This is not only one of the 2 films that I don’t personally own, but it is also the only Gamera film that I haven’t even seen. I’m not absolutely sure that I want to see it anyway, considering the reviews that I have read. Apparently, this film was made almost entirely using stock footage from previous Gamera films. At this point in time, Daiei (The studio who produces the Gamera films, now Kadokawa Pictures) was trying to recover from their 1971 bankruptcy and were desperately trying to get back on their feet. This movie didn’t accomplish that, and the world was to go 15 years without a new Gamera film.
UPDATE: I have now seen this movie and it must be said that it wasn’t as bad as I had feared. It was indeed the stock footage fest that I had read about. In fact, every fight scene in the movie is footage from the previous Gamera films. While this would upset most fans, I actually enjoyed it. This was the first time that I had the opportunity to see these scenes in a pristine, widescreen presentation, as opposed to the typical badly cropped, age-worn, pan-and-scan prints that most of us outside of Japan have become accustomed.
Man, that van has got “Mystery Machine” written all over it. Unfortunately (Or fortunately, I suppose), the version that I was able to acquire was in Japanese only, with no subtitles. Sure, it was a good chance for me to practice my Japanese listening comprehension skills, however it was not the best circumstances to judge the plot of a film. Had I to hazard a guess, I would assume that this one is disjointed and confusing regardless of your understanding of the language in which it happens to be presented. Plus the "Kenny” in the film was perhaps the most annoying child in cinema history.
“It puts the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again!!!”There are also quite a few tributes (read: rip-offs) to other films. Superman, Star Wars, and Godzilla, to name a few. There is quite a bit of product placement, as well. The first few minutes of the film could best be described as an infomercial for Shonen Jump (A popular manga magazine for kids). But hey, not one annoying bit of environmental propaganda, so huzzah for Gamera!!!
All in all, not a very good movie, and an even worse way to end the Gamera series. Fortunately for fans of the rampaging reptile, this turtle would not stay dead for long.
-Derek Miller
4/22/06
Interesting Facts
- This is a bad movie.
- This would be the last Gamera movie for 15 years
