Gamera vs. Zigra (1971)
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Gamera Against Deep-Sea Monster Zigra (1971)Gamera vs. Zigra (ガメラ対深海怪獣ジグラ Gamera tai Shinkai Kaijū Jigura, lit. Gamera Against Deep-Sea Monster Zigra) is a 1971 tokusatsu kaiju film produced by Daiei Motion Picture Company and is the seventh entry in the Gamera series. Gamera vs. Zigra was released to Japanese theaters on July 17, 1971. It was released in the United States in 1985 by Sandy Frank through King Features Syndication.
Plot
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Without warning, an alien creature known as Zigra attacks a moon base. Soon after (back on Earth), Kenny and his friend Helen, along with their fathers, see a strange spaceship (Zigra's) descending into the ocean. Investigating, they are soon captured and instructed to tell the world of Zigra's great achievements in science. The Zigra "space woman" creates a gigantic earthquake ("magnitude 18 no less") and they learn of Zigra's past history, advancing in science and destroying their planet. Searching out a new home, Zigra found Earth and orders the "earth creatures" to surrender the Earth. While speaking with Earth, Tom declares the Zigra woman is crazy. In anger, she puts the men in a hypnotic state. Kenny and Helen take action, successfully using the ships console to escape. Enraged, Zigra orders their death. He sends the woman to kill the children. After a close call on the surface of the water, Gamera saves the children and their fathers from Zigra. After questioning the children, the UN decides to attack Zigra. The jets scramble.and Zigra makes short work of them with his laser beam. The Zigra woman, disguised as a babe (she stole some unlucky gal's bathing suit), searches for Kenny and Helen. She hitches a ride with the Sea World dolphin trainer back to the facility. She changes into another stolen out fit and proceeds to wander the facility which is now crawling with military. She overhears the exasperation of the UN's fruitless efforts to defeat Zigra. While chasing the children, some photographers identify the Zigran woman as Lora Lee. After ditching the Zigran woman, the children call for Gamera. Gamera begins an underwater assault on the Zigra spaceship, which retaliates until transforming into a shark-like monster. The battle continues until Gamera beaches Zigra, who then retaliates sending Gamera into the sea for recuperation. Zigra threatens again, claiming to be all-powerful.
Back at Marine World, the dolphin trainer and the scientists divulge a way to break the control with "sonic waves." They use this information to disable the Zigra woman. Lora Lee, it is discovered was brought aboard Zigra's ship when he attacked the moon base. The scientists go to look for Gamera, hoping to work with him to defeat Zigra. But as the bathoscope is trying to revive Gamera, Zigra attacks them - again demanding the immediate surrender of the Earth.
An electrical storm appears above the bay and a bolt of lightning somehow revives Gamera and he snatches the bathoscope and returns it to the surface while Zigra is sleeping. Gamera returns to the sea to face off against Zigra for the final battle.
Staff
Staff role on the left, staff member's name on the right.
- Directed by Noriaki Yuasa
- Written by Nisan Takahashi
- Produced by Hidemasa Nagata
- Music by Shunsuke Kikuchi
- Cinematography by Akira Uehara
- Edited by Zenko Miyazaki
- Production design by Akira Inoue
- Assistant directing by Masami Akise
- Special effects by Kazuo Fujii
Cast
Actor's name on the left, character played on the right.
- Eiko Yanami as Woman X / Chikako Sugawara
- Reiko Kasahara as Kiyoko Ishikawa
- Mikiko Tsubouchi as Mrs. Ishikawa
- Koji Fujiyama as Dr. Tom Wallace
- Isamu Saeki as Dr. Yosuke Ishikawa
- Shin Minatsu as Kamogawa Sea World Staff
- Arlene Zoellner as Margie Wallace
- Gloria Zoellner as Helen Wallace
- Yasushi Sakagami as Kenichi Ishikawa
- Keiichi Noda as Zigra (voice)
Appearances
Monsters |
Weapons, Vehicles and Races
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Gallery
- Main article: Gamera vs. Zigra/Gallery.
DVD and Blu-ray 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: Super Monster.
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. Viras, Gamera vs. Guiron, Gamera vs. Jiger, 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 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: Super Monster.
Videos
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Trivia
- Gamera vs. Zigra was released by Dainichi Film Distribution Co., Ltd (ＤＮ ダイニチ映配株式会社 Dainichi Eihai Kabushiki-Gaisha), which was the result of Daiei and Nikkatsu Corporation merging to share distribution costs.
- Gamera vs. Zigra was released theatrically in Japan as part of a triple feature with re-releases of the 1958 film Red Armored Suzunosuke Three Eyed Birdman (赤胴鈴之助 三つ目の鳥人 Akado Suzunosuke mittsume no chōjin) and the 1969 film Yokai Monsters: Along with Ghosts, the third film in the Yokai Monsters trilogy.
- Daiei originally intended to follow Gamera vs. Zigra with multiple films, including Gamera vs. Garasharp, but the company went bankrupt, making Gamera vs. Zigra the last Gamera film until 1980.
- After this film's release and the announcement that Daiei had gone bankrupt, a riot broke out at the studio, causing a fire that destroyed all of the studio equipment used for the Gamera films.
- The English dub of Gamera vs. Zigra, as released by Sandy Frank Film Syndication, was featured on Season 3 of the movie-mocking television series Mystery Science Theater 3000. It was also riffed on the show during its original broadcast on the Minneapolis-area station KTMA.
- Gamera vs. Zigra was released in theaters exactly a week before Godzilla vs. Hedorah, another kaiju film dealing with pollution and its effects on sea life.
- Gamera vs. Zigra was filmed on location at Kamagowa Sea World and around Kamagowa City. The special effects scenes were also filmed on a small set of the area around Sea World, with none of the miniatures destroyed.
References
This is a list of references for Gamera vs. Zigra. 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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