Gamera (film)
Encyclopedia
is a 1965 daikaiju
eiga (Japanese giant monster film) about a giant turtle named Gamera
. The film is similar in nature to the popular Godzilla
films, and is also the first in a series of films about Gamera
. It was one of five Gamera films to be featured in episodes of the movie-mocking television show Mystery Science Theater 3000
.
's awakening from the accidental detonation of an atomic bomb as a result of an aerial assault by American
fighters on Soviet bombers caught crossing into North American airspace. Gamera wastes no time in causing a rampage of destruction, first destroying a Japanese research ship, then making its way to Japan
to wreak havoc. In an attempt to stop the giant turtle, Gamera is sedated with a freezing agent on a precipice, and powerful explosives are placed at the base. The explosion knocks the monster on its back, and while it seems as though mankind has scored a victory, this is not the case: Gamera reveals its ability to fly. The monster arrives in Haneda airport and destroys most of Tokyo
. The military attempts to lure it to an island with fire, which it eats, and kill it, but the creature is distracted when a volcano erupts. Gamera goes to eat the lava instead. A new strategy, Plan Z, is devised to stop the monster, this time by baiting it into a space rocket bound for Mars
. The plan is successful and the Earth is safe from Gamera.
. Gammera the Invincibles American premiere was in New Orleans on December 15, 1966. Gammera the Invincible was heavily re-edited from its original Japanese version. Scenes were moved around and some were deleted completely. New footage featuring American actors was spliced in to create a more international feel and to replace scenes shot in the original cut featuring American extras. These new scenes featured actors such as Albert Dekker
, Brian Donlevy
, and John Baragrey
. The film was dubbed by Titan Productions, Inc. It features the voices of Jack Curtis and Peter Fernandez, who are best known as voices on Speed Racer
and Ultraman
.
During the 1980s, Sandy Frank
re-dubbed and distributed the original Gamera series on VHS for home video. The Sandy Frank version, titled simply Gamera, is the Japanese version of the film dubbed into English. It does not contain any of the edits or added footage from the Gammera the Invincible version. The only change is the opening credits, which replace the originals, with new ones electronically laid in over a stock shot of the ocean. This is the version that was seen in Mystery Science Theater 3000.
, acquired the rights from Kadokawa Pictures
for all eight of the Showa
Gamera
films and they will be issuing the original, uncut, Japanese versions on DVD for the first time ever in North America. These "Special Edition" DVDs are being released in sequential order, starting with Gamera: The Giant Monster on May 18, 2010. The subsequent titles will follow throughout 2010 and early 2011 (tentative), starting with the first sequel, Gamera vs. Barugon
(1966) will follow on July 6, 2010.
St. Clair Entertainment
Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory
Kaiju
is a Japanese word that means "strange beast," but often translated in English as "monster". Specifically, it is used to refer to a genre of tokusatsu entertainment....
eiga (Japanese giant monster film) about a giant turtle named Gamera
Gamera
is a giant, flying turtle from a popular series of kaiju films produced by Daiei Motion Picture Company in Japan. Created in 1965 to rival the success of Toho Studios' Godzilla during the daikaiju boom of the mid-to-late 1960s, Gamera has gained fame and notoriety as a Japanese icon in his own...
. The film is similar in nature to the popular Godzilla
Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
films, and is also the first in a series of films about Gamera
Gamera
is a giant, flying turtle from a popular series of kaiju films produced by Daiei Motion Picture Company in Japan. Created in 1965 to rival the success of Toho Studios' Godzilla during the daikaiju boom of the mid-to-late 1960s, Gamera has gained fame and notoriety as a Japanese icon in his own...
. It was one of five Gamera films to be featured in episodes of the movie-mocking television show Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
.
Plot
The film opens with GameraGamera
is a giant, flying turtle from a popular series of kaiju films produced by Daiei Motion Picture Company in Japan. Created in 1965 to rival the success of Toho Studios' Godzilla during the daikaiju boom of the mid-to-late 1960s, Gamera has gained fame and notoriety as a Japanese icon in his own...
's awakening from the accidental detonation of an atomic bomb as a result of an aerial assault by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fighters on Soviet bombers caught crossing into North American airspace. Gamera wastes no time in causing a rampage of destruction, first destroying a Japanese research ship, then making its way to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to wreak havoc. In an attempt to stop the giant turtle, Gamera is sedated with a freezing agent on a precipice, and powerful explosives are placed at the base. The explosion knocks the monster on its back, and while it seems as though mankind has scored a victory, this is not the case: Gamera reveals its ability to fly. The monster arrives in Haneda airport and destroys most of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. The military attempts to lure it to an island with fire, which it eats, and kill it, but the creature is distracted when a volcano erupts. Gamera goes to eat the lava instead. A new strategy, Plan Z, is devised to stop the monster, this time by baiting it into a space rocket bound for Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
. The plan is successful and the Earth is safe from Gamera.
