© 1999 Lawrence Tuczynski

Title Akira Ifukube's Film Music
50th Anniversary Toho Movie Music File
CD Label VAP Inc.
CD Number VPCD-81223-4
Music by: Akira Ifukube
Number of tracks Disc 1 - 33
Disc 2 - 32
Running time Disc 1 - 70:23
Disc 2 - 68:33
Number of discs 2
Year of release/manufacture 1997

REVIEW

This 2 CD set is a mixture of both mono and stereo. I guess it's called a 50th Anniversary set because it was Toho's 50th Anniversary. The music by Akira Ifukube spans the years 1947 to 1978 and includes a little of everything he did for Toho up to 1978. The music on the discs is in chronological order starting with a 1947 selection and ending on disc two with a 1978 selection. All the Godzilla themes you know and love by Ifukube are here along with many selections from other movies unfamiliar to us here in the US. It's a wonderful best of set that has everything from quiet, pastoral, classical like music to rousing marches we know and love from the Godzilla series.

I really enjoyed this CD and it's certainly worth buying if you can find it.

Title: Akira Ifukube's Film Music 50th Anniversary Toho Movie Music File
  
Disc-1	

1.	Main Title
	'To the End of the Silver Mountains'  (Japanese title: 'Ginrei no Hate')
2.	Main Title
	'Godzilla, King of the Monsters'
3.	Ending
	'Godzilla, King of the Monsters'
4.	Main Title
	'Rainy Night Duel'  (Japanese title: 'Kuroobi Sangokushi') 
5.	Main Title
	'A Will-o'-the-Wisp'  (Japanese title: 'Onibi')
6.	Main Title 
	'Kojinbutsu no Fufu'  (Literal translation: 'The Good-Natured Couple')
7.	Main Title 
	'Rodan, The Flying Monster'  (Japanese title: 'Sora no Daikaiju Radon')
8.	Rodan, Get em! *1
	'Rodan, The Flying Monster'  (Japanese title: 'Sora no Daikaiju Radon')
9.	Main Title
	'Yagyu Secret Scrolls' *2  (Japanese title: 'Yagyu Bugeicho') 
10.	Main Title 
	'Nikui Mono'  (Literal translation: 'The Detested')
11.	Main Title
	'Saigo no Dasso'  (Literal translation: 'The Final Escape')
12.	Main Title 
	'Downtown'  (Japanese title: 'Shitamachi')
13.	Main Title
	'The Mysterians'  (Japanese title:  'Chikyu Boeigun')
14.	Makalite Fab *3
	'The Mysterians'  (Japanese title:  'Chikyu Boeigun')
15.	Main Title 
	'Yagyu Secret Scrolls, Part II' *4  (Japanese title: 'Yagyu Bugeicho Soryu Hiken') 
16.	Main Title 
	'Futaridake no Hashi'  (Literal translation: 'A Bridge for Two')  
17.	Main Title
	'The Monster Varan' (Japanese title:  'Daikaiju Baran')
18.	Varan vs. The Patrol Boat, Uranami
	'The Monster Varan' (Japanese title:  'Daikaiju Baran')
19.	Main Title
	'The Big Boss'  (Japanese title:  'Ankokugai no Kaoyaku')
20.	Main Title 
	'Whistling in Kotan'  (Japanese title: 'Kotan no Kuchibue')
21.	Tidings from Taniguchi 
	'Whistling in Kotan'  (Japanese title: 'Kotan no Kuchibue')
22.	Main Title 
	'Samurai Saga' *5  (Japanese title: 'Aru Kengo no Shogai')
23.	Main Title
	'The Three Treasures'  (Japanese title: 'Nippon Tanjo')
24.	Off to War
	'The Three Treasures'  (Japanese title: 'Nippon Tanjo')
25.	Main Title
	'Battle in Outer Space'  (Japanese title:  'Uchu Daisenso')
26.	The Battle in Outer Space March 
	'Battle in Outer Space'  (Japanese title:  'Uchu Daisenso')
27.	Main Title
	'Osaka Castle Story' *6  (Japanese title:  'Osaka Jo Monogatari')
28.	The Kanto Forces Attack
	'Osaka Castle Story' *6  (Japanese title:  'Osaka Jo Monogatari')
29.	Main Title
	'Futari no Musuko' (Possible translation: 'Our Son')
30.	Main Title
	'King Kong vs. Godzilla'  (Japanese title: 'Kingukongu tai Gojira')
31.	The Plan to Transport King Kong
	'King Kong vs. Godzilla'  (Japanese title: 'Kingukongu tai Gojira')
32.	Main Title
	'47 Ronin'  (Japanese title: 'Chushingura (1962)')
33.	Raid 
	'47 Ronin'  (Japanese title: 'Chushingura (1962)')

*1  	Or alternatively 'Get Rodan!'
*2  	A more literal translation would be: 'The Martial Arts Journal of the Yagyu School'
*3  	This is a direct transliteration from the Japanese.
*4 	A more literal translation would be: 
         'The Martial Arts Journal of the Yagyu School: The 2-Headed Dragon Secret Sword'
*5	A more literal translation would be:  'The Life of a Great Swordsman'.
*6  	Personally, I prefer the translation: 'The Tale of Osaka Castle'.

