Did I get the song stuck in your head? If not, you (like me, prior to writing this review) probably haven’t seen all of these Gamera MST3K episodes. But they’re classics! They might not be the sharpest and most joke-laden entries in the Mystery Science Theater library, but they represent a time in the show’s youth where it was really coming into its own. The inspiration and synergy of the show’s staff and the sheer absurdity of the films they’re ridiculing really converge in this quintet of celebratory rubber suit Japanese monster-ism, paving the way for an indisputably solid Season 3 and an unforgettable onslaught of future episodes.
Quintet—doesn’t that mean five? Indeed, my astute linguist; this is, in fact, the very first MST3K boxed set to date to include five episodes of the show as opposed to the typical four. That’s seven and a half hours of film lampooning and associated extras for the same price as four. Also in rather unorthodox fashion, the episodes on this set are, thanks to the similarity of the films therein, rather homogenous, all carrying roughly the same tone and sort of blending together into a single, amorphous, rubbery reptilian blob (all Joel-era as well, of course). This really isn’t a bad thing, however, as the humor is equally consistent, meaning that there really aren’t any dry spells throughout the traversal of these five Japanese relics.
Included episodes are:
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302 – Gamera
304 – Gamera vs. Barugon
308 – Gamera vs. Gaos
312 – Gamera vs. Guiron
316 – Gamera vs. Zigra
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(Above: the trailer, straight from the Shout Factory!)
The very first film tells the grim tale of Gamera’s creation via an atomic bomb mishap (shocker), followed up by a touching love story between a boy and a turtle. It’s as campy as it sounds—well, worse—and it makes for a great Joel-era episode. The Japanese at first are (unsurprisingly) terrified of the mutant turtle, but in the later movies, he’s actually playing the part of hero, rescuing children from the rubbery clutches of other competing (actually evil) beasts, such as Barugon (who looks like a dinosaur), Gaos (who is a pterodactyl crossed with a Dixie cup), and Guiron (who is my personal favorite of the bunch—a creature with a giant knife for a head).
The movies are endlessly cheesy. You’ll find an infinite supply of terrible, drawn-out combat sequences where two giants clash, drab conversational skits of epic dubbing failure lore, and some of the most obvious model vehicle and building usage this side of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. The combat scenes are not only excessively long—they’re sometimes even hilariously grotesque in context with the young audience for which they’re intended. While fighting Guiron at the beginning of episode 312, Gaos finds his leg and soon after his head cut off by the knife creature, complete with pastel monster blood squirts. Yum!
Of everything included, I actually think my favorite episode is #316 – Gamera vs. Zigra, as it’s got more of the sharpness and energy present in the show’s most legendary productions. Most people seem to prefer either the original Gamera or Gamera vs. Guiron, but as a whole, I think I enjoyed 316 the most. I would say I think I preferred Guiron’s host segments—especially the “special visit” by pianist Michael Feinstein, who is actually (as usual) just Mike Nelson in disguise. Mike’s a surprisingly capable pianist!
Speaking of host segments, that’s one area in which this set particularly excels. You’ll find some of the most memorable (and infectious) skits in the show’s history—beginning and ending with the numerous parodied versions of the Gamera theme song (see above), plus the aforementioned Michael Feinstein bit, the bots’ Gamera model, and numerous gaffes by the mads.
Overall, it’s a truly entertaining selection of five episodes which, while relatively homogenous, doesn’t include any really low points. They’re considered classics in a classic era by many MST3K veterans, and though not everyone might enjoy the Joel-dominated selection, it’s only logical considering Gamera’s legacy aboard the SOL. Plus, you get five for the usual price of four!
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(Above: A short clip from Gamera vs. Barugon)
Extras (The Special Parts)
In addition to the typical original movie trailers (for all the films), we also get two sets of The Mystery Science Theater Hour wraps (featuring Mike Nelson as Jack Perkins—pretty funny stuff as usual), and, of course, the lobby cards for all films by artist Steve Vance. And, three additional featurettes exploring Gamera’s intricacies (and its relationship with MST3K) are also included. All told, it’s just over an hour and a half of extra features, and it’s all pretty good stuff, too.
Plus, early runs of the set come with a pretty sweet limited-edition MST3K vs. Gamera tin!
Here are some more details about the three major featurettes:
So Happy Together: A Look Back At MST3K & Gamera (23:13) – A discussion with several MST mainstays (Joel, Trace, Josh, Frank, and Jim) about the history of Gamera and MST3K and how the relationship helped both to grow MST as a budding series and bring Gamera into the limelight. It begins with a recap of the KTMA history of the show and blossoms into a larger dialogue about the general asininity of Gamera as a whole. It’s a kid’s movie, says the staff, and yet they pay the most excruciating attention to every aspect of it during their riffing, which is just a hilarious approach (think Santa Claus Conquers the Martians). Further on is an exploration of the staff’s familiarity of Sandy Frank (more accurately, the lack thereof) and the terribleness of the dubbing. As are most features starring the MST staff, it’s a great segment.
Gamera Vs. The Chiodo Brothers (23:37) – The acclaimed special effects team (Killer Klowns From Outer Space, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, Elf) waxes nostalgic about Gamera, Japanese monster movies, and rubber suits. As are many of the flagship featurettes on the Shout! Factory’s MST3K sets, this one boasts a slick presentation with plenty of interspersed footage from the films and lots of special effects with personality. The Chiodo brothers argue playfully about Gamera’s origin and discuss the most memorable men in rubber suits–including the situations that resulted from some of their more challenging past ventures (such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles suits!). Also explored is the role of weight (or the reduction of such) of the suit in creating a believable, accurate representation of your creature (the more mechanics, the harder it is, they explain).
Gamera Obscura: A Brief History By August Ragone (30:04) – An exploration of the birth of Gamera (how it was—as you might have guessed—essentially an afterthought, following the forced shutdown of a previous project by the Japanese equivalent of PETA), why a turtle was selected, and why later Gamera films catered more toward children. Sandy Frank’s legacy as one of the pioneers of Japanese entertainment in America is touched on, along with tons of behind-the-scenes detailed history surrounding the franchise. The host of the segment really knows his stuff.