The Giant Majin Collection | 
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Directors: Kimiyoshi Yasuda, Kenji Misumi
Actors: Miwa Takada, Yoshihiko Aoyama, Jun Fujimaki, Yutaro Gomi, Tatsuo Endo
Studio: Image Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $12.14
You Save: $7.81 (39%)
New (16) Used (2) from $12.14
Avg. Customer Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 40925
Format: Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Full Screen, Ntsc
Languages: Japanese (Original Language), English (Dubbed)
Rating: Unrated
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 180
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: RET3681DVD
UPC: 014381368123
EAN: 0014381368123
ASIN: B000JJSKZE
Theatrical Release Date: August 9, 1968
Release Date: January 9, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW AND FACTORY SEALED
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Product Description
Bigger than Godzilla! Badder than Gamera! In 1966 the Daiei Motion Picture Co. had reached its creative zenith. Riding high on the success of its Gamera franchise the studio released a trilogy of high-quality period films (made and released in the same year) that centered around a giant stone idol that comes to life to defeat evil warlords terrorizing innocent villagers in feudal Japan. Two years later American-International Television (AIP-TV) released two of these films Majin Monster of Terror (originally Daimajin) and Return of Giant Majin (originally Daimajin Ikaru) to American television professionally dubbed into English by Titan Productions. Much like Toei's The Magic Serpent the Majin films effectively combine traditional samurai swordplay with incredible special effects making them a must-see for anybody interested in Japanese cinema. Just when you thought the AIP-TV versions had vanished for good Retromedia Entertainment plucks them out of obscurity and brings them to your home. Don't adjust your rabbit-ear antenna; forget switching to the nearest UHF station; all the nostalgic fun you need is right here on this disc!System Requirements:Running Time: 180 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: NR UPC: 014381368123 Manufacturer No: RET3681DVD
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| Customer Reviews:
 unsubtitled/unletterboxed from 16mm. Just like I remember them!!!! February 6, 2007
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
I just orered this DvD and cannot wait t get it. If Its as good as Retromedias Gamera film discs than I will have no complaints at all. All I ask of any video release of Japanese monster films is that they be as good as the ones I
saw on WDCA channel 20 in Washington DC from 1975-1985, when they ran the series Creature Feature, Sci FI Theatre and Saturday Creature Features. Yes its great to have the widescreen version with the japanese language
track. But I will never appreciate it as much as the versions I grew up with.
As for the Majin movies themselves: These are the first two films. Majin The Monster of Terror (aka D)Dimajin or Giant Majin 1966) and Return of the Giant Majin (DaiMajin ikaru or Giant Majin Becomes Enraged aka Wrath of Daimajin 1966)
These versions were dubbed and sold directly to TV by American International in 1968.
The first film had played in selected US theatres in '66 under the simple title Majin in a dubbed and subtitled version. It is uncertain why AIP never picked up the third film fr US TV.(it is entirely possible that Daiei never offered thefilm.) And since 16mm film was the standard format for UHF stations, thats how these are presented.
The third movie is called DaiMajin's Counterattack or Return of Daimajin (This second title has caused confusion in recent years sinc it is similar to AIPs title for the second film) It remained unreleased in the US
until its VHS release in the late 1990s.
If you want the third film, or widescreen, or japanese language you will want the version from ADVFILMS.
If you want to see the ones you grew up with, buy this version from Retromedia and thank Fred Olan Ray.
If the film does contain leader as the other reviews claim, Im sure it is because Fred is just trying to preserve
a feel of nostalgia. I dont mind that at all. I have come to the conclusion that people who like to make fun of these films always will, no matter how they look.
I once had a customer( I work in a video store) tell me she thought the Tri star Godzilla was fantastic and all the old ones were just a guy is a rubber suit with a visible zipper. She knew I was a fan of the "old" one
and basically was just saying that to be mean. I could have called her something terrible starting with "B" or
"C" or even "N" (it was only a temp job, who cared about getting fired). But I didnt, because I knew that basically Im cool and she isn't. She losses out, I dont. She only gets to enjoy one monster movie. I get to enjoy hundreds. She hurt my feelings , if only a little, but I decided to be the bigger man and not be mean to someone over a simple matter of taste. You cannot make the whole world happy.
But today, I am happy with both Majin video sets. Buy Retromedia's an ADV and you will literaly have every version available (I dont think there IS an english dubbed International version of Return of DaiMajin, Hopefully Im wrong). Doing this with Godzilla or even Gamera is a much harder task.
Just one note to the parents. Remember thar Majin is much more violent than his brother Gamera or Godzilla.
Majin is also a pretty scary looking character and all three films are pretty much aimed at adults, so younger kids might be a bit disturbed by him. Hes a far cry from Minya.
PS. THANKS FRED!!!
 Close Enough... January 15, 2007
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Being a huge Kaiju Eiga fan, and (unlike the previous reviewer) crazy about the Daimajin films, I had to have this, even though I do own the ADV set AND the Japanese Laserdisc set. It's rather nostalgic to see these in the English-dubbed versions I first saw in the 1960s. Obviously, these films suffer greatly from the Pan-and-Scan treatment, and the dubbed dialogue is a bit silly at times. Print quality is watchable if far from ideal, and there is one ridiculous moment in MAJIN in which there is a reel change, and the leader is actually left in there...for a split-second, an upside-down photo of a woman can actually be seen! Come on, guys- how difficult would it have been to edit that out? Is Retromedia trying to recreate the "UHF Experience" with such goofs? We may never know...if you must see the dubbed versions of these films, get this, but be advised of its inherent inferiority to the real deal. By the way: it's a dirty shame that the proposed DAIMAJIN remake was cancelled, as I know that Takashi Miike would have done a great job. Someday...
 Avoid this Retromedia version at all cost! January 12, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Retromedia strikes again with another quickie release. These movies are already available from ADV as a THREE MOVIE box set..(count them)..THE COMPLETE MAJIN COLLECTION and remastered unlike this dvd release. These versions are not letterboxed nor subtitled. If you want to enjoy the AIP dubbed releases that we all watched as kids then buy this disc....BUT if you are a serious collector looking for definative versions..AVOID this dvd at all cost.
This reviewer honestly wonders why Retromedia takes such pride in releasing these movies that aren't much better quality than the VHS tapes we seek to replace. Retromedia's asking price should be under 10 bucks for this stuff. Being a Kaiju fan, the Majin movies do not rank highly with my personal tastes but they deserve more than what this company has done with them.
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