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Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (PG) + introduction by Steven Sloss

All Kaiju Attack!

,Cinema 1
A monster stands in a forest looking frightening.

Shusuke Kaneko’s 1995 blockbuster trades the campy, kid-friendly surrealism of the earlier films for a darker, more realistic tone and innovative special effects.

Gamera, a gigantic turtle previously nicknamed “the friend of all children”, was usually seen as playing second fiddle to some of the more famous kaiju, until this mighty reboot roared into cinemas. This is the first of a trilogy of 1990s Gamera films, still regarded today as among the best – and by some, the very best – kaiju movies ever made.

Gamera is compelled to rouse from his hibernation when Gyaos, a rival monster resembling a grotesque pterodactyl, threatens the future of humanity. The film also boasts a strong performance from Ayako Fujitani as a girl who has a connection with Gamera. Released two years after Jurassic Park, with which it shares some similarities, the return of Gamera is packed with fun, action and great special effects, with a number of show-stopping set pieces.

Tagged with: Cinema All Kaiju Attack!

Japan 1995 dir Shusuke Kaneko 95 min, in Japanese with English subtitles

Steven Sloss

Steven Sloss is a lifelong fan and scholar of kaiju cinema, and has written on the subject for Arrow Films, FrightFest, Glasgow Film Festival, and more. He is the former co-host of the AV Club-featured Kaijusaurus Podcast.

Cinema 1

Location
Barbican Cinema 1 is located within the main Barbican building on Level -2. Head to Level G and walk towards the Lakeside Terrace where you’ll find stairs and lifts to take you down to the venue floor.   

Address
Barbican Centre
Silk Street, London
EC2Y 8DS

Public transport
The Barbican is widely accessible by bus, tube, train and by foot or bicycle. Plan your journey and find more route information in ‘Your Visit’ or book your car parking space in advance.