How to Collect Godzilla Movies

If you're interested in a certain fire-breathing giant lizard from Tokyo, you might want to collect all the movies ever made featuring this arguably lovable creature. We're talking, of course, about Godzilla, a monster movie icon since the mid-1950s. Godzilla became so popular that his recognition grew outside of his native country, and he's as recognizable in America as he is in Japan. Here's how to collect Godzilla movies.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Compile a definitive list of all Godzilla movies. From 1954 to 2004, there have been 29 movies featuring everyone's favorite prehistoric monster.

2. Search for all versions of Godzilla movies. For a complete collection, you'll want to have the original Japanese versions as well as the Americanized films. For instance, the original Godzilla movie from 1954 is titled "Gojira" in Japan and became "Godzilla" in the American-dubbed version.

3. Go to video stores such as Blockbuster to find the later Godzilla movies. You might find DVDs of Godzilla movies from 2000 on, including "Godzilla vs Megaguirus" (2000), "Godzilla X MechaGodzilla" (2002), "Godzilla: Tokyo SOS" (2003) and "Godzilla: Final Wars" (2004).

4. Attend science-fiction, comic or anime conventions to locate hard-to-find Godzilla titles. Toho Studios has been re-releasing original Japanese versions of Godzilla movies on high-quality DVDs with digital sound and picture.

5. Log onto eBay to see if anyone is auctioning off Godzilla movie collections. You might get lucky and find someone who has decided she is no longer as big a fan of Godzilla as she once thought and has decided to sell off her movie collection.

6. Visit local comic book and specialty shops. Some of these types of stores might carry an inventory of Godzilla movies on both VHS and DVD.

Tips & Warnings

• All of the Americanized versions of Godzilla movies prior to 1985 are available on VHS, from the cheapest recordings in SLP to higher quality sound and picture. Not all can be found on DVD.
• TriStar has released DVDs of all American versions of Godzilla movies from 1985 to the present.
• Look for releases of original Americanized versions of Godzilla movies being released by Toho Studios. Most Americanized releases were heavily edited upon their initial release, and the originals are what is being released on DVDs.
• Check any DVD you are purchasing at conventions. Some dealers might be selling bootleg copies of Godzilla movies. Make sure you are buying an authentic copy.