Daikaijû kettô: Gamera tai Barugon (1966)

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Siskoid
The second Gamera movie, Gamera vs. Barugon, is as derivative as the first. For some reason, it echoes Godzilla's second film as well, with its Osaka setting, a pilot protagonist, and a four-legged kaiju opponent. AND kaiju experts everywhere will recognize that Barugon is, on the surface, something of a riff on the similarly-horned Baragon (from Toho's Frankenstein Conquers the World). But the buck stops there. Barugon is a crazier monster, based on a chameleon, with a chewing-gum tongue that can freeze things (Gamera spends an inordinate amount of time frozen solid, sadly) and a rainbow beam coming off its back that can destroy whole army units. The plot is completely whack, with an Indiana Jones hook, the monster being lured by a diamond's light, and other such non-science. The human elements nevertheless hold more excitement than usual, even though the acting is frequently subpar. 6 years 3 months ago