Category: Godzilla

The Best Of Godzilla: 1984-1995 is the second disc in a two-part set of the music of Godzilla (the first disc covered the years 1954-1975). This album contains selections from the films The Return Of Godzilla to Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, which also serves as the second “era” of Godzilla movies. Astute readers may notice a gap of 9 years between discs: This wasn’t a decision on GNP Crescendo’s part not to include those years, there just simply weren’t any movies being made then.

This compliation starts off with The Return Of Godzilla, which (as the name implies) marked the return of Godzilla to the big screen after a 9 year break. The first thing you will notice about the music is that, even though it was composed in the mid-80’s, it doesn’t contain the slick production style that marked so much of the music that came from this decade. The composer, Reijiro Koroku, also decided to keep the musical style of the earlier Godzilla films intact. This is a welcome change from the ’70s pop/disco-infused music that marred such films as Godzilla vs. Megalon.

This would not last, however. In the next film, Godzilla vs. Biollante, composer Koichi Sugiyama uses electric guitars and a heavy rock beat on the song “Bio Wars”, which makes it feel more like Cheap Trick than Godzilla. Needless to say, it’s sorely out of place, considering also that the other two songs that were taken from this film are more of a standard orchestrated style. Video game buffs will also recognize Sugiyama’s name — he’s the principal composer of the Dragon Quest/Dragon Warrior series.

Out of the remaning five films represented on this disc, four of them contain a nice surprise: original composer Akira Ifukube is back on board, and it’s easy to see why. His music is so quintessentially “Godzilla”, it’s hard to think that anybody would try to take his place. This stuff is easily the best on the disc, although he does occasionally lapse into a case of “of the times” and uses synths and other modern sounds and techniques (his remake of “Mothra’s Song” from Godzilla vs. Mothra sounds like it could have easily been performed by Todd Rundgren). Of particular interest is the song “Requiem” from Godzilla vs. Destoroyah: after a dissonant piano/string part, a lone instrument slowly builds up with a few strings until an entire string section plays while a female vocalization sings over it. That description really doesn’t do it any justice — it’s very beautiful, and shows how Ifukube was capable of putting not only suspense and action into his music, but also emotion as well.

This disc is a bit different than its precedessor. Since this compilation only covers 9 years of Godzilla movies, more selections from each movie were included, giving the disc a better overall feel. One wishes that GNP Crescendo could have split the first disc into two parts and not had to include 21 years worth of music on just one disc. Another thing I thought was strange, but welcome — the SFX that were liberally peppered on the first disc are nowhere to be heard here. Maybe it’s because the SFX from these movies weren’t as memorable, but I was glad they decided to focus on the music this time around. One thing, however, that I wish they would have gotten rid of: The closing track, a remake of “Monster Zero March”, once again performed by Neil Norman And His Cosmic Orchestra. Like the first disc, its addition seems wholly arbitrary, and adds no real value (especially on a compilation of the original soundtrack).

So, if you could only buy one of these discs, which one would it be? I would have to give the nod to 1954-1975 because it contains the original Godzilla music, but listening to that disc alone paints an incomplete picture. Both discs are essential to each other to give a complete overview of the music of Godzilla, and both casual Godzilla enthusiasts and hardcore kaiju fans will find this collection enjoyable. One wonders if GNP Crescendo will be onboard to give us a 1999- compliation sometime in the near future…