Disc-2

1.	Main Title
	'Atragon' (Japanese title: 'Kaitei Gunkan')
2.	Tokyo Bay and the Undersea Battleship *1
	'Atragon'  (Japanese title: 'Kaitei Gunkan')
3.	Main Title
	'Godzilla vs. The Thing'  (Japanese title: 'Mosura tai Gojira')
4.	Reflections of the Little Beauty
	'Godzilla vs. The Thing'  (Japanese title: 'Mosura tai Gojira')
5.	Main Title 
	'Dogora, The Space Monster'  (Japanese title: 'Uchu Daikaiju Dogora')
6.	Dogora's Natural Enemy  
	'Dogora, The Space Monster'  (Japanese title: 'Uchu Daikaiju Dogora')
7.	Main Title
	'Ghidrah, The Three-Headed Monster'  
	(Japanese title: 'San Daikaiju: Chikyu Saidai no Kessen')
8.	Kurobe Valley Theme Song
	'Ghidrah, The Three-Headed Monster' 
	(Japanese title: 'San Daikaiju: Chikyu Saidai no Kessen')
9.	Main Title
	'Frankenstein Conquers the World'  
	(Japanese title: 'Furankenshutain tai Chitei Kaiju')
10.	U-Boat Attacked and Sunk
	'Frankenstein Conquers the World'  
	(Japanese title: 'Furankenshutain tai Chitei Kaiju')
11.	Main Title
	'Monster Zero'  (Japanese title: 'Kaiju Daisenso')
12.	Main Title
	'Adventure in Kigan Castle'  (Japanese title: 'Kigan Jo no Boken') 
13.	Attack of the Black Rebel(s) *2
	'Adventure in Kigan Castle'  (Japanese title: 'Kigan Jo no Boken') 
14.	Main Title
	'War of the Gargantuas'  
	(Japanese title: 'Furankenshutain no Kaiju: Sanda tai Gaira')
15.	Operation L - March 
	'War of the Gargantuas'  
	(Japanese title: 'Furankenshutain no Kaiju: Sanda tai Gaira')
16.	Main Title 
	'King Kong Escapes'  (Japanese title: 'Kingukongu no Gyakushu')
17.	Tokyo Tower Showdown
	'King Kong Escapes'  (Japanese title: 'Kingukongu no Gyakushu')
18.	The Toho Mark/Main Title
	'Destroy All Monsters'  (Japanese title: 'Kaiju Soshingeki')
19.	The Fire Dragon Pursues *3
	'Destroy All Monsters'  (Japanese title: 'Kaiju Soshingeki')
20.	Opening/Main Title 
	'Wakamono Yo: Chosen Seyo' 
	(Literal translation: 'Go For It, Young Ones!')
21.	The Proposal
	'Wakamono Yo: Chosen Seyo' 
	(Literal translation: 'Go For It, Young Ones!')
22.	Main Title 
	'Latitude Zero'  (Japanese title: 'Ido Zero Daisakusen')
23.	Utopia - Latitude Zero
	'Latitude Zero'  (Japanese title: 'Ido Zero Daisakusen')
24.	Main Title
	'Yog - Monster from Space'  
	(Japanese title: 'Gezora - Ganime - Kameba: Kessen! Nankai no Daikaiju')
25.	Main Title
	Shokon Ichidai - Tenka no Abarenbo 
	(Possible translation:  'A Lifetime of Business Savvy - The Toughest Guy Around')
26.	Main Title
	'Godzilla on Monster Island'  
	(Japanese title:  'Chikyu Kogeki Meirei: Gojira tai Gaigan')
27.	Main Title
	'Brothel No. 8'  (Japanese title: 'Sandakan Hachibanshokan Bokyo')
28.	Osaki's Recollections 
	'Brothel No. 8'  (Japanese title: 'Sandakan Hachibanshokan Bokyo')
29.	Main Title
	'The Terror of Godzilla'  (Japanese title: 'Mekagojira no Gyakushu')
30.	Katsura  Recollects 
	'The Terror of Godzilla'   (Japanese title: 'Mekagojira no Gyakushu')
31.	Main Title
	'Lady Ogin'  (Japanese title: 'Ogin-sama')
32.	Cry Me a River
	'Lady Ogin'  (Japanese title: 'Ogin-sama')


*1  	An alternate translation might be: 'Tokyo Bay and Atragon'
*2  	Or possibly 'Kurozoku Attacks'.
*3  	Or alternatively 'Pursuit of the Fire Dragon'