Gamera is the ultimate in homages. Well to some its the ultimate in rip offs but that’s another story. Daiei saw it directly as a challenger and bandwagon jumper, from the GODZILLA movies. Well that was then and 12…count them 12, films later, GAMERA or Guardian of the universe or Friend of all children, is a star. In this set from Arrow, all 12 films are featured and its a sight to behold. It is also really worth talking about the set, as the person wanting this, knows the films inside and out. If you dont then I will underline the quality as this. The early films contain the blend of GODZILLA and absurdity that makes for a fun night in. The later sequel vary from terrible to energetic but they are all a much of a muchness. The reboots in the 1990s range from bold to baggy but I have a real soft spot for the 2000 version. Its overly saturated in its own absurdity.
So to start the discs.
All are 1080p version and this suits early rather than the later versions. 4K on the newer films iron out those frankly shitty DVD releases of GAMERA THE BRAVE for instance. Gone is that which looks washed out and instead night scenes are not harsh in white light. This said GAMERA VS. BARUGON and GAMERA VS. GYAOS look unbalanced. GAMERA VS. GUIRON is finally legible from its dodgy DVD version and GAMERA THE GIANT MONSTER has lost that white snow that was on my VHS. Praise be!
EXTRAS
DISC BY DISC best features.
DISC ONE – GAMERA THE GIANT MONSTER
Interview with Noriaki Yuasa, filmed by Jörg Buttgereit is special in so many ways. Its sardonic but shows that the gross master loves a fiery turtle.
DISC TWO – GAMERA VS. BARUGON / GAMERA VS. GYAOS
Commentary on Gamera vs. Gyaos by Stuart Galbraith IV is the best on this disc because he has fun with it. He gets the childhood love affair with a man in a turtle suit! High Definition (1080p) transfer of War of the Monsters, the shorter American edit of Gamera vs. Barugon, is a must for fans of the series and the films. An American take of a nippon classic is fused with interest and odd plot miss matches.
DISC THREE – GAMERA VS. VIRAS / GAMERA VS. GUIRON
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) This is the best thing on here simply for expanding the money you paid. The longer version is a little convoluted but you should see the US extended version for fun. New featurette with actor Carl Craig showing his souvenirs and props from Gamera vs. Viras. I liked that actors keep their pieces of art from a film. Though some call it stealing I call it fun. The 4th Nippon Jamboree, a promotional film for the Boy Scouts of Japan directed by Yuasa in 1966. Hilarious reaction shots are a fun time to be had by those with a passing interest in the film world and youthful abandon.
DISC FOUR – GAMERA VS. JIGER / GAMERA VS. ZIGRA / GAMERA SUPER MONSTER
Best disc in the set by a country mile. Commentary on Gamera vs. Jiger by Edward L. Holland excellent and worth its weight in turtle. Commentary by Gamera vs. Zigra by Sean Rhoads & Brooke McCorkle equally good. By having a fun time, we get that they love the film more than just at an academic level. Commentary on Gamera Super Monster by Richard Pusateri. Well informed and a bit on the silly side. Why not.
DISC FIVE – GAMERA THE GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE
DISC SIX – GAMERA 2: ATTACK OF LEGION
DISC SEVEN – GAMERA 3: REVENGE OF IRIS
All three are rammed packed with goodies. The films are a bit of a let down against it. Commentary by Matt Frank on GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE is engaging and posts a lot of questions. On-set footage from the shooting of the film’s main unit and special effects filming on ATTACK OF LEGION was like a childhood nightmare. Fun enough. IRIS had a lot to love and no clear favourite.
DISC EIGHT – GAMERA THE BRAVE
Its brilliant. Just buy the thing before it sells out.
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 by 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
