10 August 2020

Review: Gamera – The Complete Collection

Blu-ray: Gamera – The Complete Collection (1965-2006)

It has been my privilege and pleasure to review many movie box sets here at 60MW Towers since we began in 2014, and I have to begin this review by saying that “Gamera – The Complete Collection” from Arrow Films is the one that has most impressed me in both content and presentation.

If you are a Gamera fan: buy this box set.

If you are a cinephile: buy this box set.

If you are neither of the above: buy this box set…you can thank me later.

Now, why am I so impressed?

I’m not educated in the history of Gamera (though the special features in this set have certainly helped with that) so can’t comment if there are any minutiae absent on the turtle-like kaiju that hardcore fans would complain about, but as a Gamera layman, this gave me everything I wanted…and a lot more.

Lets begin with the movies themselves.

Featuring all 12 Gamera movies (and yes, you do also learn of a self-funded entry into the series too) beginning with 1965’s Gamera: The Giant Monster, all the way through to Gamera the Brave in 2006, there’s not a stone left unturned or a building left un-demolished that is a part of this very enjoyable series.

Rather than give a short review of each movie, I thought I’d include my initial Letterboxd thoughts as I was watching them. This way you’ll see my 1st impressions without giving away any spoilers for 1st time viewers (the only Gamera movie I had previously watched was Gamera: Guardian of the Universe).

Gamera: The Giant Monster (1965)

Had everything I wanted…man in a mutant turtle suit destroying model landscapes before being attacked by model planes on clearly visible wires.

Also had the added bonus of some turtle-UFO action too.

Gamera vs. Barugon (1966)

It’s 40 minutes before there’s any monster action, and 50 minutes before Gamera makes a significant appearance, but when it all kicks off there’s some great fire breathing, ice spitting, rainbow farting, people eating action…all in colour this time too.

Barugon is the main focus of this movie, as well as the greedy human “monsters” too, but thankfully we find out that Gamera didn’t make it to Mars at the end of the 1st movie and is back on Earth to save the day.

Gamera vs. Gyaos (1967)

3rd in the series and my favourite so far.

Never thought I’d see a giant roundabout used as a weapon against a monster!

Gamera vs. Viras (1968)

Weakest in the series so far, with a lower budget than the previous movie taking its toll with the use of repeat footage.

Great final sequence though, and any movie that begins with a spaceship controlled by an IKEA lightshade has to be worth watching.

Gamera vs. Guiron (1969)

Just when you thought the series couldn’t get any crazier!

Gamera vs. Jiger (1970)

Surely holds the record for the amount of times Gamera’s name is spoken in this series of movies!?

Gamera vs. Zigra (1971)

Despite having an alien spaceship that resembles the Statue of Liberty’s Crown filled with Skittles, a “Benny Hill style” foot chase around Sea World involving a female alien and 2 kids, and Gamera playing his own theme tune on the back of the movies antagonist Kaiju like a xylophone, this eco-friendly message movie suffers from a slash in the budget, the most annoying kids in the series so far, and not enough Gamera!

The last in the original series of Gamera movies unfortunately bows out with a whimper.

I’m interested to see what happens in the later movies when Gamera is resurrected and brought back to the big screen.

Gamera: Super Monster (1980)

This 8th entry into the series should really have been called “Now That’s What I Call Gamera: 8” as it is barely more than a compilation of his fights from previous movies, all just about held together by a story involving space women who seem to have a fetish for doing a crap version of the Y.M.C.A. Dance.

Throw in some awful “new” special effects where the filmmakers thought they would rival Superman, some trippy footage of Gamera in a cartoon environment, an absolutely awful Gamera song performed by a kid on a keyboard, and you are left cheering the end credits far louder than you have done for Gamera in any of his previous battles.

Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995)

This 9th Gamera movie and the 1st of the “reboot trilogy” (and also the only Gamera movie which I had previously seen) has a darker tone than previous entries and thankfully ditches the annoying kids…though I do miss the Gamera song.

In place of the kids they have Steven Seagal’s daughter…honestly! If only big Steve was in it too for one of the fight scenes.

Better effects, more rounded characters, and an explosive climatic battle scene make for an enjoyable experience…but at the expense of the inherent charm of earlier Gamera outings.

Gamera 2: Attack of the Legion (1996)

Gamera is leaner and meaner than ever in this consistently exciting 10th appearance.

The story and characters are engaging (and again no annoying child characters), the effects are so good that you’ll finally believe a terrapin can fly (that final shot!!), and the fight scenes have been pumped up to Rocky IV proportions.

If only it finished with a rock remix of the classic gamera song!

Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris (1999)

Gamera looks as badass as he’s ever done in the closing entry in this particular trilogy of his story.

An increased use of cgi effects was slightly distracting after being used to people in suits/miniatures & model work in so many of the previous movies, but they helped to tell the story and were convincing enough.

