]
Ending [Terror of Mechagodzilla]
Theme from Godzilla -
Despite the best--no, make that worst--efforts of a Hollywood studio to destroy his legacy in the '90s, Godzilla lives! Okay, we know, the original Gojira is still just an underpaid and overworked stuntman in a clumsy rubb... more »er suit, but that just makes the Big Guy's half-century legacy all the more remarkable. Perhaps the most underrated element of Kaiju Eiga (the Japanese term for the prolific, internationally successful monster genre spawned by the World's Biggest Radioactively Mutated Reptile with an Attitude) is its earnest, nightmarish music. The Toho Studios series' cheese-factor may have waxed and waned (mostly the former) in ensuing years, but its music maintained a remarkably even keel. The dark, often minimalist efforts of original composer Akira Ifukube set the tone, coloring much of the toy-city stomping with ominous, nerve-wracking cues. But as the genre entered the swinging '60s, a deliciously skewed pop sensibility began to take hold, as Tokyo now saw its property insurance rates skyrocket to a soundtrack increasingly informed by warbling chanteuses and twangy guitars. GNP-Crescendo offers up a generous and sampling of the first 20 years of Kaiju Eiga music here, complete with annotation and lavish color artwork that would put many major-label anthologies to shame. --Jerry McCulley« less
Despite the best--no, make that worst--efforts of a Hollywood studio to destroy his legacy in the '90s, Godzilla lives! Okay, we know, the original Gojira is still just an underpaid and overworked stuntman in a clumsy rubber suit, but that just makes the Big Guy's half-century legacy all the more remarkable. Perhaps the most underrated element of Kaiju Eiga (the Japanese term for the prolific, internationally successful monster genre spawned by the World's Biggest Radioactively Mutated Reptile with an Attitude) is its earnest, nightmarish music. The Toho Studios series' cheese-factor may have waxed and waned (mostly the former) in ensuing years, but its music maintained a remarkably even keel. The dark, often minimalist efforts of original composer Akira Ifukube set the tone, coloring much of the toy-city stomping with ominous, nerve-wracking cues. But as the genre entered the swinging '60s, a deliciously skewed pop sensibility began to take hold, as Tokyo now saw its property insurance rates skyrocket to a soundtrack increasingly informed by warbling chanteuses and twangy guitars. GNP-Crescendo offers up a generous and sampling of the first 20 years of Kaiju Eiga music here, complete with annotation and lavish color artwork that would put many major-label anthologies to shame. --Jerry McCulley
"This CD brings me back to my childhood where I grew up watching Godzilla movies. This collection is better than the 84-95 collection, although that collection is great too. When I listen to this album, I feel like I'm that little kid in the Gamera or Godzilla movies. Brings a tear to my eye!!!!! Long Live GOJIRA!!! You need to get other Japanese monster movie soundtracks available to us like War of the Gargantuas or the music from the Daimajin trilogy. Akira Ifukube is God!!!"
Godzilla & Ifukube triumph
Michael Tullberg | Los Angeles, CA USA | 12/26/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is an especially good and comprehensive CD of the music of the classic Showa-period Godzilla era. Maestro Akira Ifukube's vibrant monster marches and horror themes particularly stand out, as do the informative liner notes inside... unusually extensive for a simple fold-out piece of paper. Overall the music selection is very good, but I have one minor quibble: more of King Ghidora's themes would have made the disc truly complete, as would have more monster sound FX (Japanese import discs of the latter can get quite expensive). However, these are only minor points. This would be an excellent CD to introduce Western fans to the wild world of kaiju music...I have a couple of friends who work in the movie business here in L.A. who were positively enchanted by it. And on a side note, it's also a nice disc to listen to while reading a Godzilla-related book...not quite as distracting as a movie!"
5 stars? OH, YES!
Michael Tullberg | Los Angeles, CA USA | 01/05/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Akira Ifukube's positively monstrous scores (pun DEFINITELY intended) dominate this disc. Quite simply, if you want to know a major reason why the original Godzilla series (the Showa series) flourished, tke a good long listen to this disc. Die-hard fans of John Williams' scores will discover where he got at least SOME of his ideas! Any fan of movie music should get this CD IMMEDIATELY...this is not an understatement!"
Not Exactly the Best, but a Fine Collection
Mr. Slushy | Downers Grove, IL, USA | 11/07/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I actually got this soundtrack as a used CD, but I still find some of the music to be pretty enjoyable. Here's what I think about it.
Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1-7): A great score by Akira Ifukube. I love the gloomy music for the destruction scenes and track seven, which is pretty emotional.
Godzilla Raids Again (8): Only one track, which is fairly good, but not the type of music I would want to listen to over and over again. This music is by Masaro Satoh, who I believe didn't get really good until later.
King Kong vs. Godzilla (9-12): I think more Ifukube music from this film could have been better than the FX sounds (althoguh King Kong's roaring is pretty cool). The main title music is my favorite.
Mothra (13): An annoying track. The fairies are among my least favorite characters fromt he Godzilla series. THe song does have a nice tune, but the singing is not worth lsitening to again and again.
Godzilla vs. Mothra (14-15): Another good Akira Ifukube score.
Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster (17): Here it is, A track containing Ifukube's Showa Godzilla theme!
Invasion of the Astro-Monster (18): Interesting FX sounds followed by a cool military march.
Son of Godzilla (19-21): Excellent! Masaru Satoh's Minya's theme, the battle music, and the ending theme are awesome! Too bad no music from Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster was included.
Destroy All Monsters (22-27): Fairly good music from Akira Ifukube, but it gets way too repetitious!
Godzilla's Revenge (28): The Cute Kid Theme is awfully hilarious! A so-so track from Kunio Miyauchi.
Godzilla vs. Hedorah (29): Only one track given and it's this?! We have Richiro Manabe's horific Godzilla thme, with its blaring horns. They should have put in Hedorah's theme.
Godzilla vs. Gigan (30-32): Akira Ifukube's music from previous movies were used, so the music was orignally compoesed for other films. Okay msuic, and the song is fairly good.
Godzilla vs. Megalon (33-35): Blaring music by Richiro Manabe. His work on Godzilla vs. Hedorah was far better than this.
Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla (36-38): The best music on the CD! MechaGodzilla's theme is so jazzy and sinister! Thanks, Masaru Satoh!
Terrror of MechaGodzilla (39-42): Akira Ifukube produces some amazing music, but once again it gets a little too repetitious.
Theme from Godzilla (43): A band led by some guy named Neil norman produces a fine tribute to Godzilla, endinghte soudntrack.
Music that should have been included:
1. At least one selection from Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster
2. Some Ifukube music that is played during the Godzilla vs. Gigan scene in which Angurius is driven away by the military.
3. Heodrah's Theme
4. The opening music from Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla
All in all, this soundtrack is a must for Godzilla fans!"