Film on Vinyl: Godzilla vs Godzilla

Welcome to another installment of Film on Vinyl, Joe Donohue’s column that celebrates the blending of his love for film and music by reviewing and dissecting movie soundtracks pressed on the oh-so-sweet vinyl record. Next up is a no-holds brawl between Music on Vinyl's release of "Godzilla" (2014) and Death Waltz Records' release of "Godzilla" (1954). Let them fight.

Over the years, there has been a mountain of frightening creatures to grace the silver screen — Dracula, the Wolfman, Frankenstein's monster, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers, to name a few — but there’s always been just one creature that puts the rest to shame. Only one creature that inflicts one’s bladder to empty, sends people running crazy in the streets, and towers above the rest: Godzilla.

The radioactive lizard has enjoyed a long a prosperous career — Toho Co. produced 28 films, two American remakes and a series of video games, novels and comic books — and has retained pop-culture relevance for 60 years. It’s baffling how a man in a rubber suit has dominated the entertainment world for so long, but this creature has defied all odds.

It’s no secret that my love for the "King of the Monsters" is as big as the gargantuan lizard himself, so to make him a part of this column is a moment that I relish. It’s also no surprise that if I’m mentioning a movie, it’s probably a good bet I’m going to talk about soundtrack. So, here I go.

Every composer has had the gigantic task of creating a soundtrack that can go toe-to-toe with Godzilla himself. No mediocre score would do. While a lot of composers have left their mark on the series, only two have truly done the atomic lizard justice — Akira Ifukube (1954 original) and Alexandre Desplat (2014 remake).

Today is about having some good old fashioned fun. I’m going to pit Godzilla versus Godzilla in a no-holds-barred brawl. Music on Vinyl’s release of the 2014 remake will go head-to-head with Death Waltz Record’s release of the original, and only one release will survive.

In the 2014 film, Dr. Ichiro Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) said, “The arrogance of men is thinking nature is in their control and not the other way around. Let them fight.”

Album Art:

Godzilla (1954) — The cover art to Death Waltz Records’ release is as stunning as it is terrifying. The Godzilla on the cover is the original monster design with a much fiercer look. His eyes are filled with fury like no other and burn as bright as fire. There are planes firing on the "King" from above, but the bullets only seem to stoke the fire. This cover beautifully reimagines a classic while giving it a vintage feel.

Godzilla (2014) — Music on Vinyl’s cover is a beautiful piece. They do what they do best by utilizing the movie poster for their cover. It also does a great job of balancing the new and the old by showcasing the new Godzilla in the background, while using the title to give the piece a vintage feel.

Edge — Godzilla (1954) for showcasing Godzilla front and center. While both covers are strong, when looking to celebrate the "King of the Monsters," the only sensible way is to make him the star.

Vinyl Record:

Godzilla (1954) — It’s pretty obvious Death Waltz knows what it's doing when pressing a record. They put so much time and effort into their releases, and "Godzilla" is beautiful. There’s the smoky grey that gives a sense of aftermath that comes from Godzilla’s rampage. Once the monster has left, it's a stew of rubble and smoke. That’s what this wonderful record represents.

Godzilla (2014) — Like Death Waltz, Music on Vinyl pours so much blood and sweat into its releases that it oozes out of every inch of the record. Their release of the 2014 “Godzilla” soundtrack is stunning blood red. It’s hard to hide my passion for this release because the red perfectly combines the fury that lies within Godzilla and the destruction he leaves in his wake. Music on Vinyl really blew this record away.

Edge — "Godzilla" (2014) wins hands down. The blood red was the best color choice because it’s so memorable and really represents the rage inside the beast.

Score:

Godzilla (1954) — Here’s the hard part, the score. Ifukube’s original score is so extremely iconic that it’s almost impossible to explain the feelings that surge through me as my turntable spins. The score begins strong from the very beginning. "Godzilla's Approach" has such a strong sense of dread, and continues to grow to help you visualize the beast approach. "Godzilla Comes Ashore" and "Godzilla's Rampage" are both breathtaking tracks. I love to just close my eyes and let the music tell the story. They make it so easy to believe that a gigantic, radioactive lizard could be demolishing your city. Death Waltz really outdid itself with the transfer of this score.

Godzilla (2014) — Desplat’s score to the “Godzilla” remake is just so damn good. That’s really all I can say about it. OK, I can say more, and I will. Desplat had an extremely tall order to create a score that fit this film, and boy, did he fill that order to perfection. "Godzilla!" is my favorite track because it melds to the visuals so well. It starts off at such a low level and slowly builds in depth. "Airport Attack" is another favorite of mine, along with "Godzilla's Victory." Desplat instills a feeling of sadness into audiences with this piece. You can’t help but feel for the presumed dead titan.

Edge — Godzilla (1954) has to have the edge here. Even though Desplat has conducted such a rich score, it’s just so damn hard to outdo an original.

WINNER — Me! I know that answer is a big cheat, but both of these labels have created outstanding releases of two epic scores, and I’m able to own both of them. Plus, it’s my column, so I can do what I want.

Until next time, make sure you’re using the appropriate cartridge. Remember to always spin responsibly.