© 1998 Lawrence Tuczynski

Title: Godzilla vs. Destroyer
Japanese Title: Gojira Tai Desutoroia
Movie also known as: Godzilla vs. Destroyah
CD Label: Futureland / Toshiba EMI Japan
CD Number: TYCY-5469-70
Music by: Akira Ifukube
Number of tracks: Disc 1 - 41
Disc 2 - 39
Running time: Disc 1 - 42:58
Disc 2 - 57:27
Number of discs: 2
Year of release/manufacture: 1995
Year Movie Released in Japan: 1995
Year Movie Released in U.S.: Jan.1999 (VHS Video)
Columbia/Tri-Star
DVD Released in U.S.: Double DVD, Columbia/Tri-Star #04690, Feb. 2000
Also has 1994 "Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla"

REVIEW

This 2 Cd set brings back Akira Ifukube to score what was supposed to be the final Godzilla movie. I don't have the single CD for this movie so can't compare what is the same or what's different. Both CD's in this set have a good amount of stuff on them with Disc 2 running about 15 minutes longer than Disc 1.

Disc 1 has a lot of short cues on it just as the score for the previous movie did. With a disc running at 42 minutes with 41 tracks you really can't expect any long suites here. There is some nice new music here mixed with a lot of reworked and updated previous music.

Disc 2 is labeled "songs not used in the performance". I can only guess that this means this disc is made up of alternate cues not used or things that were cut from the final film. Listening to this disc does seem to bear that out as it sounds like alternate takes of the film's music done at different tempos or different instrumentation. Tracks 12 - 33 seem to be the unedited versions of the songs on Disc 1 that did appear in the film. Most of these are pretty short and I didn't have time to do a side by side comparison to try and spot the differences but the timings of the tracks on Disc 1 are slighly shorter (in most cases a few seconds). Tracks 34 - 39 are listed as "Bonus" tracks and seem to be longer versions of other tracks on the set.

Overall a nice listening experience. Most of the music here has been done before in other scores but are done slightly different here. Spread over 2 CD's a lot of this material gets pretty repetitious.

Additional review by Michael W. Cooper. (Dec. 16, 2005)

Much to the delight of Godzilla fanatics the world over, the Maestro himself, Akira Ifukube, came out of retirement to score Godzilla's last(at least until G2K, that is) cinematic adventure. The score, while not better than 1993's Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla(which many consider to be one of Ifukube's very best scores), is still grand, enthralling and ultimately moving.

This 2 CD set includes includes the complete score for the film as well as a whole CD of alternate takes not used in the film. It opens on an ominous note with "The Disappearance of Basu Island," a short cue that suggests the terror to come. The main title theme is a ponderous tune punctuated with booming kettle drums. It segues into the new theme for Destroyah, a grand piece that is heard in varying tempos throughout the CD.

Tracks 3 and 8 are sad and mournful, calling to mind the horror wrought by the Oxygen Destroyer. The tune is repeated on the second CD on track 14 with only minor alteration. Junior's theme can be heard in various forms on CD 1: tracks 18, 22, 29, and 34, and on CD 2: tracks 7, 8, 9, 21, 23, 26, 31, and 36.

The Super-X III theme, which is worlds better than the previous themes for Super-X I and II, is also prevalent. It is exciting in the tradition of Ifukube's best military marches. Speaking of military themes, the one from War of the Gargantuas gets a re-working on several tracks.

The music for Destroyah's early appearances, CD 1, TR. 4, 9, 10, 11, and CD 2, TR. 15 and 17, is appropriately sinister and even includes some of the Oxygen Destroyer theme from the 1954 film. Godzilla's theme, sometimes called the "Godzilla March," also appears in three different versions.

The best music on this Cd set, by far, is "Requieum," the music for Godzilla's death at the film's close. It appears on CD 1 in one version(Tr. 33) and on CD 2 in two versions(Tr: 33 and 38). It is a beautiful and sad, yet majestic way to say farewell to the King.

