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|type =''[[Gamera (franchise)|{{glow|Gamera}}]]'' [[:Category:Gamera Films|{{glow|films}}]] | |type =''[[Gamera (franchise)|{{glow|Gamera}}]]'' [[:Category:Gamera Films|{{glow|films}}]] | ||
|name =''Gamera | |name =''Gamera Super Monster'' | ||
|prev =Gamera vs. Zigra | |prev =Gamera vs. Zigra | ||
|prevname =''Gamera vs. Zigra'' | |prevname =''Gamera vs. Zigra'' | ||
|next =Gamera | |next =Gamera the Guardian of the Universe | ||
|nextname =''Gamera | |nextname =''Gamera the Guardian of the Universe'' | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{Infobox Film|ratings=yes | {{Infobox Film|ratings=yes | ||
|type1 =Charcoal | |type1 =Charcoal | ||
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|image = | |image =10479726_425560977599736_5962234640660771414_n.jpg | ||
|caption =The Japanese poster for Gamera | |caption =The Japanese poster for Gamera Super Monster | ||
|dt =''Gamera | |dt =''Gamera Super Monster'' (1980) | ||
|name =''Gamera | |name =''Gamera Super Monster''|titles=yes|alt-titles=yes | ||
|jp-title =''Space Monster Gamera'' (1980) | |jp-title =''Space Monster Gamera'' (1980) | ||
|us-title =''Gamera Super Monster'' (1980) | |||
|intl-title =''Super Monster'' (1980) | |||
|director =[[Noriaki Yuasa]] | |director =[[Noriaki Yuasa]] | ||
|producer = | |producer =Hirozaki Oba et al. | ||
|writer =[[Nisan Takahashi]] | |writer =[[Nisan Takahashi]] | ||
|composer =[[Shunsuke Kikuchi]] | |composer =[[Shunsuke Kikuchi]] | ||
|distributor =[[ | |sfx =[[Noriaki Yuasa]] | ||
|produced =[[Daiei Film|Daiei Film Releasing]] | |||
|distributor =[[Daiei Film|Daiei Film Releasing]]{{sup|[[Japan|JP]]}}, [[American International Pictures|Filmways]]{{sup|[[United States|US]]}} | |||
|rating =Not Rated | |rating =Not Rated | ||
|budget =~¥200 million{{#tag:ref|The film's [[theater program]] estimates that production would have cost ¥1 billion if done from scratch, but by using stock footage from prior movies, the budget was reduced to "1/5th of that."<ref name="Pamphlet">{{cite book|title=Gamera Super Monster|type=[[theater program]]|date=20 March 1980|publisher=[[Tokuma Shoten]]|p=16}}</ref>|group="lower-alpha"}} | |||
|runtime =92 minutes<br>{{Small|(1 hour, 32 minutes)}} | |runtime =92 minutes<br>{{Small|(1 hour, 32 minutes)}} | ||
|aspectratio =1.85:1 | |aspectratio =1.85:1{{sup|[[Japan|JP]]}}<br>1.33:1{{sup|[[United States|US]] TV}} | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{quote|Clash of monsters VS giant spaceships! A thrilling and exciting special effects blockbuster!|parenthetical=怪獣VS巨大宇宙船の激突！スリルと興奮の特撮超大作！| | {{quote|Clash of monsters VS giant spaceships! A thrilling and exciting special effects blockbuster!|parenthetical=怪獣VS巨大宇宙船の激突！スリルと興奮の特撮超大作！|Japanese tagline}} | ||
'''''Gamera | {{quote|The most riveting film in the history of motion pictures!|International tagline (trailer)}} | ||
'''''Gamera Super Monster''''' {{Nihongo|宇宙怪獣ガメラ|Uchū Kaijū Gamera|lit. "''Space Monster Gamera''"}} is a [[1980]] [[tokusatsu]] [[:Category:Kaiju Films|kaiju film]] directed by [[Noriaki Yuasa]] and written by [[Nisan Takahashi]], with special effects by Yuasa. Produced by [[Daiei Film|Daiei Film Releasing]], it is the eighth entry in the [[Gamera (franchise)|''Gamera'' series]] and final entry in the [[Showa era|Showa series]], the first ''Gamera'' film to be produced by Daiei Film, and the last feature-length ''Gamera'' film to be directed by Yuasa and written by Takahashi. It stars [[Mach Fumiake]], [[jawp:やや|Yaeko Kojima]], [[jawp:小松蓉子|Yoko Komatsu]], [[jawp:工藤啓子|Keiko Kudo]], and [[jawp:前田晃一|Koichi Maeda]]. The film was released to Japanese theaters by Daiei Film Releasing on March 20, 1980. It aired on television in the [[United States]] later that same year, and also received an English-dubbed theatrical release in [[Australia]] under the title '''''Super Monster'''''. | |||