Proof positive here that the poor Sega Dreamcast should have fared much better than it did…it helped to save the world! Can the PlayStation say that?

Gamera the Brave (2006)

Going back to a more “kid friendly” vibe after the darker trilogy that preceded it, this final entry (at least so far) in the Gamera saga charmed me with it’s story centering around the relationship between Toru and Toto.

Eschewing most of the cgi effects that didn’t sit well with me in “Iris” for a welcome return of kaiju suits and miniatures, this cuter (yet still deadly) version of our hero made me smile all the way through…especially when you get scenes which include him stuck halfway out of a skyscraper with his backend flapping in the wind.

The final 2 words spoken bring this 12 movie series to a fitting end…as does an end credits sequence which reminds everyone of where Gamera first started.

Hopefully those initial thoughts I jotted down after I watched each movie whet your appetite for them if you’ve never seen them before, and if you’re a longtime fan, then I hope they didn’t offend you too much!?

Either way, re-reading them now as I write this review has already made me want to go back to the beginning and revisit them all.

The movies however only begin to scratch the surface of what you get with this box set.

The packaging is sublime, with everything encased in a large-format rigid box, fully illustrated by Matt Frank which is both colourful and eye-catching.

There’s a 130 page hardback comic book (full details below), an 80 page book, a double sided poster, and art cards for each movie.

If ever a Blu-ray box set deserved a “box opening” video, then this is it.

The 8 Blu-ray discs are packed with extras that will add a huge amount of enjoyment to your Gamera experience, as well as educating you with all sorts of information about happenings both in front of and behind the camera.

One of my favourites are the short 5 minute(ish) introductions by August Ragone, which briefly (and entertainingly) set-up each movie before watching it.

These introductions are just the verbal aperitif to a multi-course menu of audio and video special features which grace each disc and give many hours of entertainment when the end credits have rolled on each movie.

Multiple commentary tracks, behind the scenes features, interviews, promo films, featurettes, and gargantuan documentaries that are even bigger than Gamera himself, are all waiting to help satiate your inevitable thirst for more kaiju knowledge after completing your journey through all the movies.

Even small details like beautiful menu-screen artwork are covered, with each movie having its own particular menu screen, every one of which I’d happily have as my computer wallpaper, or hung framed on the wall.

This is a movie set which looks great on your shelves, looks even better when opened up, and is choc-full of superb content…which of course includes 12 movies which will entertain and delight the whole family.

Do yourself a favour and pre-order now.

COLLECTOR’S EDITION BOXSET CONTENTS

Limited collectors’ edition packaging, housed in a large-format rigid box, fully illustrated by Matt Frank
Casebound, fully-illustrated disc book containing eight Blu-ray discs
High Definition (1080p) versions of all twelve films, with lossless original Japanese audio and a complete collection of English dub tracks, including classic American International dubs on the Showa-era films remastered from original MGM elements
Hardback 130-page comic book including a full-colour reprint of the four-issue Gamera comic series originally released by Dark Horse Comics in 1996, and the first-ever English-language printing of the prequel comic The Last Hope by Matt Frank and Joshua Bugosh
Perfect-bound 80-page book including a new retrospective on the series by Patrick Macias, an archive interview with Noriaki Yuasa by David Milner, kaiju X-ray illustrations by Jolyon Yates, Fangoria set reports on the Heisei trilogy by Norman England, and a viewers’ guide to the English-dubbed versions of the films
Double-sided four-panel poster of “Gamera’s Map of Japan” in both Japanese and English
Collectors’ artcards for each film, featuring new artwork by Matt Frank

DISC ONE – GAMERA THE GIANT MONSTER

High Definition (1080p) transfer of Gamera the Giant Monster, with lossless original Japanese and dubbed English mono audio, and optional English subtitles
Commentary and newly filmed introduction by August Ragone
High Definition (1080p) transfer of Gammera the Invincible (Blu-ray premiere), the American theatrical version of the film, with lossless mono audio and optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Remembering the Gamera Series, an archive featurette from 1991, including interviews with director Noriaki Yuasa, writer Nisan Takahashi and others
Interview with Noriaki Yuasa, filmed by Jörg Buttgereit in 2002
Gamera Special, an hour-long best-of compilation supervised by Noriaki Yuasa in 1991
Alternate English credits
Trailer and image galleries

DISC TWO – GAMERA VS. BARUGON / GAMERA VS. GYAOS

High Definition (1080p) transfers of Gamera vs. Barugon and Gamera vs. Gyaos, with lossless original Japanese and dubbed English mono audio, and optional English subtitles
Commentary on Gamera vs. Barugon by August Ragone & Jason Varney
Commentary on Gamera vs. Gyaos by Stuart Galbraith IV
Newly filmed introductions to both films by August Ragone
High Definition (1080p) transfer of War of the Monsters, the shorter American edit of Gamera vs. Barugon, with lossless English audio
Alternate English credits for both films
Trailer and image galleries

