Gamera vs. Gaos

[Chris K.]

THE RETURN OF THE GIANT MONSTERS (the original American title) was released by AIP-TV. I have a very rare copy of the AIP-TV version and I equally compared it to the Sandy Frank version. Without a doubt, Sandy Frank's version is a sad excuse for a feature. If you ever get to see the AIP-TV version, you'll know quality when you see AIP's film. RETURN OF THE GIANT MONSTERS is considered to be the BEST in the Gamera series. However, I found WAR OF THE MONSTERS (known by Sandy Frank's version as GAMERA VS. BARUGON) to be the best in the series. RETURN OF THE GIANT MONSTERS is a fun feature with some nice special effects, good camerawork, and good English dubbing (AIP-TV version, not Sandy Frank's). Overall, a great film to watch on a boring Saturday or Sunday.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Just one question. Do turtles have arms? Even giant turtles?
Otherwise, another great review. Keep 'em comin'. Enjoy!

[John Morgan]

As a kid during the '70s, I would watch "Godzilla Theater" every Saturday morning on a local TV station.  I would set my Shogun Warrior Godzilla beside me and we would watch it together.  I wasn't until I got ALL the movies (up to Godzilla 2000) on VHS that I realized that they did not only show Godzilla movies.  I remembered a scene where a giant turtle pulled himself up into his shell and rolled down a hill.  Thanks to the video clip with this movie review, I finally know the name of that movie I saw a a kid.

Thanks

[Dragon]

I don't understand Sandy Frank versions of Most of Gamera on VHS. It look twisty here and there. But anyway, Gaos (or Gyos) remains to be the popular foe of Gamera's. If you look at it in "Gamera Guardian of the Universe". A space Gaos in "Gamera vs. Guiron". This 1967 flick is fun. Who cannot forget Gamera's arm nearly severed by Gaos' cutting ray, and the shell rool?

[Will Laughlin]

GAMERA VS. GAOS was made around the time that a number of Japanese farmers were protesting the confiscation of their land to make room for the construction of Narita Airport. This probably explains the heavy-handed portrayal of the poor land-owners as greedy profiteers: that's the image that the highly-influential Japanese business interests of the time wanted to convey. It's a shame, really, because aside from this distateful piece of political propaganda, the movie's a hoot. It's completely insane, but that's part of its charm: "Hmmm... we could build a big sun lamp... OR we could build a huge fountain of synthetic blood that spins around spurting and makes the monster all dizzy. Hey, that's a no-brainer: let's build that fountain!" Oh, yeah. We need more movies like this.

[George]

I'll try not make any mistakes this time,as I tried to say before but over did it,I can remember along time ago when tv stations used to know how to show Creature Feature the beging of X-From Outer Space was different showing alot more credits while AAB Gamma was launched,& a sceen where Dr.Lisa was seeing if Gulalieum would work against Goliela on moonbase & then we see the monster walking through an oil field,in Return of ther Giant Monsters we used to see Gaos shooting his rays in the cave while regrowing his foot,& once I saw War of the Monsters,the original A.I.P. version just like the Sandy Frank one,when monster movies were popular,as they began to fade A.I.P. took some of these movies & re-did them,sceens were lost forever it seems it was sad to see it end,but they'll live on forever with us on VHS & DVD.

[doug govostis]

Aip Gamera movies rule!Return of the Giant Monsters was a family favorite in our household. We all watched creature feature on saturday at 4:3Opm. we'd break out the snacks and Godzilla stuff and talk godzilla and gamera that day.
Gaos looked kinda funny one night watching him when I had bronchitis and  heavily medicated with codeine filled cough suppressant.  I kinda related to his dizziness on the platform.  I remember being delirious while watching that movie the first time around.  I was strangely still pleasant.

[George]

And now comes the sad news that the original director of 7 of the eight Gamera movies has passed on,Thank You Noraki Yuasa!,For making Gamera the Monster he was,I say that because I don't really think all much of these newer versions of Gamera at all,& Gamera vs.Iris is my least favorite of the 3,of course I read at one time some independent movie company made a Gamera 4,vs. Gaos the Second Battle,someone was to suppose to download it & make it avalible through ADV Films,well that was along time ago,and now,like The X=From Outer Space review dissappearing off the internet,so has all that about this Gamera movie,as Yuasa himself said one time these Gamera movies weren't made with sincerity as the original,they're just monster movies,though I did like Guardian of the Universe & Legion,Noraki Yuasa will be missed,but as it was once said,"Cities and people come and go,but monsters last forever",trully Noraki Yuasa will live for ever,in every Gamera film he ever diected,his name will always be there.

[George]

Well I understand that Neptune Media has an original print of Attack of the Monsters on vhs with A.I.P. soundtrack and the part where Guiron chops up Space Gaos,and with Retromedia & Alpha Video DVD versions that peice is still missing?!,well I got the Sandy Frank version onto my vhs A.I.P. version,so between me & Neptune,at least we got that missing peice,why Retro & Alpha don't have it is yet another mystery.

[Mark Radburn]

Gamera Fights a Giant Vampire Bat in this All-time monster movie and is the best Gamera movie ever and again Gaos's coustume design was very scary even his screeching was scary I bet you'll love this movie and trust me it's got good special effects.

[Sean Freel]

Fun movie, I had fun watching it.
Great reference to Final Fantasy 7 in the review!! I giggled like a schoolboy cuz I knew the scene!

[George]

Yes Sinister Cinema and Retromedia did bring it back but yet one question remains,what ever happened to that missing scene in Attack of the Monsters where Guiron chops up Space Gaos,all you have to do is put a few minutes of the Sandy Frank version on it,and for that matter did anyone else see just once War of the Monsters just like the Sandy Frank version,only it was A.I.P.?,I did,just once.

[George]

My 2 most favorite monster movies are Return of the Giant Monsters and X-From Outer Space,and always will be,however now Atragon is finally out there,those looking for a great A.I.P. version of this classic should vist I Want That DVD.com they've got it!.

[George]

No matter what happens now or in the near future of Gamera movies to come,(although I hope they return Gamera to the way he was and have him breath fire again),Return of the Giant Monsters was and still is the best of all Gamera ever made,I like the other Gamera movies too(although of the first 3 new ones, Irs is my least favorite to date),but Return of the Giant Monsters(or Gamera vs. Gaos as it is sometimes referred too,to me it will always be more remembered as Return of the Giant Monsters),is definitely the classic Gamera movie of the original three!.

[Godzilla's number 1 fan]

Now, I am Godzilla's number one fan, but I do also have a obsession of Gamera. Gamera vs Gaos (I am more used to spelling it Gyaos) is a well made movie... what am I saying?! It wasn't very good at all! Im being as honest as I can get, and this movie was not a very good monster movie. If the directer left the child seen out, this film proboly would have made ti onto my "movies to watch" mental list- but becuase of that little fat boy who makes freinds with a giant turtle, im calling this a bad movie!!!


                   Ofcourse, this is my opinion, and dont let it bother you if you watch the movie and end up enjoying it.