''Gamera Super Monster'' features special effects scenes consisting almost entirely of stock footage from the seven previous Showa ''Gamera'' films, with the only new footage consisting of shots of Gamera in flight and of his legs while walking. Young Keiichi befriends three extraterrestrial superheroines called the [[Spacewomen]], who learn that the evil captain and crew of the pirate spaceship ''[[Zanon]]'' intends to attack [[Earth]] using the giant monsters [[Gyaos]], [[Zigra]], [[Viras]], [[Jiger]], [[Guiron]], and [[Barugon]]. Fortunately, [[Gamera]] rises to battle the ''Zanon''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> monster pawns, while Keiichi and the Spacewomen contend with the ''Zanon''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> agent on Earth, [[Giruge]]. ''Gamera Super Monster'' failed at the Japanese box office, placing the series on hiatus for 15 years until its 30th anniversary in [[1995]], when it was rebooted with ''[[Gamera the Guardian of the Universe]]''. | |||
{{TOC}} | {{TOC}} | ||
==Plot== | ==Plot== | ||
{{Stub}} | {{Stub}} | ||
When the pirate spaceship ''[[Zanon]]'' makes its way to [[Earth]] to destroy it, all hope seems lost. The Earth's resident superheroes, the [[Spacewomen]], are powerless to stop the ship, its captain and its army of monsters. They must enlist the help of a young boy who has a special connection with [[Gamera | When the pirate spaceship ''[[Zanon]]'' makes its way to [[Earth]] to destroy it, all hope seems lost. The Earth's resident superheroes, the [[Spacewomen]], are powerless to stop the ship, its captain and its army of monsters. They must enlist the help of a young boy who has a special connection with [[Gamera (Showa)|Gamera]]. The friend of all children then fights and kills [[Gyaos]], [[Zigra]], [[Viras]], [[Jiger]], [[Guiron]], and [[Barugon]]. He then sacrifices himself to destroy the ''Zanon''. | ||
==Staff== | ==Staff== | ||
{{Main|Gamera Super Monster/Credits}} | |||
{{Staffs | {{Staffs | ||
|Directed by | |Directed by|[[Noriaki Yuasa]] | ||
|Written by | |Written by|[[Nisan Takahashi]] | ||
| | |Planned by|Masaya Tokuyama | ||
|Executive | |Executive producer|Hirozaki Oba | ||
|Music by | |Produced by|Masaya Tokuyama, Shigeru Shinohara | ||
|Cinematography by | |Music by|[[Shunsuke Kikuchi]] | ||
|Edited by | |Cinematography by|[[Akira Kitazaki]] | ||
|Production | |Edited by|Tamotsu Taga | ||
| | |Production design by|Tsuneo Yokojima | ||
| | |First assistant director|[[Hirochika Muraishi]] | ||
|Director of special effects|[[Noriaki Yuasa]] (uncredited) | |||
}} | }} | ||
==Cast== | ==Cast== | ||
{{Cast | {{Cast | ||
|Mach Fumiake|Kilara | |[[Mach Fumiake]]|Kilara | ||
|Yaeko Kojima|Marsha | |[[jawp:やや|Yaeko Kojima]]|Marsha | ||
|Yoko Komatsu|Mitan | |[[jawp:小松蓉子|Yoko Komatsu]]|Mitan | ||
|Keiko Kudo|Giruge | |[[jawp:工藤啓子|Keiko Kudo]]|[[Giruge]] | ||
|Koichi Maeda|Keiichi | |[[jawp:前田晃一|Koichi Maeda]]|Keiichi | ||
|Toshie Takada|Keiichi's | |[[jawp:高田敏江|Toshie Takada]]|Keiichi's mother | ||
|Kisao Tobita| | |Hiroji Hayashi|delinquent A | ||
|Osamu Kobayashi| | |Tetsuaki Toyosumi|delinquent B | ||
|Hideaki Kobayashi|delinquent C | |||
|[[jawp:池田真|Makoto Ikeda]]|Keiichi's friend | |||
|[[Kisao Tobita]]|driver | |||
|[[jawp:斉藤安弘|Yasuhiro Saito]]|news announcer | |||
