There’s been a lot of speculation over what would be the 1000th title in the Criterion Collection, and today we got our answer. Criterion announced that it won’t be just one movie, but instead an entire box set: Godzilla: The Shōwa Era-Films, 1954-1975. The set will contain fifteen Godzilla movies including the original 1954 Godzilla (which is already on Critierion and is worth picking up if you don’t want to buy this set for some reason), King Kong vs. Godzilla, Mothra vs. Godzilla, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla and more. I know what I’m asking for this Christmas.

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Image via Criterion

Here’s a list of the special features:

  • High-definition digital transfers of all fifteen Godzilla films made between 1954 and 1975, released together for the first time, with uncompressed monaural soundtracks
  • High-definition digital transfer of Godzilla, King of the Monsters (1956), the U.S.-release version of Godzilla
  • Japanese-release version of King Kong vs. Godzilla from 1962
  • Audio commentaries from 2011 on Godzilla and Godzilla, King of the Monsters featuring film historian David Kalat
  • International English-language dub tracks for Invasion of Astro-Monster, Son of Godzilla, Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla vs. Megalon, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, and Terror of Mechagodzilla
  • Directors Guild of Japan interview with director Ishiro Honda, conducted by director Yoshimitsu Banno in 1990
  • Programs detailing the creation of Godzilla’s special effects and unused effects sequences from Toho releases including Destroy All Monsters
  • New interview with filmmaker Alex Cox about his admiration for the Showa-era Godzilla films
  • New and archival interviews with cast and crew members, including actors Bin Furuya, Tsugutoshi Komada, Haruo Nakajima, and Akira Takarada; composer Akira Ifukube; and effects technicians Yoshio Irie and Eizo Kaimai
  • Interview with critic Tadao Sato from 2011
  • Illustrated audio essay from 2011 about the real-life tragedy that inspired Godzilla
  • New English subtitle translations
  • Trailers
  • PLUS: A lavishly illustrated deluxe hardcover book featuring an essay by cinema historian Steve Ryfle, notes on the films by cinema historian Ed Godziszewski, and new illustrations by Arthur Adams, Sophie Campbell, Becky Cloonan, Jorge Coelho, Geof Darrow, Simon Gane, Robert Goodin, Benjamin Marra, Monarobot, Takashi Okazaki, Angela Rizza, Yuko Shimizu, Bill Sienkiewicz, Katsuya Terada, Ronald Wimberly, and Chris Wisnia

And here’s a list of all the movies contained in the set:

  • Godzilla
  • Godzilla Raids Again
  • King Kong vs. Godzilla
  • Mothra vs. Godzilla
  • Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
  • Invasion of Astro-Monster
  • Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
  • Son of Godzilla
  • Destroy All Monsters
  • All Monsters Attack
  • Godzilla vs. Hedorah
  • Godzilla vs. Gigan
  • Godzilla vs. Megalon
  • Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla
  • Terror of Mechagodzilla

The 8-disc set will be available on Blu-ray on October 29th and retail for $224.95 (but there’s usually a 50% off sale at Barnes & Noble in November hint hint).

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Image via Criterion
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Image via Criterion
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Image via Criterion Collection