Gamera vs. Viras
Encyclopedia
is the fourth entry in the original Gamera
film series.
intervenes and destroys the alien vessel; but before the ship is destroyed, the aliens broadcast a warning to their world stating Gamera as their enemy.
Later on earth a Boy Scout
troop is visiting an aquarium to the scientists working on a small two-man submarine. Masao and Jim, two of the scouts manage to talk their way aboard the sub. While in the water they spot Gamera who engages in a little race with the boys. However, their hijinks come to an end when the second alien vessel envelops the both of them in a super-catch ray. Releasing the boys, Gamera remains trapped in the force field while the aliens scan his memory-waves. They learn of Gamera's one weakness, his soft spot for children. Soon after, the field weakens and Gamera is free. The aliens capture Jim and Masao, threatening to kill the boys. Powerless, Gamera lands. Attaching a brain-wave control device to Gamera's head, the aliens force the turtle kaiju to do their bidding.
While aboard the spaceship, the boys continually try to escape. Gamera, however (under the influence of the aliens) is destroying dams and cities by the handful. Jim and Masao discover a squid-like creature, thinking he is another captive of the aliens. In fact he is the leader of the aliens. The boys help Gamera break from the brain-wave device, and he begins to attack the spaceship. Grounded by Gamera, the aliens reveal that their human forms were just disguises. The aliens merge to form the giant monster Viras. Gamera and Viras duke it out in a big beachside battle. Gamera manages to pull Viras into the atmosphere, freezing him to death.
yields nineteen minutes of stock footage for this film, making it second only to Gamera: Super Monster
in its use of stock footage. The film was titled Destroy All Planets in US distribution as an attempt to capitalize on the success of Toho
's Godzilla
film Destroy All Monsters
(1968).
. The films include the original Japanese dialogue with English subtitles. It also includes the original AIP-TV English dub.
Vintage Home Entertainment
St. Clair Entertainment
Shout! Factory
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...
film series.
Plot
A deadly alien force approaches earth. 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...
intervenes and destroys the alien vessel; but before the ship is destroyed, the aliens broadcast a warning to their world stating Gamera as their enemy.
Later on earth a Boy Scout
Boy Scout
A Scout is a boy or a girl, usually 11 to 18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split this age group into a junior and a senior section...
troop is visiting an aquarium to the scientists working on a small two-man submarine. Masao and Jim, two of the scouts manage to talk their way aboard the sub. While in the water they spot Gamera who engages in a little race with the boys. However, their hijinks come to an end when the second alien vessel envelops the both of them in a super-catch ray. Releasing the boys, Gamera remains trapped in the force field while the aliens scan his memory-waves. They learn of Gamera's one weakness, his soft spot for children. Soon after, the field weakens and Gamera is free. The aliens capture Jim and Masao, threatening to kill the boys. Powerless, Gamera lands. Attaching a brain-wave control device to Gamera's head, the aliens force the turtle kaiju to do their bidding.
While aboard the spaceship, the boys continually try to escape. Gamera, however (under the influence of the aliens) is destroying dams and cities by the handful. Jim and Masao discover a squid-like creature, thinking he is another captive of the aliens. In fact he is the leader of the aliens. The boys help Gamera break from the brain-wave device, and he begins to attack the spaceship. Grounded by Gamera, the aliens reveal that their human forms were just disguises. The aliens merge to form the giant monster Viras. Gamera and Viras duke it out in a big beachside battle. Gamera manages to pull Viras into the atmosphere, freezing him to death.
Production notes
In the U.S. version of the film, the memory-scan of 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...
yields nineteen minutes of stock footage for this film, making it second only to Gamera: Super Monster
Gamera: Super Monster
, a 1980 kaiju film, was the belated final entry in the Shōwa Gamera series, and the last Gamera film written by Nisan Takahashi and directed by Noriaki Yuasa. It relied heavily on stock footage from previous Gamera films. This movie was made when Daiei was brought out of bankruptcy by the Tokuma...
in its use of stock footage. The film was titled Destroy All Planets in US distribution as an attempt to capitalize on the success of Toho
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
's 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,...
film Destroy All Monsters
Destroy All Monsters
Destroy All Monsters, released in Japan as , is a 1968 Japanese horror Science fiction Kaiju film. The ninth in Toho Studios' Godzilla series, it was directed by Ishirō Honda with special effects by Sadamasa Arikawa This is the fifth film to feature Mothra, third to feature King Ghidorah, fourth...
