Dom Robinson reviews

Distributed by

Columbia TriStar

Cat.no: CDR 91739

Cert: PG

Running time: 133 minutes

Year: 1998

Pressing: 1999

Region(s): 2, PAL

Chapters: 28 plus extras

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround

Languages: English, German (both DD 5.1)

Subtitles: 15 different languages available

Widescreen: 2.35:1

16:9-Enhanced: Yes

Macrovision: Yes

Disc Format: DVD 5

Price: £19.99

Extras : Scene index, Theatrical trailer, 2 * Teaser trailers, Music Video (The Wallflowers - Heroes), Special Effects feature-length running commentary, Filmographies, Director/Producer Biographies, Photo Gallery, Godzilla Takes New York, Behind The Scenes featurette, Animated menus

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Director:

Roland Emmerich (Independence Day, Stargate, Universal Soldier)

Producer:

Dean Devlin (Independence Day, Stargate, Universal Soldier)

Screenplay:

Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich

Music:

David Arnold

Cast:

Dr. Nick Tatopolous: Matthew Broderick (Addicted To Love, Biloxi Blues, The Cable Guy, Family Business, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Freshman, Mrs Parker and the Vicious Circle, War Games)
Philippe Roache: Jean Reno (The Big Blue, For Roseanna, Leon, Les Visiteurs 1 & 2, Mission: Impossible, Nikita, Subway)
Audrey Timmonds: Maria Pitillo (Bye Bye Love, Chaplin, Natural Born Killers, She Devil, Something To Believe In, True Romance)
Victor "Animal" Palotti: Hank Azaria (The Birdcage, Great Expectations (1997), Heat, Now And Then, Pretty Woman, Quiz Show)
Col. Hicks: Kevin Dunn (Chaplin, Dave, Little Big League, Picture Perfect)
Mayor Ebert: Michael Lerner (Amos and Andrew, Barton Fink, No Escape)
Charles Caiman: Harry Shearer (EDTV, The Fisher King, Godzilla, A League Of Their Own, My Best Friend's Wedding, The Return of Spinal Tap, Small Soldiers, Speechless, The Truman Show, Wayne's World 2, TV: "Chicago Hope", "Dream On", "ER", "Friends", "The Simpsons")
Sgt. O'Neal: Doug Savant (Shaking The Tree, TV: "Melrose Place")

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After the huge reptile is bred in the jungles of the South Pacific, thanks to the dodgy French bureaucratic nuclear tests which nearly split the planet apart, Godzilla comes to New York and not just for a day trip, but to breed.

On the discovery trail is scientist Dr. Nick Tatopolous (Matthew Broderick), leader of the kick-ass brigade Philippe Roache (Jean Reno), Nick's ex-girlfriend Audrey Timmonds (Maria Pitillo), chatterbox Victor "Animal" Palotti (Hank Azaria, voice of many Simpsons characters) and leader of the city Mayor Ebert (Michael Lerner). Also involved are Sgt. O'Neal (Doug Savant - token gay character in Melrose Place which a certain satellite TV channel still have the rights to despite refusing to show it) and newsreader Charles Caiman (Harry Shearer - Derek Smalls in This Is Spinal Tap and also the voice of plenty in cult cartoon The Simpsons including millionaire Monty Burns, his grovelling gay assistant Waylon Smithers and newsreader Kent Brockman.)

The picture quality is excellent with only minor artifacts around but barely noticeable and certainly not from the usual viewing distance. Crisp, sharp colours bring the beast to life but I'll mention more about the special FX later.

The film is presented in its original widescreen ratio of 2.35:1, is enhanced for 16:9 widescreen televisions - thus allowing for higher resolution - and the average bitrate is a good 5.77 Mb/s.

How's the sound? Devlin and Emmerich have not made a gentle drama here with occasional ambient sounds. Instead they create a monster which makes all manner of sounds - mostly loud - with plenty of bangs and more crashes than Windows 95. The sound comes in Dolby Digital 5.1 - which will benefit all of those with the suitable hardware - and Dolby Surround for everyone else.

Extras :

Chapters/Theatrical Trailers :

Languages/Subtitles :

Filmographies/Biographies :

Other extras :

• Music Video: The Wallflowers - Heroes, a cover of the David Bowie classic
• Photo Gallery: Godzilla Takes New York - a series of before and after still-shots when the big G was brought into the scene
• Behind The Scenes featurette: a 7-minute series of clips and interviews presented by "Charles Caiman".
• A feature length commentary from visual effects supervisor Volker Engel and Karen Goulekas, associate visual effects supervisor, is also available and makes for very engaging listening, such as in chapter 8, I Got a Bite, where the old man reels the reptile in, detailing how such shots were made, which shots were made at a different time-frame to others even though they link together in the film and they point out even the smallest detail such as the removal of the year "1998" on Charles Caiman's press pass and how it was painted out frame-by-frame since Emmerich decided he didn't want anyone to associate a particular year with the film.

Menu :

Upon selecting the "Start Movie" option, you'll first see a "Sony Pictures DVD Center" logo, followed by the Dolby Digital helicopter demo, the copyright logo and then the film itself.

Essentially, this is a big-screen action film which holds together very well, certainly a lot better than Independence Day, which lost its way the minute Will Smith smacked an alien in the face and delivered a dire quip. Couple this with a near-perfect picture quality, enough sound to shake the walls and plenty of extras which shows that such a practice can be utilised when studios' get their act together.

Overall, this film isn't the sort to win Oscars for acting - and I'm surprised it didn't even get nominated for special effects - but this DVD has to be one of the year's best and comes recommended wholeheartedly from me.

FILM	 		: ****
PICTURE QUALITY		: ****½
SOUND QUALITY		: *****
EXTRAS			: *****
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OVERALL			: *****

Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 1999.