|[[jawp:桂文楽 (9代目)|Bunraku Katsura IX]]|Officer Ryotsu (as Komasu Katsura) | |||
|[[Osamu Kobayashi]]|captain of the ''[[Zanon]]'' (voice) | |||
|[[wikipedia:Tadashi Nakamura (voice actor)|Tadashi Nakamura]]|narrator (voice) | |||
}} | }} | ||
===International English dub=== | ===International English dub=== | ||
{{Cast | {{Cast|notice=no | ||
|Suzanne Vale|Kilara | |Suzanne Vale|Kilara | ||
|Chris Hilton| | |Chris Hilton|driver / captain of the ''Zanon'' / punk / news announcer / reporter | ||
|Ted Thomas| | |Ted Thomas|policeman / narrator / photographer | ||
}} | }} | ||
==Appearances== | ==Appearances== | ||
{{Col-begin}} | {{Col-begin}} | ||
{{Col-2}} | {{Col-2}} | ||
===Monsters=== | ===Monsters=== | ||
*[[Gamera | *[[Gamera (Showa)|Gamera]] | ||
*[[Gyaos]] (stock footage) | *[[Gyaos]] (stock footage) | ||
*[[Guiron]] (stock footage) | *[[Guiron]] (stock footage) | ||
| Line 84: | Line 96: | ||
*[[Spacewomen]] | *[[Spacewomen]] | ||
*''[[Zanon]]'' | *''[[Zanon]]'' | ||
*[[ | *[[Brainwave Control Device]] (stock footage) | ||
*Flying Van | *[[Flying Van]] | ||
*[[wikia:w:c:yamato:Yamato (OS)|Space Battleship Yamato]] (stock footage) | *[[wikia:w:c:yamato:Yamato (OS)|Space Battleship ''Yamato'']] (stock footage) | ||
*[[wikia:w:c:tokinowa:999|Galaxy Express 999]] (stock footage) | *[[wikia:w:c:tokinowa:999|Galaxy Express 999]] (stock footage) | ||
*[[Terran missile launcher]] (stock footage) | |||
*[[Lockheed F-104 Starfighter]] (stock footage) | *[[Lockheed F-104 Starfighter]] (stock footage) | ||
*[[Type 61 Tank]] (stock footage) | *[[Type 61 Tank]] (stock footage) | ||
*Unidentified missile vehicle (stock footage) | *Unidentified missile vehicle (stock footage) | ||
*[[ | *[[Viras UFO]] (stock footage; erroneous) | ||
{{Col-end}} | {{Col-end}} | ||
==Alternate titles== | ==Alternate titles== | ||
*'''''Space Monster Gamera''''' (literal Japanese title) | *'''''Space Monster Gamera''''' (literal Japanese title) | ||
*'''''Super Monster''''' (original English title) | *'''''Super Monster''''' (original English title) | ||
*'''''Gamera: The Super Monster''''' (original U.S. DVD title) | |||
*'''''Gamera: Super Monster''''' (U.S. DVD title) | |||
==Theatrical releases== | ==Theatrical releases== | ||
*[[Japan]] - March 20, 1980 | *[[Japan]] - March 20, 1980 | ||
| Line 102: | Line 117: | ||
*Poland - 1984 | *Poland - 1984 | ||
==Gallery== | ==Gallery== | ||
{{Main|Gamera | {{Main|Gamera Super Monster/Gallery}} | ||
==Video releases== | ==Video releases== | ||
'''Shout! Factory''' DVD (2010) | '''[[Shout! Factory]]''' DVD (2010) | ||
*'''Region:''' 1 | *'''Region:''' 1 | ||
*'''Discs:''' 1 | *'''Discs:''' 1 | ||
| Line 111: | Line 126: | ||
*'''Notes:''' Both versions of the film use the same Japanese video track. Packaged with ''[[Gamera vs. Zigra]]''. | *'''Notes:''' Both versions of the film use the same Japanese video track. Packaged with ''[[Gamera vs. Zigra]]''. | ||
'''Mill Creek''' DVD (2014) [Gamera: Legacy Collection] | '''[[Mill Creek Entertainment|Mill Creek]]''' DVD (2014) [''Gamera: The Legacy Collection''] | ||
*'''Region:''' 1 | *'''Region:''' 1 | ||
*'''Discs:''' 4 | *'''Discs:''' 4 | ||
*'''Audio:''' Japanese (1.0 Mono) | *'''Audio:''' Japanese (1.0 Mono) | ||
*'''Special features:''' None | *'''Special features:''' None | ||
