Following the release of their massive 12-film Gamera: The Complete Collection Blu-ray set earlier this year, Arrow Video has today announced multiple smaller sets for release in the US, UK and Canada.
First up, there's The Showa Era Blu-ray set:
As giant monsters rampaged through 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 millennia, 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!
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
Then there's The Heisei Era Blu-ray set:
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.
SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
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
Also announced was a Heisei Trilogy Steelbook set, which features everything included in The Heisei Era set, minus the Gamera the Brave bonus disc.
All of these are slated for release on January 25th, 2021 in the UK via Arrow Video, followed by the US and Canada on January 26th via DiabolikDVD and Unobstructed View, respectively.
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