Huge Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films Criterion Collection Blu-ray Box Set is Live

After a leak earlier this week, it turns out that a massive Godzilla Showa-era Blu-ray box set is really on the way. The Criterion Collection officially launched release #1000, complete with high-def versions of all 15 Godzilla Showa-era films made between 1954 and 1975. The set also includes a whole bunch of special features and bonus items like a gorgeous hardcover book. More on all that in a moment, but if you want to get down to the ordering, here's what you need to know...

Godzilla: The Showa-Era Films 1954-1975 Blu-ray box set is available to pre-order right here on Amazon with a release date set for October 29th. At the time of writing the set is priced at the $224.95 list, but the chances of a significant discount in the near future are hovering around 100%. That having been said, note that you won't be charged until the Showa-era set ships and you'll automatically get the biggest discount that occurs during the pre-order period. So there's no risk to locking down a copy early - which is something you'll definitely want to do because this is going to be popular (it's already at the top of Amazon's Blu-ray charts). Plus, you can always cancel the pre-order before the release date. The video below will give you a closer look at what's inside:

The Godzilla set includes the following films: Godzilla, Godzilla Raids Again, King Kong vs. Godzilla, Mothra vs. Godzilla, Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster, Invasion of Astro-Monster, Ebirah Horror of the Deep, Son of Godzilla, Destroy All Monsters, All Monsters Attack, Godzilla vs. Hedorah, Godzilla vs. Gigan, Godzilla vs. Megalon, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, and Terror of Mechagodzilla.

The special features include:

• High-definition digital transfers of all fifteen Godzilla films made between 1954 and 1975, released together for the first time, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks
• High-definition digital transfer of Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1956), the U.S.-release version of Godzilla
• Japanese-release version of King Kong vs. Godzilla from 1962
• Audio commentaries from 2011 on Godzilla and Godzilla, King of the Monsters featuring film historian David Kalat
• International English-language dub tracks for Invasion of Astro-Monster, Son of Godzilla, Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla vs. Megalon, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, and Terror of Mechagodzilla
• Directors Guild of Japan interview with director Ishiro Honda, conducted by director Yoshimitsu Banno in 1990
• Programs detailing the creation of Godzilla's special effects and unused effects sequences from Toho releases including Destroy All Monsters
• New interview with filmmaker Alex Cox about his admiration for the Showa-era Godzilla films
• New and archival interviews with cast and crew members, including actors Bin Furuya, Tsugutoshi Komada, Haruo Nakajima, and Akira Takarada; composer Akira Ifukube; and effects technicians Yoshio Irie and Eizo Kaimai
• Interview with critic Tadao Sato from 2011
• Illustrated audio essay from 2011 about the real-life tragedy that inspired Godzilla
• New English subtitle translations
• Trailers
• PLUS: A lavishly illustrated deluxe hardcover book featuring an essay by cinema historian Steve Ryfle, notes on the films by cinema historian Ed Godziszewski, and new illustrations by Arthur Adams, Sophie Campbell, Becky Cloonan, Jorge Coelho, Geof Darrow, Simon Gane, Robert Goodin, Benjamin Marra, Monarobot, Takashi Okazaki, Angela Rizza, Yuko Shimizu, Bill Sienkiewicz, Katsuya Terada, Ronald Wimberly, and Chris Wisnia

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