*'''Notes:''' Packaged with ''[[Gamera]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Barugon]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Gyaos]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Viras]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Guiron]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Jiger]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Zigra]]'', ''[[Gamera | *'''Notes:''' Packaged with ''[[Gamera the Giant Monster]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Barugon]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Gyaos]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Viras]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Guiron]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Jiger]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Zigra]]'', ''[[Gamera the Guardian of the Universe]]'', ''[[Gamera 2: Attack of Legion]]'', and ''[[Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris]]''. | ||
'''Mill Creek''' Blu-ray (2014) [Gamera: Ultimate Collection | '''Mill Creek''' Blu-ray (2014) [''Gamera: The Ultimate Collection Volume 2''] | ||
*'''Region:''' N/A | *'''Region:''' N/A | ||
*'''Discs:''' 2 | *'''Discs:''' 2 | ||
| Line 125: | Line 140: | ||
*'''Notes:''' Packaged with ''[[Gamera vs. Guiron]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Jiger]]'', and ''[[Gamera vs. Zigra]]''. | *'''Notes:''' Packaged with ''[[Gamera vs. Guiron]]'', ''[[Gamera vs. Jiger]]'', and ''[[Gamera vs. Zigra]]''. | ||
'''Arrow Video''' Blu-ray (2020/2021) [''Gamera: The Complete Collection'' and ''Gamera | '''[[Arrow Video]]''' Blu-ray (2020/2021) [''Gamera: The Complete Collection'' and ''Gamera: The Showa Era''] | ||
*'''Region''': A and B | *'''Region''': A and B | ||
*'''Discs''': 8 (''The Complete Collection'' | *'''Discs''': 8 (''The Complete Collection'') or 4 (''The Showa Era'') | ||
*'''Audio''': Japanese and English (DTS-HD Master Audio Mono) | *'''Audio''': Japanese and English (DTS-HD Master Audio Mono) | ||
*'''Subtitles''': English | *'''Subtitles''': English | ||
*'''Special features''': Audio commentary by Richard Pusateri, introduction by August Ragone (6 minutes), opening and end credits from the international and Filmways versions of the film (11 minutes), Japanese and international trailers, and an image gallery. ''Gamera: The Complete Collection'' includes 12 art cards by [[Matt Frank]], a map of Gamera's appearances throughout the world, and two books; the first collects ''A History of Gamera'' by Patrick Macias, a 1996 Noriaki Yuasa interview by David Milner, kaiju x-ray illustrations by Jolyan Yates, three ''Fangoria'' articles on the Heisei Gamera trilogy by [[Norman England]], a guide to the English dubs of the Gamera series by James Flower, and information on the transfers presented in the set, while the second reprints the comics ''[[Gamera | *'''Special features''': Audio commentary by Richard Pusateri, introduction by August Ragone (6 minutes), opening and end credits from the international and Filmways versions of the film (11 minutes), Japanese and international trailers, and an image gallery. ''Gamera: The Complete Collection'' includes 12 art cards by [[Matt Frank]], a map of Gamera's appearances throughout the world, and two books; the first collects ''A History of Gamera'' by Patrick Macias, a 1996 Noriaki Yuasa interview by David Milner, kaiju x-ray illustrations by Jolyan Yates, three ''Fangoria'' articles on the Heisei Gamera trilogy by [[Norman England]], a guide to the English dubs of the Gamera series by James Flower, and information on the transfers presented in the set, while the second reprints the comics ''[[Gamera (comic)|Gamera]]'' and ''[[The Last Hope]]''. | ||
*'''Notes''': ''Gamera: The Complete Collection'' is out of print | *'''Notes''': ''Gamera: The Complete Collection'' is out of print. Packaged with the other 11 [[Gamera (franchise)|Gamera]] films in ''The Complete Collection'' and the other seven Showa Gamera films in ''The Showa Era''. Due to the large number of special features in these sets, only the supplements pertinent to ''Gamera Super Monster'' are described above. | ||
