Thanks to the efforts of Steven Sloss and Alex Davidson, the UK has been invaded by classic Japanese Daikaiju as part of the film series “ALL KAIJU ATTACK: EARTH SOS!” that has been playing exclusively at The Barbican Theatre in the heart of London. Since September, the likes of Biollante, Megalon, Minya and even Ebirah have graced the silver screens of The Barbican to bring the wonders and thrills of giant monsters to British audiences in a series of screenings that explores how kaiju carnage connects to humanity’s relationship with the natural world. This giant monster celebration closes on December 10th next month in a showcase of one of the biggest non-Godzilla names in kaiju cinema: Gamera!
The gigantic terrapin makes a rare but impactful cinematic debut at The Barbican with the 2006 film Gamera the Brave! This exclusive theatrical experience will be held at the fantastic cultural center that is The Barbican Theatre on Wednesday, December 10th, at 18:20 (6:20PM) GMT. The film will be shown in Japanese with English subtitles, with tickets being on sale now via The Barbican’s official website.
The film explores loss and growth as a boy discovers a mysterious egg that hatches into a peculiar baby turtle. Over time, this beloved reptile begins to grow and shows the boy and his friends that this is one summer they will never forget as a new and terrifying monster rises from the depths to terrorize Japan and the only hope is in realizing the boy’s turtle is far from ordinary; it’s none other than the legendary monster long since lost, Gamera!
“After all of last year’s Godzilla screenings sold out, as part of our first All Kaiju Attack! programme, I’m so excited we’ll be showing another selection of top-notch kaiju films, some of which have never shown on the big screen in London before,” says Alex Davidson, Barbican Cinema Curator. “All Kaiju! Attack: Earth SOS! shows that, behind all the monster mayhem lie serious messages about humankind’s meddling with the natural world.”
What is considered to be at this time the last Gamera film is not just beloved by fans, but also serves as a great introduction to the benevolent monster and friend to all children that appeals to all ages! Gamera the Brave will also be introduced by Yuriko Hamaguchi, a MA student who specializes in film curation at the National Film and Television School who has a particular interest in Japanese, ESEA and transnational film histories. For the kaiju fans in the United Kingdom and the general London metropolitan area, this will be a screening you won’t want to miss. Make sure to get your tickets and witness this colossal story on the big screen!
