Gamera vs. Viras (1968)
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Gamera Against Space Monster Viras (1968)
Destroy All Planets (1969)Gamera vs. Viras (ガメラ対宇宙怪獣バイラス Gamera Tai Uchū Kaijū Bairasu, lit. Gamera Against Space Monster Viras) is a 1968 tokusatsu kaiju film produced by Daiei Motion Picture Company and the fourth entry in the Gamera series. It was released to Japanese theaters on March 20, 1968.
Plot
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A deadly alien force approaches earth. Gamera 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 visit 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 one of Gamera's few weaknesses, his love 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 Gamera to do their bidding.
While aboard the spaceship, the boys continually try to escape. Gamera, however (under the influence of the Virasians) is destroying dams and cities by the handful. Tim and Masao meet a strange squid like creature, thinking it is actually another captive of the aliens. In fact it is Viras, 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 humanoid forms were just hosts for more squid-like aliens. The aliens form together making a Gamera-sized creature, Viras. The two duke it out in a big beachside battle. Viras tears apart Gamera's belly by turning his mantle into a blade, but Gamera grabs his giant opponent and lifts them into the stratosphere, where they become frozen. Gamera then drops Viras, where they then die after slamming into the ocean.
Staff
Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.
- Directed by Noriaki Yuasa
- Written by Nisan Takahashi
- Executive producing by Masaichi Nagata
- Produced by Hidemasa Nagata
- Music by Kenjiro Hirose
- Cinematography by Akira Kitazaki
- Edited by Shoji Sekiguchi
- Production design by Tomohisa Yano
- Assistant directing by Masayoshi Imago
- Special effects by Kazufumi Fujii, Yuzo Kaneko
Cast
Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.
- Kojiro Hongo as Scoutmaster Mr. Shimida
- Michiko Yaegaki as Mariko
- Mari Atsumi as Junko Aoki
- Junko Yashiro as Masako Shibata
- Yoshiro Kitahara as Masao's Father
- Akira Natsuki as Doctor C
- Koji Fujiyama as Self-Defense Force Commander
- Chikara Hashimoto as Doctor A
- Carl Craig as Jim Crane
- Toru Takatsuka as Masao Nakaya
- Kenji Go as Doctor B
- Munehiko Takada as Jim's Father
- Peter Williams as Dr. Dobie
- Ken Nakahara as Doctor D
- Kenichiro Yamane as Doctor E
- Mary Morris as Mrs. Crane
- Himawari and Kojika Acting Troupes
- Teruo Aragaki as Gamera
Appearances
Monsters |
Weapons, Vehicles and Races |
Gallery
- Main article: Gamera vs. Viras/Gallery.
Soundtrack
- Main article: Gamera vs. Viras (Soundtrack).
Alternate Titles
- Gamera vs. Space Monster Viras (Literal Japanese Title)
- Gamera vs. the Giant Space Monster (ガメラ対宇宙大怪獣 Gamera tai Uchū Daikaijū, Early Japanese Title)
- Gamela vs. Outerspace Monster Bairus (Early English Title)
- Gamela vs. Bairus (Early English Title)
- Gamera versus Space Monster Bairas (English Japanese Title)
- Destroy All Planets (United States)
U.S. Release
In June 1968, Gamera vs. Viras played alongside Yokai Monsters: Spook Warfare at the New Kokusai Theater in Honolulu, Hawaii, presented in Japanese with English subtitles. Advertisements referred to the film as either Gamela vs. Outerspace Monster Bairus or just Gamela vs. Bairus.
In 1969, Gamera vs. Viras premiered in the continental United States through American International Television, under the title Destroy All Planets, likely to capitalize on the success of the Godzilla film, Destroy All Monsters, which American International released to theaters the same year. This version contained an additional ten minutes of stock footage in the scene where the Virasians examine Gamera's memories. Both Shout! Factory and Mill Creek Entertainment have released the film on DVD as Gamera vs. Viras, with its original Japanese audio track and English subtitles.
Video Releases
Shout! Factory DVD (2010)
- Region: 1
- Discs: 1
- Audio: Japanese (1.0 Mono), English (1.0 Mono)
- Special Features: Gallery of publicity materials
- Notes: Both versions of the film use the same Japanese video track, with the English dub reverting to the Japanese audio in scenes removed by AIP-TV. Packaged with Gamera vs. Gyaos.
Mill Creek DVD (2014) [Gamera: Legacy Collection]
- Region: 1
- Discs: 4
- Audio: Japanese (1.0 Mono)
- Special Features: None
- Notes: Packaged with Gamera, Gamera vs. Barugon, Gamera vs. Gyaos, Gamera vs. Guiron, Gamera vs. Jiger, Gamera vs. Zigra, Gamera: Super Monster, Gamera: Guardian of the Universe, Gamera 2: Attack of Legion, and Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris.
Mill Creek Blu-ray (2014) [Gamera: Ultimate Collection, Volume 1]
- Region: N/A
- Discs: 2
- Audio: Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0)
- Special Features: None
- Notes: Packaged with Gamera, Gamera vs. Barugon, and Gamera vs. Gyaos.
Videos
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Trivia
- Gamera vs. Viras was theatrically released in Japan on a double bill with Yokai Monsters: One Hundred Monsters (妖怪百物語 Yōkai Hyaku Monogatari, lit. One Hundred Yōkai Tales).
References
This is a list of references for Gamera vs. Viras. 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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