- For the Season K episode, see MST3K K06 - Gamera vs Gaos.
- For the Season 3 episode, see MST3K 308 - Gamera vs Gaos.
Gamera vs Gaos is a 1967 kaiju film directed by Noriaki Yuasa. It is the fourth film featuring Gamera, the giant flying turtle.
Plot[]
Gamera vs Gaos
A volcanic eruption rouses a huge triangle-headed vampire bat monster called Gaos, who has an ultrasonic yellow beam with laser-like cutting power. Gaos soon demonstrates a hunger for blood. Giant heroic flying turtle Gamera appears and battles Gaos on two occasions, but he is forced to withdraw both times after being badly injured.
Gamera is cheered on by a boy named Eiichi (aka "Itchy"). The military tries to burn Gaos with huge flamethrowers, but the monster's steaming armpits put the fires out. Scientists speculate that since Gaos only appears at night, sunlight might be harmful to the giant bat-like creature.
A plan to lure Gaos by placing a blood-like substance on top of a rotating restaurant is implemented. The scientists hope that the spinning action will disorient Gaos, making him unable to return to his underground lair when the sun rises. The plan works until the restaurant’s spinning mechanism breaks and Gaos escapes. Gamera finally defeats Gaos by making him fly too close to the sun.
Cast[]
- Kôjirô Hongô as Foreman Shiro Tsutsumi
- Kichijiro Ueda as Tatsuemon Kanamura
- Naoyuki Abe as Eiichi Kanamura
- Reiko Kasahara as Sumiko Kanamura
- Yoshirô Kitahara as Dr. Aoki
- Shô Natsuki as Self-Defense Force General
Notes[]
- This is the first film in which Gamera is shown bleeding.
- Actor Kichijiro Ueda had previously appeared in several notable Japanese films directed by Akira Kurosawa, including The Hidden Fortress, The Seven Samurai, and Rashomon.
- The subplot with the greedy farmers parallels true events that were occurring in Japan during the building of the Narita (New Tokyo) Airport. The airport was built on farmland and was met with violent protests (resulting in a few deaths) which continue to this day.
- The cost of the insert shots of Gaos' laser beam was nearly $1,000 each, so the filmmakers had to pick and choose when to show Gaos using his laser.
MST3K Connections[]
- Director Noriaki Yuasa was also director for Gamera, Gamera vs Guiron, Gamera vs Zigra, and Gamera vs Jiger (for which he was also a special effects technician), as well as director of stock footage and special effects for Gamera vs Barugon.
- Writer Niisan Takahashi was also writer for Gamera, Gamera vs Barugon, Gamera vs Guiron, Gamera vs Zigra, and Gamera vs Jiger.
- Kôjirô Hongô also portrayed Keisuke Hirata in Gamera vs Barugon.
- Reiko Kasahara also portrayed Florbella in Gamera vs Guiron and Ryoko Ishikawa in Gamera vs Zigra.
- Yoshirô Kitahara also portrayed Mr. Sakurai in Gamera and Professor Amano in Gamera vs Barugon.
- Shô Natsuki also portrayed Ichiro Hirata in Gamera vs Barugon, a news reporter in Gamera vs Guiron, a doctor in Gamera vs Zigra, and Dr. Suzuki in Gamera vs Jiger.
- Yukie Kagawa (road company chairman's secretary) also portrayed a girl in village in Gamera vs Barugon.
- Munehiko Takada (bullet train customer) also portrayed the Soviet representative in Gamera and a helicopter pilot in Gamera vs Jiger.
- U.S. version producer Sandy Frank was also producer for the U.S. versions of Humanoid Woman, The "Legend of Dinosaurs", Gamera, Gamera vs Barugon, Time of the Apes, Fugitive Alien, Gamera vs Guiron, Mighty Jack, Gamera vs Zigra, and Star Force: Fugitive Alien II.
- Producer Hidemasa Nagata was also producer for Gamera, Gamera vs Guiron, Gamera vs Zigra, and Gamera vs Jiger.
- Composer Tadashi Yamauchi was also composer for Gamera.
- Art director Akira Inoue was also production designer for Gamera vs Zigra and Gamera vs Jiger.
- Special effects technician Kazufumi Fujii was also special effects technician for Gamera vs Guiron, and Gamera vs Jiger, as well as special effects director for Gamera vs Zigra.
- Special effects technician Keizô Murase was also the Gamera suit maker for Gamera and special effects technician for Yongary - Monster from the Deep.
- Special effects assistant Tôru Suzuki was also special effects assistant for Gamera, Gamera vs Barugon, and Yongary - Monster from the Deep.
- Ted Rusoff (English dub voice of Shiro Tsutsumi) also provided the English dub voice of Biddle in Escape 2000.
- Ted Thomas (English dub voice of Kanamura) also provided English dub voices for Emperor Antonio in Godzilla vs. Megalon and Kawajiri in Gamera vs Barugon.