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Heads up, monster movie fans! The folks at The Criterion Collection have unveiled what will be coming to the streaming service in July and, as part of that, a selection of Heisei-era Godzilla films will be arriving for subscribers to enjoy. This era represents the return of the franchise following an absence from the big screen that stretched nearly a decade following the release of 1975’s Terror of Mechagodzilla, which concluded the Showa-era.
Criterion’s July selection will include The Return of Godzilla (1984), Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989), Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (1991) and Godzilla vs. Mothra (1992). Heisei-era entries absent from the collection include Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla and Godzilla vs. Destroyah. The real hope is that Criterion will eventually put together a big Blu-ray box set of the Heisei-era Godzilla films, much like they did with the Showa-era films several years back. Criterion had this to say about the collection:
“Following a nine-year absence from the screen, the King of the Monsters roared back with a vengeance in 1984 with The Return of Godzilla, inaugurating a new era in the romping reptile’s mythology. The ferociously entertaining kaiju spectaculars of the 1980s and ’90s—which brought back familiar favorites like Mothra and King Ghidorah and introduced a new adversary in the genetically engineered mutant Biollante—reestablished Godzilla as a fearsome force (after previous Showa-era films that had recast himself as a benevolent protector), while taking the series’s political commentary and vaunted special effects in bold new directions.”
For those who haven’t done a deep dive into the Heisei-era before, this feels like the perfect opportunity to do so. Many of these films are highly regarded amongst fans of the franchise, with Godzilla vs. Biollante serving as a real standout for me personally. This era concluded in 1995 and was follows up by the Millennium era, which kicked off in 1999 with Godzilla 2000. We are currently in what has been dubbed the Reiwa era, which began with 2016’s heralded Shin Godzilla and also includes last year’s breakout hit Godzilla Minus One.
Elsewhere, the current American version of the franchise is thriving as well, as the MonsterVerse experienced its biggest hit to date with this year’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Warner Bros. and Legendary have already announced a sequel, which will be directed by Grant Sputore (I Am Mother). While we patiently await that movie’s arrival, Criterion is here to help us all pass the time with some classics.
Look for the Godzilla Heisei-era collection on The Criterion Channel in July. For more, check out FANGORIA #1 from the archives, featuring the King of the Monsters on the cover.