1. Main Theme (Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah) (3:18)
2. Main Title (Return Of Godzilla) (1:49)
3. Take Shelter/Godzilla vs. Super X (Return Of Godzilla) (2:15)
4. Japanese Army March (Return Of Godzilla) (0:47)
5. Godzilla’s Exit (Return Of Godzilla) (1:51)
6. Ending (Return Of Godzilla) (1:47)
7. Scramble March (Godzilla vs. Biollante) (4:27)
8. Bio Wars (Godzilla vs. Biollante) (4:36)
9. Ending (Godzilla vs. Biollante) (5:00)
10. Main Title/UFO Invasion (Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah) (2:57)
11. King Ghidorah Attacks Fukuoka (Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah) (0:37)
12. Get King Ghidorah (Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah) (1:41)
13. Main Title (Godzilla vs. Mothra) (1:25)
14. Mahara Mothra (Godzilla vs. Mothra) (0:55)
15. Mesa March (Godzilla vs. Mothra) (1:55)
16. Rolling Title Ending (Godzilla vs. Mothra) (3:40)
17. Mothra’s Song (Godzilla vs. Mothra) (3:47)
18. Main Title (Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla II) (1:35)
19. G-Force March #1 (Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla II) (2:50)
20. Prologue/Main Title (Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla) (2:35)
21. Bass Island (Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla) (1:21)
22. MOGERA vs. Space Godzilla #1 (Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla) (1:28)
23. MOGERA vs. Space Godzilla #2 (Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla) (2:37)
24. Crystal (Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla) (5:33)
25. Main Title/Hong Kong’s Destruction (Godzilla vs. Destoroyah) (3:09)
26. Attack Of Super X-3 (Godzilla vs. Destoroyah) (3:00)
27. Mesa Tank Super Freeze Attack (Godzilla vs. Destoroyah) (1:55)
28. Requiem (Godzilla vs. Destoroyah) (3:49)
29. Ending Title (Godzilla vs. Destoroyah) (2:48)
30. Monster Zero March – Neil Norman And His Cosmic Orchestra (3:04)

Released by: GNP Crescendo
Release date: 1998
Total running time: 78:31

It’s no large secret that Godzilla’s popularity has helped him wreak havoc and chaos on Japan for over 50+ years. But while all the action and mayhem is displayed on the screen, one thing tends to get lost on moviegoers: the music. Fortunently, this disc helps rectify that. Containing the best selections from Godzilla’s tenure on the big screen, The Best Of Godzilla: 1954-1975 is the first part of a two disc set (a companion CD was released as well that covers the years 1984-1995).

Like the name implies, this disc covers the years 1954-1975, which ranges from the original Godzilla movie to Terror of MechaGodzilla, and also serves as the first “era” of Godzilla films. The songs here are listed in chronological order, which means that the disc starts off with selections from the original Godzilla, composed by Akira Ifukube. Ifukube’s music lays the groundwork for the film scores to follow: Here, we hear the string-and-horn driven main theme for the first time, as well as the “Japanese Army March” which would later be reused as a continuing theme in the Godzilla universe. “Godzilla’s Rampage” is another fine example of the early soundtrack: its dissonant piano and low, growling horns accentuate the sobering aspect of the giant lizard’s destruction perfectly.

The next major movie to be represented is King Kong vs. Godzilla, which music most Americans never got to hear, since it was replaced in the US with a re-used score from a different film. Akira Ifukube composed the music for this film as well, and keeps the theme that he employed for the previous movies, making the music tense and dramatic.

Mothra vs. Godzilla is next up, and it’s interesting to hear how the film scores have evolved from movie to movie. Ifukube is still onboard, but the music has taken a dramatic leap from the original Godzilla. For example, “Mothra’s Song” sounds like a cross between traditional Japanese music, and the 60’s pop that was so prevalent at the time. It also includes sung lyrics, which was only attemped once before in the “Main Theme” of King Kong vs. Godzilla, but even that didn’t sound nearly as polished as it does here. In fact, out the 3 pieces from Mothra that were selected for this disc, 2 of them have female vocals. This is the film where, I believe, Ifukube really comes into his own style.

Some other top tracks on this disc include the “Main Theme” from Son Of Godzilla, which was composed by Masaru Sato. The shift in musical styles is eminently discernible; instead of the tense, dark mood that Ifukube set with his score, this “Main Theme” sounds more suited to whimsy to gloomy — I can’t help but think this could also double as the theme for The Dick Van Dyke Show! Even though it’s not what you would think of when you think Godzilla, given the subject matter, it works. Another interesting track is the “Godzilla March”, a song specially made for the original LP of the soundtrack to Godzilla vs. Gigan, and composed by Kunio Miyauchi. The song is steeped in 70’s pop/faux-disco that the Japanese seemed to be so found of (see: Lupin ’78 theme song).

As another sign that the times were changing, compare the soundtrack of Godzilla vs. Megalon (composed by Riichiro Manabe) to any of Ifukuda’s original score. The rock beat that accompanies Manabe’s score may cause purists to turn up their noses. Indeed, while Manabe’s compositions may have worked under any different guise, being a part of the Godzilla canon gives it a weaker feel, and lacks the “punch” needed to add emotion to the Godzilla movie.