==Videos== | ==Videos== | ||
===Trailers=== | |||
{{Videos| | |||
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">U3PnLHf78Yg</youtube>|Japanese ''Gamera Super Monster'' trailer}} | |||
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">iIMspQNiPY0</youtube>|International ''Super Monster'' trailer}} | |||
}} | |||
===Miscellaneous=== | |||
{{Videos| | {{Videos| | ||
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169"> | {{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">OwB3HYzPgFE</youtube>|U.S. beginning and end credits}} | ||
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169"> | {{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">R4Sefhtyzns</youtube>|International beginning and end credits}} | ||
{{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">ldUIbuqSk7E</youtube>|English monster supers}} | {{vid|<youtube width="300" height="169">ldUIbuqSk7E</youtube>|English monster supers}} | ||
}} | }} | ||
==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
*Every one of the monsters fought by [[Gamera]] in the [[Showa era|Showa series]] appears in this film via stock footage, each with a subtitle | *Though Gamera is killed at the end of this film, he is resurrected using an artificial sun in the [[1995]] manga ''[[Gamera the Giant Monster (Tokuma Shoten manga)|Gamera the Giant Monster]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/bigfire_tada/status/1216360534678724608|title=マンガボーイズ版ガメラ、昭和ガメラと平成ガメラを「『宇宙怪獣ガメラ』でザノン号と相討ちになったガメラは転生したことで姿が変わり、人類を守るため過去の地球に送られて歴史が変わったことで、平成ガメラは昭和ガメラの歴史とは異なる別アースとなった」という説明で繋げていてすげえ興奮する|author=@bigfire_tada|date=12 January 2020|work=X}}</ref> | ||
*Every one of the monsters fought by [[Gamera]] in the [[Showa era|Showa series]] appears in this film via stock footage from each of the films they first appeared in, with each beginning with a subtitle revealing their name. Gamera fights [[Gyaos]], [[Zigra]], [[Viras]], [[Jiger]], [[Guiron]], and [[Barugon]], in that order. | |||
*Actress Mach Fumiake, who portrays the Spacewoman Kilara, was a professional wrestler at the time this film was made. | *Actress Mach Fumiake, who portrays the Spacewoman Kilara, was a professional wrestler at the time this film was made. | ||
*The "[[Gamera March]]" theme song is absent from this film, and a new theme song, "Love for Future," appears multiple times. | *The "[[Gamera March]]" theme song is absent from this film, and a new theme song, "[[Love for Future]]," appears multiple times. | ||
* | *Due to the heavy use of stock footage, this film features only about two minutes of new Gamera footage. | ||
* | *The film features [[Zanon|a spaceship]] which bears a suspicious resemblance to an Imperial Star Destroyer, an obvious attempt on Daiei's part to capitalize on the success of the ''Star Wars'' saga. The second film in the series, ''Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back'', opened in Japan four months later. | ||
*As Gamera originally fought Guiron on an alien planet ([[Terra]]), a plot device was created for this film that allowed Gamera to travel to his enemies' locations. | *As Gamera originally fought Guiron on an alien planet (i.e., [[Terra]]), a plot device was created for this film that allowed Gamera to travel to his enemies' locations. | ||
