Gamera vs. Barugon is a 1966 Japanese kaiju film directed by Shigeo Tanaka, with special effects by Noriaki Yuasa and Kazufumi Fujii. Produced by Daiei Film, it is the second entry in the Gamera franchise, and stars Kōjirō Hongō, Kyōko Enami, and Yūzō Hayakawa, with Teruo Aragaki as Gamera. In the film, Gamera returns to Earth to battle a reptilian monster born out of an opal brought to Japan by greedy entrepreneurs.
Due to the success of Gamera, studio president Masaichi Nagata pushed a sequel into production. Yunosaburo Saito was commissioned to write a story outline, which featured Gamera battling alien ice giants. Nagata instructed screenwriter Niisan Takahashi to write a "lavish" blockbuster and treat the monster spectacle seriously. Nagata promoted the project into an A-list production by approving a higher budget and attaching acclaimed talent. However, Yuasa, director of the previous film, was demoted to special effects director for this film. Principal photography for special effects began in January 1966 and ended in April 1966, while photography for drama scenes began in February 1966 and ended in April 1966.
Gamera vs. Barugon was theatrically released in Japan on April 17, 1966, on a double bill with Daimajin and underperformed at the Japanese box office. In 1967, it was released directly to television in the United States as War of the Monsters by American International Television.
The film was followed by Gamera vs. Gyaos, released on March 15, 1967.
Plot[]
Six months after the events of Gamera, the Giant Monster, a meteorite collides with the Z Plan rocket and frees Gamera, who returns to Earth and attacks Kurobe Dam in Japan. Ichiro, a World War II veteran, sends Kawajiri, Onodera, and his brother Keisuke, to the island of New Guinea to retrieve an opal he once found and hid in a cave. Despite warnings from the local villagers, the trio find and locate the opal, but Kawajiri dies from a fatal scorpion sting. Keisuke is betrayed by Onodera and nearly killed. Keisuke is rescued by the locals and tells one of them, Karen, about the opal they found. Karen reveals that the alleged "opal" is not really a jewel, and convinces Keisuke to take her to Japan to retrieve it.
En route back to Japan, Onodera accidentally leaves the opal exposed to an infrared light. The heat incubates the opal - revealed to be an egg - and a lizard, Barugon, hatches. Upon arriving to Kobe Harbor, the ship is suddenly destroyed. Ichiro finds Onodera, who tells him that Keisuke and Kawajiri died in the jungle. Having grown to immense size, Barugon surfaces from the harbor and proceeds to attack. While debating how to recover the opal, which he still believes to be aboard the sunken ship, Onodera inadvertently blurts out that he killed his two companions and then murders both Ichiro and his wife to cover up his crime. Barugon's rainbow ray attracts Gamera and the two battle in Osaka. However, Barugon freezes Gamera in place. Keisuke and Karen find Onodera, subdue him, and leave him tied up in his home. Keisuke and Karen suggest a plan to the defense ministry by using a huge diamond to lure Barugon into a lake to drown.
The plan fails due to the diamond's insufficient radiation. Another attempt by irradiating the diamond with additional infrared radiation almost succeeds, until Onodera interferes and steals the gem. However, both he and the diamond are devoured by Barugon. Keisuke discovers that mirrors are not affected by Barugon's rainbow ray, so the military devises a plan to reflect its own rainbow emanation back with a giant mirror. Barugon is wounded, but realizing its mistake, refuses to shoot another rainbow. Gamera thaws out and attacks Barugon once again. After battling, Gamera drowns Barugon in Lake Biwa, then flies away. Keisuke mourns over the events caused by his greed, believing he is now alone. However, Karen holds his hand and tells him he is not alone.