1967’s Gamera vs. Viras opens with what appears to be a yellow and black-striped Tupperware container spinning through space. Looks can be deceiving, though. It’s not actually a freshness-sealed container that’s heading towards Earth. Instead, it’s a spaceship from the planet Viras. It seems that the inhabitants of Viras are dependent upon Nitrogen to live. Foolishly, they’ve wasted all of their own Nitrogen and now they’re planning on coming to Earth to steal ours!
GAMERA, WE NEED YOU!
Gamera vs Viras is yet another Gamera film in which everyone’s favorite flying turtle also serves as the defender of Earth. Even though the adults on Earth frequently mistake Gamera for being a threat, Gamera has a sentimental attachment to the planet’s children. In this film, when he’s not fighting aliens and orbiting the planet, he’s hanging out with a bunch of boy scouts. Unfortunately, for Gamera, the aliens realize that his protectiveness of children is also his greatest weakness. The aliens abduct two of the boy scouts, American Jim (Carl Craig) and Japanese Masao (Tōru Takatsuka) and lure Gamera into space. The aliens manage to take control of Gamera’s mind and soon, they’re forcing him to attack humanity!
In America, Gamera vs Viras is one of the best-known Gamera films. That’s because, in 1969, American International Television released it directly to American television in a re-edited and dubbed version that was entitled Destroy All Planets. (I assume that the title, which doesn’t really anything to do with the plot, was meant to bring to mind Destroy All Monsters.) Destroy All Planets is the version of this film that went on to be included in hundreds of DVD box sets. Destroy All Planets is a great title. I mean, if you’re a monster movie fan of a certain age, there’s no way you’re going to able resist watching something called Destroy All Planets.
Whether you call it Gamera vs Viras or Destroy All Planets, this is one of my favorite Gamera films. Yes, the kids are a little bit annoying but Gamera is absolutely adorable and this movie finds him going up against a giant squid. To be honest, this film is totally worth it just to see the Squid.
Watching this film, I thought about how sad it was that the Squid didn’t just politely ask for some Nitrogen, as opposed to trying to conquer the planet and steal all of it. I’m sure that humanity would have been willing to share. I mean, a planet that has embraced a giant fire-breathing turtle has to have a good heart, right? I also felt sorry for Gamera because those kids wouldn’t stop yelling at him. I get that Gamera has a soft spot for kids but I imagine even the most loyal of giant turtles needs a break every once and a while.
Speaking of turtles (both giant and otherwise), turtles are really cool creatures that don’t cause any trouble for anyone. We live near a creek and it’s not unusual to look outside and see a turtle slowly making its way down the sidewalk. One thing that I love about this neighborhood is that everyone gives the turtles their space. The turtles may not be fast but they know where they’re going.
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