English versions
This was the only film in the original Gamera series to be released to American theaters. It was originally presented in America by World Entertainment Corp. and Harris Associates, Inc. who re-named the film Gammera the Invincible. All subsequent entries in the series were released directly to television by American International Productions TelevisionAmerican International Pictures
American International Pictures was a film production company formed in April 1956 from American Releasing Corporation by James H. Nicholson, former Sales Manager of Realart Pictures, and Samuel Z. Arkoff, an entertainment lawyer...
. Gammera the Invincibles American premiere was in New Orleans on December 15, 1966. Gammera the Invincible was heavily re-edited from its original Japanese version. Scenes were moved around and some were deleted completely. New footage featuring American actors was spliced in to create a more international feel and to replace scenes shot in the original cut featuring American extras. These new scenes featured actors such as Albert Dekker
Albert Dekker
Albert Dekker was an American character actor and politician best known for his roles in Dr. Cyclops, The Killers, Kiss Me Deadly, and The Wild Bunch. He is sometimes credited as Albert Van Dekker or Albert van Dekker...
, Brian Donlevy
Brian Donlevy
Brian Donlevy was an Irish-born American film actor, noted for playing tough guys from the 1930s to the 1960s. He usually appeared in supporting roles. Among his best known films are Beau Geste and The Great McGinty...
, and John Baragrey
John Baragrey
John Baragrey was an American film, television, and stage actor who appeared in virtually every dramatic television series of the 1950s and early 60s...
. The film was dubbed by Titan Productions, Inc. It features the voices of Jack Curtis and Peter Fernandez, who are best known as voices on Speed Racer
Speed Racer
Speed Racer is an English adaptation name of the Japanese manga and anime, which centered on automobile racing. Mach GoGoGo was originally serialized in print form in Shueisha's 1958 Shōnen Book, and was released in tankōbon book form by Sun Wide Comics, re-released in Japan by Fusosha...
and Ultraman
Ultraman
is Japanese television series that first aired in 1966. Ultraman, the first and best-known of the "Ultra-Crusaders," made his debut in the tokusatsu SF/kaiju/superhero TV series, , a follow-up to the television series Ultra Q...
.
During the 1980s, Sandy Frank
Sandy Frank
Sandy Frank is an American television producer and international TV program distributor as well as a marketer of TV shows to US networks.-Early life and career:...
re-dubbed and distributed the original Gamera series on VHS for home video. The Sandy Frank version, titled simply Gamera, is the Japanese version of the film dubbed into English. It does not contain any of the edits or added footage from the Gammera the Invincible version. The only change is the opening credits, which replace the originals, with new ones electronically laid in over a stock shot of the ocean. This is the version that was seen in Mystery Science Theater 3000.
2010 DVD Release
It has been announced that a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, Shout! FactoryShout! Factory
Shout! Factory is an entertainment company founded in 2003 that was started by Richard Foos , Bob Emmer and Garson Foos initially as a specialty music label...
, acquired the rights from Kadokawa Pictures
Kadokawa Pictures
is a Japanese movie studio.-History:One of the most famous studios in Japan and founded in 1942 as , it is best known for having produced the giant monster Gamera film series and the Daimajin Trilogy. It also produced the Zatoichi and Nemuri Kyoshiro film series and the television series Shōnen Jet...
for all eight of the Showa
Showa era (daikaiju eiga)
In the terminology of daikaiju eiga the Shōwa Era refers not to the actual reign of the Shōwa emperor but to all daikaiju eiga made between 1954 and 1980...
Gamera
Gamera
is a giant, flying turtle from a popular series of kaiju films produced by Daiei Motion Picture Company in Japan. Created in 1965 to rival the success of Toho Studios' Godzilla during the daikaiju boom of the mid-to-late 1960s, Gamera has gained fame and notoriety as a Japanese icon in his own...
films and they will be issuing the original, uncut, Japanese versions on DVD for the first time ever in North America. These "Special Edition" DVDs are being released in sequential order, starting with Gamera: The Giant Monster on May 18, 2010. The subsequent titles will follow throughout 2010 and early 2011 (tentative), starting with the first sequel, Gamera vs. Barugon
Gamera vs. Barugon
is a 1966 daikaiju eiga featuring the giant turtle Gamera produced and distributed by Daiei Motion Picture Company. The film is the second to feature Gamera. Gamera vs. Barugon was released in the United States by AIP-TV as War of the Monsters, and then later by Sandy Frank as Gamera vs. Barugon...
(1966) will follow on July 6, 2010.
DVD releases
Alpha Video- Released: May 20, 2003
St. Clair Entertainment
- Released: February 19, 2008
Shout! Factory
- Released: May 18, 2010
Shout! Factory
- Second release: August 2, 2011
- Note: Contained in the MST3K Volume XXI set with the other MST3K Season 3 Gamera episodes, Gamera vs. Barugon, Gamera vs. Zigra, Gamera vs. Gyaos, and Gamera vs. Gurion .