The end title theme, heard once on both CDs, contains strains of Ifukube's earlier Godzilla themes. It is a nice summation of the G series, bringing us full circle. One cannot help but be moved, especially if you are a G fan.

This CD set is, quite simply, fantastic. Though it can be a little repititious at times, it still is a must-have for any fans of either The Big G or of Akira Ifukube! 

U.S. Title:     Godzilla Versus Destroyer
Japanese Title: Gojira Tai Desutoroia

Disc 1
I.	Complete Edited Titles Used in the Film
1	The Disappearance of Basu Island               *1
2	Main Title:  The Destruction of Hong Kong
3	The Oxygen Destroyer
4	Incident at the Underwater Tunnel
5	Godzilla Makes His Way Off the Coast of Taiwan
6	Nuclear Explosion: The Earth Goes Up in Flames
7	Background Music in the Onboard Restaurant
8	Oxygen Destroyer's Fear                        *2
9	The Hole in the Flask
10	The Aquarium Nightmare
11	Discovery of the Microorganism(s)
12	Godzilla Makes His Way Off the Coast of Okinawa
13	Appearance of the Mysterious Life Form
14	The Yukari Crisis                              *1
15	Godzilla Heads Towards the Nuclear Plant
16	Super-X III Standby
17	Super-X III Attack
18	Little Was Alive
19	Meltdown
20	Maser-tank: Super Low Temperature Attack
21	The Birth of Destroyer
22	Leading Junior Along
23	Destroyer's Wrath
24	Junior vs. Destroyer
25	Godzilla Shows up in Tokyo Bay
26	Junior's Desperate Plight
27	Destroyer's Final Form
28	Super-X III:  Hurry!
29	Junior at Death's Door
30	Godzilla's Resolution
31	Godzilla vs. Destroyer [1]
32	Godzilla's Wrath
33	Destroyer Counterattacks
34	Roar of Sadness
35	Godzilla vs. Destroyer [2]
36	Godzilla, The Last Battle
37	Requiem
38	Ending Titles

II.	Complete Edited Titles Not Used in the Film
39	Title Attack, Title Attack
40	The Special Forces vs. The Mysterious Life Form
41	The Fear of The Mysterious Life Form

*1  This is a direct transliteration from the Japanese.
*2  Alternative Translation:  Fear of the Oxygen Destroyer
 
Disc 2
III.  Songs Not Used in the Performance
1	The Toho Mark
2	Destruction of the Mysterious Life Form
3	The Special Forces Swing into Action
4	Destroyer Grows
5	The Plan to Incinerate the Mysterious Life Form
6	Super-X III Prepares to Attack
7	Junior's First Crisis
8	Godzilla's Reunion with Junior
9	Junior Abducted
10	Maser Forces' All-out Offensive
11	Godzilla Reborn                                *2

IV.	Songs Used During the Performance
12	Incident at the Underwater Tunnel
13	Nuclear Explosion: The Earth Goes Up in Flames
14	Oxygen Destroyer's Fear                        *3
15	The Aquarium Nightmare
16	Godzilla Makes His Way Off the Coast of Okinawa
17	Appearance of the Mysterious Life Form
18	The Yukari Crisis                              *1
19	Super-X III Standby
20	Super-X III Attack
21	Little Was Alive
22	Maser-tank: Super Low Temperature Attack
23	Leading Junior Along
24	Cymbals for M-29
25	Junior vs. Destroyer
26	Junior at Death's Door
27	Godzilla's Resolution
28	Godzilla vs. Destroyer [1]
29	Godzilla's Wrath
30	Destroyer Counterattacks
31	Roar of Sadness
32	Godzilla vs. Destroyer [2]
33	Requiem

V.	Bonus Tracks
34	Main Title: The Destruction of Hong Kong
35	Maser-tank: Super Low Temperature Attack
36	Godzilla's Reunion with Junior
37	Godzilla vs. Destroyer [1]
38	Requiem
39	Ending Titles

*1  This is a direct transliteration from the Japanese.
*2  Alternative translation:  Birth of New Godzilla
*3  Alternative Translation:  Fear of the Oxygen Destroyer