Gamera vs. Viras

Gamera vs. Viras
Japanese ガメラ対宇宙怪獣バイラス
Hepburn Gamera tai Uchu Kaijū Bairasu
Directed by Noriaki Yuasa
Produced by Hidemasa Nagata
Masaichi Nagata
Written by Nisan Takahashi
Starring Kojiro Hongo
Toru Takatsuka
Carl Craig Jr.
Music by Kenjiro Hirose
Cinematography Akira Kitazaki
Edited by Shoji Sekiguchi
Production
company
Distributed by Daiei Film (Japan)
AIP-TV (USA)
Release dates
  • March 20, 1968
Running time
 90 minutes
Language Japanese

Gamera vs. Viras (ガメラ対宇宙怪獣バイラス Gamera Tai Uchū Kaijū Bairasu, Gamera Versus Space Monster Viras, released in the U.S. as Destroy All Planets) is the fourth entry in the original Gamera film series.

Plot

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 is 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 free 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 upper atmosphere, freezing him to death. He then flings Viras's body back into the ocean. The boys and a crowd of adults celebrate Gamera's victory.

Production notes

In the U.S. version of the film, the memory-scan of Gamera 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).

2010 DVD release

Shout! Factory released the film on September 21, 2010 as a double feature with Gamera vs. Gyaos.[1] The films include the original Japanese dialogue with English subtitles. It also includes the original AIP-TV English dub.

DVD releases

Alpha Video

Vintage Home Entertainment

St. Clair Entertainment

Shout! Factory

References

  1. ↑ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003NHMYJC

External links