The Best Of Godzilla 1984-1995: Original Film Soundtracks

This is a collection of "the best" of the music from the second series of Godzilla films, known in fan circles as the Heisei series, which were released from 1984 to 1995.

After a very nice version of Godzilla's signature theme, by Godzilla's signature composer, maestro Akira Ifukube, we listen to a suite of five songs from THE RETURN OF GODZILLA (aka GODZILLA 1985). These pieces by Reijiro Koroku, a severely underrated composer, are some of the best on the disc; "Main Title," "Take Shelter/Godzilla vs. Super X," "Japanese Army March," "Godzilla's Exit," and "Ending" can be re-listened to over and over again, espeically "Super X."

Next are three songs--"Scramble March," "Bio Wars," and "Ending"--from GODZILLA VS. BIOLLANTE, composed by Koichi Sugiyama. They are also quite nice, but are rather long, which cuts down on their replay value a bit.

Now we enter Ifukube-sama's section. The first of the Heisei films he scored was GODZILLA VS. KING GHIDORAH. "Main Title/UFO...Read more

This CD contains themes from all of the Godzilla movies post Godzilla 1985. It opens with an appropiate Godzilla theme by Ifukabe and then proceeds into five tracks from Godzilla 1985, not by Ifukabe. The forth of these is particularly amusing, as it was the music that was supposed to make us feel for sorry Godzilla when he died, even though the movie built up absolutely no sympathy for the monster. It sounds kind of like something from the end of Dr. Zhivago.

Next up are upbeat themes from Godzilla vs Biollante.

After that we get some of Ifukabe's great music from the recent films. True, he recylced a bunch of his old themes, but it's all good. The suite of themes from Godzilla vs Destroyah is probably the best.

The CD also includes two sung pieces from Godzilla vs Mothra, Mahara Mothra (as it appeared in the movie) and Mothra's Song (in its rockified single version).

My only complaint is that the CD devotes way two much time to non-Ifukabe scores, particularly the blatantly...Read more

I've just ordered the earlier album (1954-whatever); I got this one at a store not knowing previously that such CDs existed. These recordings are OK -- a few of the tracks are actually good -- but on the average, this music isn't as vibrant as the music from the first series. Two standouts: the end title of Godzilla vs. Destroyer quotes the old tribal music from King Kong vs. Godzilla, which I didn't notice when I watched the movie; the Mothra song is pretty memorable. The last track, Monster Zero March, is a heavy-synthesizer remix of some music from the first series. It's pretty tinny and ultimately rather cheesy.

If you like the Godzilla movie music at all, this is worth picking up. I suspect the album of music from the first series is probably better.