DISC THREE – GAMERA VS. VIRAS / GAMERA VS. GUIRON

High Definition (1080p) transfers of Gamera vs. Viras and Gamera vs. Guiron, with lossless original Japanese and dubbed English mono audio, and optional English subtitles
Choice of three different versions of Gamera vs. Viras via seamless branching (72-minute Theatrical Version, 81-minute Director’s Version and 90-minute US Extended Version)
Commentary on Gamera vs. Viras by Carl Craig and Jim Cironella
Commentary on Gamera vs. Guiron by David Kalat
Newly filmed introductions to both films by August Ragone
New featurette with actor Carl Craig showing his souvenirs and props from Gamera vs. Viras
Highlights from the G-FEST X convention in 2003, featuring Noriaki Yuasa and Carl Craig
The 4th Nippon Jamboree, a promotional film for the Boy Scouts of Japan directed by Yuasa in 1966
Alternate English credits for both films
Trailer and image galleries

DISC FOUR – GAMERA VS. JIGER / GAMERA VS. ZIGRA / GAMERA SUPER MONSTER

High Definition (1080p) transfers of Gamera vs. Jiger, Gamera vs. Zigra and Gamera Super Monster, with lossless original Japanese and dubbed English mono audio, and optional English subtitles
Commentary on Gamera vs. Jiger by Edward L. Holland
Commentary on Gamera vs. Zigra by Sean Rhoads & Brooke McCorkle
Commentary on Gamera Super Monster by Richard Pusateri
Newly filmed introductions to all three films by August Ragone
Alternate English credits for all three films
Trailer and image galleries

DISC FIVE – GAMERA THE GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE

High Definition (1080p) transfer of Gamera the Guardian of the Universe, from a 4K restoration by Kadokawa Pictures
Original Japanese and dubbed English DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio, with optional English subtitles
Commentary by Matt Frank
Newly filmed introduction by August Ragone
A Testimony of 15 Years: Part 1, the first in an epic three-part documentary interviewing cast and crew of the Heisei Trilogy
Interviews with director Shusuke Kaneko and SFX director Shinji Higuchi, filmed by Jörg Buttgereit in 2002
Extended 90-min interview with Shinji Higuchi from 2001, focusing on the trilogy’s special effects
Behind the scenes featurettes tracing the film’s production from announcement to release
Alternate English credits
Trailer and image galleries

DISC SIX – GAMERA 2: ATTACK OF LEGION

High Definition (1080p) transfer of Gamera 2: Attack of Legion, from a 4K restoration by Kadokawa Pictures
Original Japanese and dubbed English DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio, with optional English subtitles
Commentary by Kyle Yount
Newly filmed introduction by August Ragone
A Testimony of 15 Years: Part 2, the next part of the documentary interviewing cast and crew of the Heisei Trilogy
On-set footage from the shooting of the film’s main unit and special effects filming
Behind the scenes featurettes tracing the film’s production from announcement to release
Alternate English credits
“Lake Texarkana” comedic dub track
Trailer and image galleries

DISC SEVEN – GAMERA 3: REVENGE OF IRIS

High Definition (1080p) transfer of Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris, from a 4K restoration by Kadokawa Pictures
Original Japanese and dubbed English DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio, with optional English subtitles
Commentary by Steve Ryfle & Ed Godziszewski
Newly filmed introduction by August Ragone
A Testimony of 15 Years: Part 3, the final part of the documentary interviewing cast and crew of the Heisei Trilogy
Newly filmed interview with Kaho Tsutsumi about the DNA Tokasatsu exhibition in Tokyo, by kaiju historian Edward L. Holland
Behind the scenes featurettes tracing the film’s production from announcement to release
Deleted Scenes
The Awakening of Irys (Remix), a montage of behind-the-scenes footage and work-in-progress special effects footage
Alternate English credits
Spoof commentary by “Gamera” & “Soldier No.6”
Trailer and image galleries

DISC EIGHT – GAMERA THE BRAVE

High Definition (1080p) transfer of Gamera the Brave
Original Japanese and dubbed English DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio, with optional English subtitles
Commentary by Keith Aiken & Bob Johnson
How to Make a Gamera Movie, a featurette hosted by director Ryuta Tasaki
Behind The Scenes of Gamera the Brave, an all-access on-set documentary
The Men That Made Gamera, a documentary looking back at the series from start to finish, featuring interviews with cast and crew
Opening Day Premiere, a featurette showing the cast and crew presenting the film at its first showing
Kaho’s Summer, an interview with the film’s young star
Special Effects Supercut, a montage of effects shots overseen by FX supervisor Hajime Matsumoto
Trailer and image galleries

Gamera – The Complete Collection is released on 17th August 2020.

Review by Dave from discs kindly supplied by Arrow Films.