If you missed the Gamera boxset a few months ago, you’ll be glad to know that you can now buy the releases in two separate boxsets from 25th January 2021.
As giant monsters rampaged the Japanese cinematic landscape during the “kaiju boom” of the mid-1960s, Daiei Studios introduced a new character to the screen that would be embraced for generations: Gamera, the giant, flying, fire-breathing turtle, and friend of all children!
Buried under the Arctic ice for several millenia, the colossal chelonian is unleashed upon Japan, leaving havoc in his wake. After becoming an unexpected box office sensation, Gamera returned several more times, leaping to the world’s defence against a motley assortment of evil creatures, from the death-ray-shooting flying terror Gyaos, to the knife-headed alien menace Guiron, to the underwater invader Zigra!
Arrow Video are releasing The Showa Era boxset on Blu-Ray on 25th January 2021.
Gamera – The Showa Era
SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
• High Definition (1080p) transfers of all eight Showa-era Gamera films on Blu-ray
• Lossless original Japanese and dubbed English mono audio for all films
• Optional English subtitles for all films
• Reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Frank
DISC ONE – GAMERA THE GIANT MONSTER
• Commentary and newly filmed introduction by August Ragone
• High Definition (1080p) transfer of Gammera the Invincible, the American theatrical version of the film, with lossless mono audio and optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of hearing
• Remembering the Gamera Series, an archive featurette from 1991, including interviews with director Noriaki Yuasa, writer Nisan Takahashi and others
• Interview with Noriaki Yuasa, filmed by Jörg Buttgereit in 2002
• Gamera Special, an hour-long best-of compilation supervised by Noriaki Yuasa in 1991
• Alternate English credits
• Trailer and image galleries
DISC TWO – GAMERA VS. BARUGON / GAMERA VS. GYAOS
• Commentary on Gamera vs. Barugon by August Ragone & Jason Varney
• Commentary on Gamera vs. Gyaos by Stuart Galbraith IV
• Newly filmed introductions to both films by August Ragone
• High Definition (1080p) transfer of War of the Monsters, the shorter American edit of Gamera vs. Barugon, with lossless English audio
• Alternate English credits for both films
• Trailer and image galleries
DISC THREE – GAMERA VS. VIRAS / GAMERA VS. GUIRON
• Choice of three different versions of Gamera vs. Viras via seamless branching
• Commentary on Gamera vs. Viras by Carl Craig and Jim Cirronella
• Commentary on Gamera vs. Guiron by David Kalat
• Newly filmed introductions to both films by August Ragone
• New featurette with actor Carl Craig showing his souvenirs and props from Gamera vs. Viras
• Highlights from the G-FEST X convention in 2003, featuring Noriaki Yuasa and Carl Craig
• The 4th Nippon Jamboree, a promotional film for the Boy Scouts of Japan directed by Yuasa in 1966
• Alternate English credits for both films
• Trailer and image galleries
DISC FOUR – GAMERA VS. JIGER / GAMERA VS. ZIGRA / GAMERA SUPER MONSTER
• Commentary on Gamera vs. Jiger by Edward L. Holland
• Commentary by Gamera vs. Zigra by Sean Rhoads & Brooke McCorkle
• Commentary on Gamera Super Monster by Richard Pusateri
• Newly filmed introductions to all three films by August Ragone
• Alternate English credits for all three films
• Trailer and image galleries
Gamera – The Heisei Era
After laying dormant for fifteen years, Gamera was rebooted for the big screen in a smash hit trilogy masterminded by director Shusuke Kaneko (Necronomicon), writer Kazunori Ito (Ghost in the Shell) and SFX director Shinji Higuchi (who went on to co-direct Shin Godzilla).
Trading the campy kid-friendly surrealism of the earlier films for a darker, more realistic tone and jaw-droppingly innovative special effects, the Heisei Trilogy are still regarded today as among the best – and by some, the very best – kaiju films ever made.
This unmissable trio is complimented by a bonus disc featuring Gamera the Brave, a heartwarming mix of family-friendly adventure and cutting-edge kaiju action that is the most recent Gamera film to date.
Gamera – The Heisei Era is available on Blu-Ray. A 3 disc limited edition Steelbook bluray of Gamera – The Heiseim Trilogy is also available but does not feature Gamera The Brave.
SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS of Gamera – The Heisei Era
• High Definition (1080p) transfers of all four films on Blu-ray, including 4K restorations of the Heisei Trilogy by Kadokawa Pictures
• Original Japanese and dubbed English DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio for all films
• Optional English subtitles for all films
• Reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Frank
DISC ONE – GAMERA THE GUARDIAN OF THE UNIVERSE
• Commentary by Matt Frank
• Newly filmed introduction by August Ragone
• A Testimony of 15 Years: Part 1, the first in an epic three-part documentary interviewing cast and crew of the Heisei Trilogy
• Interviews with director Shusuke Kaneko and SFX director Shinji Higuchi, filmed by Jörg Buttgereit in 2002
• Extended interview with Shinji Higuchi, focusing on the trilogy’s special effects
• Behind the scenes featurettes tracing the film’s production from announcement to release
• Alternate English credits
• Trailer and image galleries
DISC TWO – GAMERA 2: ATTACK OF LEGION
• Commentary by Kyle Yount
• Newly filmed introduction by August Ragone
• A Testimony of 15 Years: Part 2, the next part of the documentary interviewing cast and crew of the Heisei Trilogy
• On-set footage from the shooting of the film’s main unit and special effects filming
• Behind the scenes featurettes tracing the film’s production from announcement to release
• Alternate English credits
• “Lake Texarkana” comedic dub track
• Trailer and image galleries
DISC THREE – GAMERA 3: REVENGE OF IRIS
• Commentary by Steve Ryfle & Ed Godziszewski
• Newly filmed introduction by August Ragone
• A Testimony of 15 Years: Part 3, the final part of the documentary interviewing cast and crew of the Heisei Trilogy
• Behind the scenes featurettes tracing the film’s production from announcement to release
• Deleted Scenes
• The Awakening of Irys (Remix), a montage of behind-the-scenes footage and work-in-progress special effects footage
• Alternate English credits
• Trailer and image galleries
DISC FOUR – GAMERA THE BRAVE
• Commentary by Keith Aiken & Bob Johnson
• How to Make a Gamera Movie, a featurette hosted by director Ryuta Tasaki
• Behind The Scenes of Gamera the Brave, an all-access on-set documentary
• The Men That Made Gamera, a documentary looking back at the series from start to finish, featuring interviews with cast and crew
• Opening Day Premiere, a featurette showing the cast and crew presenting the film at its first showing
• Kaho’s Summer, an interview with the film’s young star
• Special Effects Supercut, a montage of effects shots overseen by FX supervisor Hajime Matsumoto
• Trailer and image galleries
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