DESTROY ALL PLANETS (1968)
Also known as GAMERA VS VIRAS this movie is about some really cranky deep
voiced aliens flying around in giant bumble bee designed spaceships, looking to
take over earth. First they have to figure out a way to defeat Gamera, who is a
giant flying fire-breathing turtle that defends the earth. It’s really not that
big a deal. The method they decide on is a giant remote control they put on
Gamera’s neck. Yeah – that is what’s going on here.
This one ends up being the 4th movie in the Gamera series. By the
time we get to this thing they are using just a ton of stock footage from the
previous 3 movies (yeah, even the freakin black and white one). Needless to
say, this was a cost cutting measure that does almost nothing for the movie. Most
of the new footage revolves around 2 smart but curious kids that end up trying
to help Gamera and escape from a space ship. They are both dressed like they
raided the Boy Scouts of America thrift shop. The effects in this one compared
to the original are pretty freakin rough and I am not sure that it would have
helped even if they shot this in black and white.
DESTROY ALL PLANETS does have a few “what the hell” scenes in it. For one,
Gamera gets more jacked up in this movie than any other Gamera movie I have
seen. He also bleeds blue blood, just in case you were interested in that tid-bit. There is also some crazy scene
where the Viras becomes a giant monster that involves some decapitations. It’s
just freakin bonkers. As odd as that scene is, it doesn't make up for the missed opportunities here.
Sadly this movie would have been better if we had more actual story line because
that acting is decent. I would have also liked if all of the stock footage was
cut out and if the US hadn’t tried to market this like they did DESTROY ALL
MONSTERS from the Godzilla series. For some of the more creative elements I
have to give this movie a 3 out of 7, but I could see why a lot of people would
have this thing down at a 2 or less. Unless your cast is watching an old black
and white movie, you should NEVER have black and white stock footage carelessly
crammed into a color movie.
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