MovieChat Forums > Gojira (2004) Discussion > Any Gamera fans?

Any Gamera fans?

posted 13 years ago by Isnam777
5 replies | jump to latest

I just recently got back into watching the Godzilla series again, and am still a big fan. During my hiatus however, I was able to see some Gamera films (well at least the ones heckled on the show "Mystery Science Theater 3000") and despite the glaring similarity that both Godzilla and Gamera are both giant Japanese monsters, does anyone know what (if any) influence Godzilla had on the Gamera series?

What I mean is:

1. Was the concept (only the concept, not the actual movie mind you) of Gamera created before or after Godzilla was created?

2. If Gamera was influenced by Godzilla, was Godzilla it's sole inspiration?

3. Was it just a rip-off of Godzilla, or were there some other genuinely original artistic factors involved in Gamera's conception?

4. Were the makers of Gamera trying to cash in on the Godzilla craze (the first Gamera film came out in 1965, just as the Godzilla series was hitting a new height in popularity) or were Gamera's makers trying to distinguish themselves as a completely separate entity from Godzilla?

5. Which script came first: Godzilla's or Gamera's (the reason I ask this is because other franchises that most would dismiss as being rip-offs were in fact created before the so-called "original" franchise was released, for example, many thought the "Critters" series was a blatant rip-off of the "Gremlins" series when in fact the script/screenplay for "Critters" was written before "Gremlins" and the writers for "Critters" went through the trouble of rewriting "Critters" as to not look like they were ripping-off "Gremlins")

Pardon my long-winded questions, but feel free to specualte as you respond to these questions. If anyone actually knows the answers to these questions, please share your knowledge here. Thank you!

Peace is not the absence of affliction, but the presence of God. ~Author Unknown

[–] Zillajay23 13 years ago

I don't know all the exact details but to sum it up Godzilla was first Gamera of course was influenced by not only Godzilla but Japanese Kaiju(giant moster) movies and tv show craze.

[–] Big G-2 13 years ago

Yes, Godzilla was an influence. I recall in a magazine interview from Gamera director Noriaki Yuasa who did indeed mention it.

Ironically, it was the Gamera movies that would influence the later Godzilla series, with Toho trying to make him more appealing to children, just as Daiei did with Gamera.

[–] Sir_Jim_Monroe 13 years ago

Just a quick question, have they released the original Gamera movies on Region 1 DVD in their original Japanese audio? I heard they did with the first one but I dont rmember if they did it with the other ones too. And if so are they presented with the original credits and original audio? Or just the English credits and the japanese audio included?

***METAL FREAK***

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] EpsilonX 11 years ago

Gamera came around 10 years later and had lots of blatant similarities to Godzilla, what with a giant monster attacking Japan, later defending Japan from a bunch of other giant monsters. However, it didn't have the same message as Godzilla (Gamera wasn't nuclear war personified, it was just a big turtle that destroyed stuff) and (from what i've heard anyways, i've only seen two of the Gamera films) they were much more focused on setting the stage for giant monster battles, as opposed to having actual plots like in the Godzilla films, so that leads me to believe that it was, in fact, trying to cash in on the popularity of Godzilla and other kaiju flicks. (holy run-on sentence Batman) It did end up taking on its own personality, and the 90s Gamera movies are great. There's a 3-pack of them on blu ray for less than $10, which I recommend.