There are some other shortfalls on the disc as well. Obviously, to dedicate a complete overview of the Godzilla filmography would require nothing short of a box set, but yet it still feels incomplete in the fact that films like Godzilla Raids Again and Godzilla vs. Hedorah (and several others) only being represented by the obligatory “Main Theme” and nothing more. Another qualm I had was the fact that the disc was peppered with tracks of just SFX — classic movie buffs may dig it, but I felt they were included just to pad the disc’s length. Also included on the disc was a version of the “Godzilla Theme” performed by Neil Norman And His Cosmic Orchestra. It’s inclusion seems wholly arbitrary (why place a “modernized” version of a theme song on an album comprised of original music?), and it’s nothing really outstanding, either.

Your feelings on the disc may be skewed towards which Godzilla era you prefer. But as a primer on the not-so-humble beginnings of Godzilla, it serves as a wonderful introduction, and a nice jumping point for those who may want to explore further into their favorite film’s music, and maybe even try to locate the full soundtrack.

1. Footsteps FX (Godzilla) (0:36)
2. Godzilla Main Theme (Godzilla) (1:31)
3. Ootojima Temple Festival (Godzilla) (1:19)
4. Japanese Army March (Godzilla) (0:38)
5. Godzilla Comes Ashore (Godzilla) (1:51)
6. Godzilla’s Rampage (Godzilla) (2:25)
7. Ending (Godzilla) (1:42)
8. Main Title (Godzilla Rides Again) (1:24)
9. Helicopter/Man Screams/SOS FX (King Kong vs. Godzilla) (0:23)
10. Main Title (King Kong vs. Godzilla) (1:57)
11. King Kong Roars FX (King Kong vs. Godzilla) (0:13)
12. Planning King Kong’s Transport (King Kong vs. Godzilla) (2:13)
13. Mothra’s Song (Mothra vs. Godzilla) (2:23)
14. Mothra FX (Mothra vs. Godzilla) (0:09)
15. Main Title (Mothra vs. Godzilla) (1:52)
16. Sacred Springs (Mothra vs. Godzilla) (3:49)
17. Main Title/Monsters Appear In Yokohama (Ghidorah, The Three Headed Monster) (2:33)
18. UFO Approaches/Monsters Fight FX/Monster Battle March (Main Title) (Invasion Of The Astro-Monster) (2:56)
19. Main Title (Son Of Godzilla) (2:07)
20. Godzilla vs. Kumonga (Son Of Godzilla) (2:16)
21. Ending (Son Of Godzilla) (2:46)
22. Godzilla FX/Toho Logo/Main Title (Destroy All Monsters) (1:35)
23. Title Credits (Destroy All Monsters) (1:23)
24. Four Monsters Attack Tokyo (Destroy All Monsters) (1:46)
25. Destroying The Remote Control (Destroy All Monsters) (0:40)
26. Showdown On Mt. Fuji (Destroy All Monsters) (2:47)
27. Ending (Destroy All Monsters) (1:26)
28. Cute Kid Theme/Monster Fight (All Monsters Attack) (2:43)
29. Godzilla’s Fight (Godzilla vs. Hedorah) (1:09)
30. Main Title (Godzilla vs. Gigan) (2:11)
31. Main Title Repeat (Godzilla vs. Gigan) (1:26)
32. Godzilla March (Record Version) (Godzilla vs. Gigan) (3:09)
33. Jet Jaguar/Megalon FX (Godzilla vs. Megalon) (0:15)
34. Main Title (Godzilla vs. Megalon) (1:27)
35. Godzilla Of Monster Island (Godzilla vs. Megalon) (2:13)
36. MechaGodzilla FX (Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla) (0:30)
37. Godzilla vs. Anguiras (Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla) (2:27)
38. Miyarabi’s Prayer (Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla) (4:03)
39. Main Title (Terror Of MechaGodzilla) (4:31)
40. MechaGodzilla II (Terror Of MechaGodzilla) (1:44)
41. Godzilla’s Entrance (Terror Of MechaGodzilla) (1:14)
42. Ending (Terror Of MechaGodzilla) (1:15)
43. Theme From Godzilla – Neil Norman And His Cosmic Orchestra (1:33)

Released by: GNP Crescendo
Release date: 1998
Total running time: 78:30