*At one point in the | *At one point in the film, Gamera knocks over a billboard while destroying [[Tokyo]] under the spaceship ''Zanon''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> control. The camera then zooms closer, revealing it as an advertisement for a film titled "''Farewell, Dodzilla''" {{Nihongo|さらばドジラ|Saraba Dojira}}, featuring artwork strongly resembling [[Godzilla]], Gamera's box-office rival. Ironically, the Godzilla series had been in hiatus for over five years by the time of the release of ''Gamera Super Monster'', meaning that there was little competition on the market for Daiei to go up against at the time. | ||
*One scene in the film shows Gamera flying with the ''Yamato'' from the anime ''Space Battleship Yamato'' and another one shows Gamera chasing the Galaxy Express 999 from the titular anime, both of which combine live-action footage of Gamera with animation. | |||
*One scene shows Gamera flying with ''Yamato'' from the anime ''Space Battleship Yamato'' and another shows Gamera chasing the Galaxy Express 999 from the titular anime, both of which combine live-action footage of Gamera with animation. | *Daiei contracted Ex Productions to create new Gamera suits and props for this film, as the previously-existing ones had all been destroyed in a studio fire after Daiei went bankrupt in 1971. Ex created a Gamera suit and a Gamera prop for the film, though Daiei ultimately decided to primarily use stock footage from the seven previous films, relegating the prop to a few brief flying scenes and the suit to a single shot of its lower body. | ||
*Daiei contracted Ex Productions to create new Gamera suits and props for this film, as the existing ones had been destroyed in a fire after Daiei went bankrupt. Ex created a suit and a prop for the film, though Daiei ultimately decided to primarily use stock footage from previous films, relegating the prop to a few brief scenes and the suit to a single shot of its lower body. | ==Notes== | ||
{{Kaiju Movies}} | {{Notelist|lower-alpha}} | ||
{{Comments}} | ==References== | ||
{{Era| | {{Reflist}} | ||
{{Kaiju Movies|tab=Gamera}} | |||
{{Comments|scroll=yes}} | |||
{{Era|DF|SHO|FIL|GAM|GYA|ZIG|VIR|JIG|GUI|BRU}} | |||
[[Category:Films]] | [[Category:Films]] | ||
[[Category:Kaiju Films]] | [[Category:Kaiju Films]] | ||
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[[Category:Japanese films]] | [[Category:Japanese films]] | ||
[[Category:Showa Series]] | [[Category:Showa Series]] | ||
[[Category:Showa Films]] | [[Category:Showa Films]] | ||
[[Category:Films dubbed in Hong Kong]] | [[Category:Films dubbed in Hong Kong]] | ||
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Space Monster Gamera (1980)
Gamera Super Monster (1980)
Super Monster (1980)
“
|
Clash of monsters VS giant spaceships! A thrilling and exciting special effects blockbuster! (怪獣VS巨大宇宙船の激突！スリルと興奮の特撮超大作！)
|
„
|
— Japanese tagline |
“
|
The most riveting film in the history of motion pictures!
|
„
|
— International tagline (trailer) |
Gamera Super Monster (宇宙怪獣ガメラ Uchū Kaijū Gamera, lit. "Space Monster Gamera") is a 1980 tokusatsu kaiju film directed by Noriaki Yuasa and written by Nisan Takahashi, with special effects by Yuasa. Produced by Daiei Film Releasing, it is the eighth entry in the Gamera series and final entry in the Showa series, the first Gamera film to be produced by Daiei Film, and the last feature-length Gamera film to be directed by Yuasa and written by Takahashi. It stars Mach Fumiake, Yaeko Kojima, Yoko Komatsu, Keiko Kudo, and Koichi Maeda. The film was released to Japanese theaters by Daiei Film Releasing on March 20, 1980. It aired on television in the United States later that same year, and also received an English-dubbed theatrical release in Australia under the title Super Monster.
