They turned Godzilla into a disco fever dream and somehow it rules.
A re-edited Italian-language dubbed version of the original Godzilla, using as a basis the U.S. version, "Godzilla, King of the Monsters!" (1956), plus WWII newsreel footage and clips from other science fiction films. The re-edited film was then colorized via a process called "Spectrorama 70" consisting of applying various colored gels to the black and white footage. The film's opening and ending also features new music composed by musicians Fabio Frizzi, Franco Bixio, and Vince Tempera (under the pseudonym Magnetic System).
Production
Spectrorama 70 color gels make everything look like toxic candy.
Editing
WWII newsreels spliced in for absolutely unhinged pacing.
Score
Magnetic System's synth-prog soundtrack is genuinely incredible.
Director
Luigi Cozzi
Raymond Burr
Steve Martin
Akira Takarada
Ogata
Akihiko Hirata
Dr. Serizawa
Takashi Shimura
Dr. Yamane
Momoko Kôchi
Emiko Yamane
Emilio Cigoli
Steve Martin (voice)
Rita Savagnone
Emiko Yamane (voice)
Giuseppe Rinaldi
Ogata (voice)
Pino Locchi
Security Officer Tomo Iwanaga (voice)
Sachio Sakai
Hagiwara (uncredited)
Fuyuki Murakami
Dr. Tabata (uncredited)
Ren Yamamoto
Seiji (uncredited)
Tadashi Okabe
Dr. Tabata's Assistant (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Luigi Cozzi added stock footage from The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms and Rocketship X-M without permission. The film was barely released and became a cult curio.
This 1977 version exists because Italian distributors thought black-and-white films wouldn't sell—so they literally invented a color process rather than license the colorized American version.
IT
JP