(1968).
2010 DVD Release
Shout! Factory released the film on September 21, 2010 as a double feature with Gamera vs. GyaosGamera vs. Gyaos
is a 1967 daikaiju eiga featuring the giant turtle Gamera by the Daiei Motion Picture Company. Gamera vs. Gyaos was released in the United States by AIP-TV as Return of the Giant Monsters, and later by Sandy Frank as Gamera vs. Gaos...
. The films include the original Japanese dialogue with English subtitles. It also includes the original AIP-TV English dub.
DVD releases
Alpha Video- Released: July 22, 2003
- Aspect Ratio: Full screen (1.33:1)
- Sound: English mono
- Region: 1
- Note: Features the American version of the film, Destroy All Planets.
Vintage Home Entertainment
- Released: May 17, 2005
- Aspect Ratio: Full screen (1.33:1)
- Sound: English mono
- Region: 1
- Note: Gamera: The Ultimate Collection three-film DVD set. Features the American version of the film, Destroy All Planets. Also includes GameraGamera (film)is a 1965 daikaiju eiga 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...
and Gamera vs. BarugonGamera vs. Barugonis 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...
.
St. Clair Entertainment
- Released: February 19, 2008
- Aspect Ratio: Full screen (1.33:1)
- Sound: English mono
- Region: All
- Note: Monsters Unleashed nine-film DVD set. Features the American version of the film, Destroy All Planets. Also includes GameraGamera (film)is a 1965 daikaiju eiga 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...
, Gamera vs. BarugonGamera vs. Barugonis 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...
, Gamera vs. GyaosGamera vs. Gyaosis a 1967 daikaiju eiga featuring the giant turtle Gamera by the Daiei Motion Picture Company. Gamera vs. Gyaos was released in the United States by AIP-TV as Return of the Giant Monsters, and later by Sandy Frank as Gamera vs. Gaos...
, Gamera vs. JigerGamera vs. Jigeris a 1970 kaiju film by the Daiei Motion Picture Company. It is the sixth entry in the original Gamera series.-Plot:In Gamera vs. Jiger, Gamera has his hands full right from the very beginning. Japan is preparing for the 1970 World's Fair, to be held in Osaka. Construction of the various buildings...
, YonggaryYonggaryYonggary or Yongary , also known as Yongary, Monster from the Deep, is a 1967 South Korean Kaiju film directed by prominent genre-film director Kim Ki-duk...
, Daikyojū GappaDaikyoju Gappais a 1967 Kaiju film. The film was produced by Nikkatsu Corporation, and was their only foray into the giant monster genre. The foreign sales title for the film was Gappa: The Triphibian Monster, and was dubbed into English...
, Warning from SpaceWarning from Spaceis a Japanese science fiction tokusatsu film released in January 1956 by Daiei, and was the first Japanese science fiction film to be produced in color. In the film's plot, starfish-like aliens disguised as humans travel to Earth to warn of the imminent collision of a rogue planet and Earth...
, and The Giant Gila MonsterThe Giant Gila MonsterThe Giant Gila Monster is a 1959 black-and-white science fiction film directed by Ray Kellogg, and produced by Ken Curtis. It stars Don Sullivan, Lisa Simone, as well as Fred Graham, Shug Fisher and Bob Thompson. This low-budget B-Movie featured a cast of unknown actors, and the effects included a...
.
Shout! Factory
- Released: September 21, 2010
- Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1)
- Sound: Japanese mono and English mono
- Region: 1
- Note: Features the original Japanese version of the film with English Subtitles, English dubbing by AIP ProductionsAmerican International PicturesAmerican 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...
, and a Publicity Gallery on Production Stills.
External links
- Gamera web archive (Japanese)
- Variety WeeklyVariety (magazine)Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
. May 22, 1968.