Mill Creek Entertainment brings Gamera to Blu-Ray in their original Japanese Cuts and titles, with Volume 1 of the “Gamera: Ultimate Collection.” Bringing the fourst four films of the Gamera saga, Volume 1 a great re-visiting of Daiei Film’s answer to Toho’s Godzilla. Gamera, unlike Godzilla, is a consistently changing big screen kaiju who is originally introduced as a gigantic menace who eventually becomes an intergalactic guardian. “Gamera: The Giant Monster (1965)” is the first film in the saga that is known by many for being spoofed on “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” On its own, it’s a solid giant monster film about a gargantuan fire breathing turtle with rocket packs in its shell, and abilities that seemingly pop out of nowhere whenever a sequel deems it convenient.
After being awakened by a nuclear bomb, Gamera emerges from the ice to wreak havoc on planet Earth. And for some odd reason a young boy sees goodness in him, despite destroying a quarter of the planet. We always hurt the ones we love. “Gamera” is a creative monster that really doesn’t pose much menace, no matter how large or snaggle toothed he is. But director Noriaki Yuasa at least tries his best to make Gamera a valid kaiju icon that can hold its own against Godzilla. “Gamera vs. Barugon (1966)” is the return of Gamera who, at the end of the first movie, is launched in to space. He returns to Earth to inexplicably save it from the evil Barugon, a monster with the ability to freeze objects.
This is the first of the vs. monster movies from Gamera, and inexplicably begins turning Gamera in to a protector who can shoot rainbows, apart from his rocket shell and fire power. “Barugon” is a tedious sequel with a long drawn out plot before we see giant monsters brawling, but it’s worthy of a chuckle to see Gamera battle the goofy horned Barugon. “Gamera vs. Gyaos (1967)” features Gamera returning once again when a volcano erupts, which awakens yet another evil monster named Gyaos. Man, there’s monsters all over that land. The evil Gyaos is an obvious rip off of Rodan, except he’s a flying monster who works like a vampire monster with the ability to shoot lasers, feed on blood, and really hates sunlight. You have to appreciate how Japan has giant tubs of blood at the ready.
While flimsy in design, Gyaos is at least an interesting and unique monster with a menacing design that undercuts Gamera’s camp. The final film in the first volume is “Gamera vs. Viras (1968)” is the most science fiction-centric of the Gamera films so far, centering on an alien force from outer space that plans to control Gamera, using their machine to supply audiences with a montage of monster fights from the past films in the series. Meanwhile two annoying boy scouts that also love Gamera, board the alien ship trying to figure out how to save Gamera, while spouting his name a thousand times in the course of ninety minutes. When their efforts to control Gamera fail, the aliens become the giant squid monster Viras and battle Gamera to the death. If you like glorified clip shows that double as padding for a movie with only about thirty minutes of story in it, the 1968 film is a lazy but hilarious patch job. The set is bereft of special features, but if you’re in the market for restored uncut Gamera films with the original subtitles, this is definitely a set for Gamera and Kaiju enthusiasts.