Search - Akira Ifukube :: Godzilla: 50th Anniversary Edition

Origato, Ikufube-san!

Zen Faulkes | Edinburg, TX United States | 08/24/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This remastered CD of Akira Ikufube's original Godzilla score is an excellent addition to the fiftieth anniversary celebrations for the film series. Ikufube is constantly mentioned in discussions of the Godzilla films, and it's easy to see why: he always treated his subject seriously, even when the movie itself didn't.Surprisingly, the music doesn't feel terribly dated. You can often pinpoint the age of a movie soundtrack pretty accurately, particularly 1950s sci-fi movies (the theramin is usually the giveaway). I don't think this is because Ikufube continued to score the Godzilla series well into the 1990s. Rather, I think his classical music training allowed him to create a score that was not influenced by the sounds of the time. "Classic" is an overused adjective, but it's appropriate for a score that feels relatively modern after 50 years.The one thing that does date the music is the quality of the recording. It's in mono, of course, and the music is not as crisp as you would hear in a contemporary recording. Still, the sound remaster is impressive considering the age of the original recordings.It's also interesting to listen to this score in comparison to Ikufube's later music for the series. The music is extremely somber, in contrast to the more adventurous tone that Ikufube created for later films. For example, Godzilla's "entry" theme is here (in tracks like "Godzilla's Rampage"), but in a much slower, more menacing version that is barely recognizable as the powerful signature it would become later. At just over 45 minutes, there's not a lot of music on this CD. And of those, four tracks reprise earlier cues, just rearranging the cues to the order they appeared in the movie. There's also some Godzilla sound effects. Their inclusion is appropriate, considering that Ikufube created them with musical instruments! (This piece of information is one of my favourite tidbits from the liner notes, which are fairly good.)If you're interested in the familiar Godzilla themes, you're probably better off with a compilation CD of Godzilla music: it will have better sounding recordings, and the themes are more recognizable. But for serious kaiju fans and film score afficianados, this CD is a treat."

Great Addition to Your Collection

R. Davenport | Eagle River, AK USA | 10/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're a fan of the original Godzilla movie, American version or Japanese, both contain the same music. This CD is a dream come true for Godzilla fans in the U.S. The music sounds great, doesn't sound aged at all, but still old fashioned, which is good. Track 20, is probably the saddest and most moving song I have ever heard, long song also, 6:20, but it's worth the listen. Akira Ifukube is definatly the master when it comes to kaiju film music. The extra tracks are a treat as well, they are just the film versions of some of the songs, but still great. If you want to make your kaiju collection grow, then this is worth it, or if you just like orchestral music, then it's worth the wait for shipping. Trust me, you won't be disappointed."

It's big and it's terrible!

K. Canedo | Portland, OR | 07/28/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sorry, I couldn't resist using Raymond Burr's awful line. But this soundtrack is indeed truly AWESOME! One of the best things about Godzilla is the music, which was so distinctive and so haunting that it made us overlook the cheesy special effects. More than any of his 1950's monster contemporaries, Godzilla's soundtrack gave the big guy a soul that spooked children and stayed with them long after they grew up into sensible adults. I still get chills whenever I hear those school girls singing the Prayer for Peace. Akira Ifukube was a genius whose music was an apt coronation for the King of the Monsters!"