Gamera Super Monster features special effects scenes consisting almost entirely of stock footage from the seven previous Showa Gamera films, with the only new footage consisting of shots of Gamera in flight and of his legs while walking. Young Keiichi befriends three extraterrestrial superheroines called the Spacewomen, who learn that the evil captain and crew of the pirate spaceship Zanon intends to attack Earth using the giant monsters Gyaos, Zigra, Viras, Jiger, Guiron, and Barugon. Fortunately, Gamera rises to battle the Zanon's monster pawns, while Keiichi and the Spacewomen contend with the Zanon's agent on Earth, Giruge. Gamera Super Monster failed at the Japanese box office, placing the series on hiatus for 15 years until its 30th anniversary in 1995, when it was rebooted with Gamera the Guardian of the Universe.
Plot
This article is a When the pirate spaceship Zanon makes its way to Earth to destroy it, all hope seems lost. The Earth's resident superheroes, the Spacewomen, are powerless to stop the ship, its captain and its army of monsters. They must enlist the help of a young boy who has a special connection with Gamera. The friend of all children then fights and kills Gyaos, Zigra, Viras, Jiger, Guiron, and Barugon. He then sacrifices himself to destroy the Zanon.
Staff
- Main article: Gamera Super Monster/Credits.
Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.
- Directed by Noriaki Yuasa
- Written by Nisan Takahashi
- Planned by Masaya Tokuyama
- Executive producer Hirozaki Oba
- Produced by Masaya Tokuyama, Shigeru Shinohara
- Music by Shunsuke Kikuchi
- Cinematography by Akira Kitazaki
- Edited by Tamotsu Taga
- Production design by Tsuneo Yokojima
- First assistant director Hirochika Muraishi
- Director of special effects Noriaki Yuasa (uncredited)
Cast
Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.
- Mach Fumiake as Kilara
- Yaeko Kojima as Marsha
- Yoko Komatsu as Mitan
- Keiko Kudo as Giruge
- Koichi Maeda as Keiichi
- Toshie Takada as Keiichi's mother
- Hiroji Hayashi as delinquent A
- Tetsuaki Toyosumi as delinquent B
- Hideaki Kobayashi as delinquent C
- Makoto Ikeda as Keiichi's friend
- Kisao Tobita as driver
- Yasuhiro Saito as news announcer
- Bunraku Katsura IX as Officer Ryotsu (as Komasu Katsura)
- Osamu Kobayashi as captain of the Zanon (voice)
- Tadashi Nakamura as narrator (voice)
International English dub
- Suzanne Vale as Kilara
- Chris Hilton as driver / captain of the Zanon / punk / news announcer / reporter
- Ted Thomas as policeman / narrator / photographer
Appearances
Monsters |
Weapons, vehicles, and races
|
Alternate titles
- Space Monster Gamera (literal Japanese title)
- Super Monster (original English title)
- Gamera: The Super Monster (original U.S. DVD title)
- Gamera: Super Monster (U.S. DVD title)
Theatrical releases
- Japan - March 20, 1980
- Australia - 1980
- France - 1983
- Poland - 1984
Gallery
- Main article: Gamera Super Monster/Gallery.
Video releases
Shout! Factory DVD (2010)
- Region: 1
- Discs: 1
- Audio: Japanese (1.0 Mono), English (1.0 Mono)
- Special features: Photo galleries
- Notes: Both versions of the film use the same Japanese video track. Packaged with Gamera vs. Zigra.
Mill Creek DVD (2014) [Gamera: The Legacy Collection]
- Region: 1
- Discs: 4
- Audio: Japanese (1.0 Mono)
- Special features: None
- Notes: Packaged with Gamera the Giant Monster, Gamera vs. Barugon, Gamera vs. Gyaos, Gamera vs. Viras, Gamera vs. Guiron, Gamera vs. Jiger, Gamera vs. Zigra, Gamera the Guardian of the Universe, Gamera 2: Attack of Legion, and Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris.
