rom 1965 through 1980, the flying turtle Gamera starred in a series of eight films from Japanese studio Daiei. These relatively low-budget movies, which were initially designed to appeal to the same audience as champion box-office "kaiju" (monster) Godzilla, portrayed the airborne terrapin as a benevolent—though definitely destructive—defender who battled bizarre adversaries like Barugon, Viras and Guiron. In 1995, a revamped version of the reptilian hero reappeared in Gamera: Guardian of the Universe, an effects-laden extravaganza that significantly updated the fundamental
storyline while reintroducing one of the creature's classic foes, the pterodactyl-like Gyaos.
Offered in letterbox format with a choice of dubbed dialogue or English subtitles, a fresh DVD presentation of the picture includes a host of extras. The centerpiece of these bonus elements is an in-depth discussion with special-effects director Shinji Higuchi. In a wide-ranging interview conducted by Hirokatsu Kihara—a key member of the production team behind such popular anime features as My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service—the segment explores the challenges faced in modernizing the popular monster and upgrading the beast's actions through computer-generated imagery (CGI).
Additional add-ons include footage of the festivities surrounding the movie's debut at the snowy Yubari International Fantastic Adventure Film Festival, plus scenes from both the press conference announcing the start of production and the official opening-night ceremonies. A four-minute music video delivers a montage of behind-the-scenes images, while two separate sections are devoted to showcasing numerous theatrical trailers and TV commercials. The menu concludes with an obligatory "ADV Previews" option that, among various other promos, spotlights clips from Gamera: Attack of Legion, the first of this picture's two sequels.
Middle-age mutant ninja turtle
With a reinvigorated Godzilla rampaging across Japanese theater screens in five lucrative films released between 1989 and 1994, from a financial perspective it certainly made sense to revive the Gamera franchise. Fortunately, this initial outing is also an artistic success, thanks primarily to Higuchi and screenwriter Kazunori Ito (Ghost in the Shell). The adventure remains firmly aimed at a young audience—a key catch phrase in one of the trailers proclaims the giant turtle a "friend of children"—yet the story also touches lightly upon adult concerns like pollution, atomic waste and political bureaucracy. Combined with bracing sequences blending traditional rubber-suit action and modern-day CGI, it's clear why director Shusuke Kaneko declared at the preproduction press conference that, upon reading the screenplay, he "experienced an excitement like my blood was boiling."
An early sequence where three Gyaos creatures are lured into a baseball stadium is a bravura mix of effects and exhilaration, just as the finale, which starts at Tokyo Tower and concludes at a coastal oil facility, is perfectly devastating and dynamic. These moments are briefly examined within Higuchi's half-hour chat, but sadly the conversation is only the first installment of a three-part interview covering the entire latter-day Gamera lineup, and more attention is paid to the two follow-up films than the initial motion picture.
The other extras are enjoyable but rather frivolous, with one section partly focusing upon neophyte child star Ayako Fujitani asking Kaneko and Higuchi such obsequious questions as "How was my acting?" Still, Gamera: Guardian of the Universe provides far more bonus segments than comparable "kaiju" DVDs. Further insight would certainly be welcome, but between the fun film and the otherwise impossible-to-find embellishments, the package is a genuinely welcome addition to any SF movie collection.
