Godzilla vs Biollante (Criterion) 03/25 Blu-ray (Rental)

Diving into delirious realms of imagination, this second film of the Godzilla franchise’s 1980s resurgence showcased the towering beast for a new generation of fans. This time, Godzilla’s foe is one of the series’ most wondrously strange kaiju creations: Biollante—a mutant plant genetically engineered from the cells of a rose, a renegade scientist’s dead daughter, and Godzilla itself. With a wild plot encompassing spies, psychic children, and bonkers biotechnology—and some of the coolest special effects in the history of Japanese cinema—Godzilla vs. Biollante stands as a high point in the ever-evolving mythology of the King of the Monsters. BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES New 4K digital restoration, with 5.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack New audio commentary featuring film historian Samm Deighan, host of the podcast Eros + Massacre and coeditor of the book Revolution in 35mm Making-of program from 1993 featuring director Kazuki Omori and special-effects director Koichi Kawakita, among others Short documentary from 1993 about the Biollante and Super X2 vehicle concepts Deleted special effects TV spots and trailers New English subtitle translation PLUS: An essay by science-fiction and horror film expert Jim Cirronella