Mill Creek Blu-ray (2014) [Gamera: The Ultimate Collection Volume 2]
- Region: N/A
- Discs: 2
- Audio: Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0)
- Special features: None
- Notes: Packaged with Gamera vs. Guiron, Gamera vs. Jiger, and Gamera vs. Zigra.
Arrow Video Blu-ray (2020/2021) [Gamera: The Complete Collection and Gamera: The Showa Era]
- Region: A and B
- Discs: 8 (The Complete Collection) or 4 (The Showa Era)
- Audio: Japanese and English (DTS-HD Master Audio Mono)
- Subtitles: English
- Special features: Audio commentary by Richard Pusateri, introduction by August Ragone (6 minutes), opening and end credits from the international and Filmways versions of the film (11 minutes), Japanese and international trailers, and an image gallery. Gamera: The Complete Collection includes 12 art cards by Matt Frank, a map of Gamera's appearances throughout the world, and two books; the first collects A History of Gamera by Patrick Macias, a 1996 Noriaki Yuasa interview by David Milner, kaiju x-ray illustrations by Jolyan Yates, three Fangoria articles on the Heisei Gamera trilogy by Norman England, a guide to the English dubs of the Gamera series by James Flower, and information on the transfers presented in the set, while the second reprints the comics Gamera and The Last Hope.
- Notes: Gamera: The Complete Collection is out of print. Packaged with the other 11 Gamera films in The Complete Collection and the other seven Showa Gamera films in The Showa Era. Due to the large number of special features in these sets, only the supplements pertinent to Gamera Super Monster are described above.
Videos
Trailers
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Miscellaneous
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Trivia
- Though Gamera is killed at the end of this film, he is resurrected using an artificial sun in the 1995 manga Gamera the Giant Monster.[2]
- Every one of the monsters fought by Gamera in the Showa series appears in this film via stock footage from each of the films they first appeared in, with each beginning with a subtitle revealing their name. Gamera fights Gyaos, Zigra, Viras, Jiger, Guiron, and Barugon, in that order.
- Actress Mach Fumiake, who portrays the Spacewoman Kilara, was a professional wrestler at the time this film was made.
- The "Gamera March" theme song is absent from this film, and a new theme song, "Love for Future," appears multiple times.
- Due to the heavy use of stock footage, this film features only about two minutes of new Gamera footage.
- The film features a spaceship which bears a suspicious resemblance to an Imperial Star Destroyer, an obvious attempt on Daiei's part to capitalize on the success of the Star Wars saga. The second film in the series, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, opened in Japan four months later.
- As Gamera originally fought Guiron on an alien planet (i.e., Terra), a plot device was created for this film that allowed Gamera to travel to his enemies' locations.
- At one point in the film, Gamera knocks over a billboard while destroying Tokyo under the spaceship Zanon's control. The camera then zooms closer, revealing it as an advertisement for a film titled "Farewell, Dodzilla" (さらばドジラ Saraba Dojira), featuring artwork strongly resembling Godzilla, Gamera's box-office rival. Ironically, the Godzilla series had been in hiatus for over five years by the time of the release of Gamera Super Monster, meaning that there was little competition on the market for Daiei to go up against at the time.
- One scene in the film shows Gamera flying with the Yamato from the anime Space Battleship Yamato and another one shows Gamera chasing the Galaxy Express 999 from the titular anime, both of which combine live-action footage of Gamera with animation.
- Daiei contracted Ex Productions to create new Gamera suits and props for this film, as the previously-existing ones had all been destroyed in a studio fire after Daiei went bankrupt in 1971. Ex created a Gamera suit and a Gamera prop for the film, though Daiei ultimately decided to primarily use stock footage from the seven previous films, relegating the prop to a few brief flying scenes and the suit to a single shot of its lower body.
Notes
- ↑ The film's theater program estimates that production would have cost ¥1 billion if done from scratch, but by using stock footage from prior movies, the budget was reduced to "1/5th of that."[1]
References
This is a list of references for Gamera Super Monster. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]
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