Monster X Strikes Back: Attack The G8 Summit And Attack Of The Giant Leeches Coming To DVD!

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Dread Central / Avery Guerra / Undead Backbrain

Japanese monsters always go by about a dozen different names. They normally have more aliases than a two-bit criminal, and the monster we are talking about today goes by Guilala, Girara, and Monster X. If any of those names don't ring a bell, then let me tell you that it is the monster from The Ladders TV commercial. You know, the one with all the little monsters running around causing mischief, then a bigger version shows up and causes real trouble. Yeh, I thought you may have seen it.

Well for those of you who don't follow Japanese monster news, the big guy with the three different names, was the star of his own movie last year called, "Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit." That film was actually a remake of a movie made in 1968. Anyway, if your a fan of the genre, then you probably already knew that, and if your not, then you probably don't care.

Well for those of you who do love big Japanese monsters, like I do, I have great news. Tokyo Shock will be releasing "Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit" on DVD here in America June 30th. According to sources the DVD will feature both an English subbed and English dubbed version. It is unknown if any 'extras' will be included on this release.



The film honestly didn't fair well at the Japanese box office, and critics didn't care for the overabundance of political satire and over-the-top characters. Fans, on the other hand, felt that there weren't enough monster scenes for their liking.

Well now American fans will be able to form their own opinions.

Here is the plot:

"In the summer of 2008, the G8 summit is being held at Lake Toya, a beautiful resort near the volcano in Hokkaido. At the same time, the Chinese rocket falls into Japan, causing the monster to be born from the spore attached to the rocket. The monster, Guilala, moves toward the summit conference site for the pursuit of volcanic energy. Now the world leaders have to terminate Guilala to show their country's prestige. First mission is missile attack by Japan, then Italy, Germany and... Deadly combat between human beings and the monster from outer space continues, but just when everyone starts to give up, two journalists finds a strange group worshiping the traditional "idol" at the lakeside."

If the news of the "Monster X" release wasn't enough, Brett Kelly's remake of the Roger Corman classic, "Attack of the Giant Leeches" will be coming to DVD as well.

Kelly has produced a modernized version of "Leeches" that draws heavily from the original cult-classic.



The director explains, "The remake is loyal in many regards. It's set in modern day and many of the characters are similar, we improved on inter character relations, and of course, the creatures are better. It's sexier, and has many touches that fans of the original will dig."

Originally "Attack of the Giant Leeches" was to be released April 7th, but it has now been pushed back to May 12th.

See Also: Looking For A Job? Guilala Can Help / New Photos From Monster X Strikes Back: Attack The G8 Summit / Guilala Premieres In Sapporo / A Brand New Full-Length Guilala Trailer / New Guilala Poster And Teaser Trailer / Guilala Prepares To Stomp Its Way Into Cannes / Shochiku Announces Plans For A Uchuu Daikaijuu Girara Remake

New Poster And Behind The Scenes Photos From Attack Of The Giant Leeches / Brett Kelly Is Remaking Corman's Leeches / Brett Kelly Talks About His Latest Film "Attack Of The Giant Leeches"

New Photos From Monster X Strikes Back: Attack The G8 Summit

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Getty Images / Avery Guerra

This looks like it is shapping up to be the weekend for new movie photos!

"Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit!" (Girara no gyakushu / Samitto kiki ippatsu!) will be screened at this years 65th Venice International Film Festival. In conjunction with that screening, Getty Images has released several new publicity photos from the film. Normally a film synopsis comes along with most publicity packages, but as of yet it has not been posted, as soon as it becomes available we will post here at Robo Japan. We will also post the screening date when it becomes available.

Enjoy the pics!

See Also: Guilala Premieres In Sapporo / A Brand New Full-Length Guilala Trailer / New Guilala Poster And Teaser Trailer / Guilala Prepares To Stomp Its Way Into Cannes / Shochiku Announces Plans For A Uchuu Daikaijuu Girara Remake

Guilala Premieres In Sapporo

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Timesonline (UK)

"Guilala-no Gyakushuu Touyaku Samitto Kiki Ippatsu" made its big screen debut this past weekend in Sapporo in conjunction with the G8 summit being held not too far away. A British reporter named Richard Lloyd Parry, who was in the region covering the summit got wind of the premiere and thought that the films theme would make an interesting tie-in story to go along with his daily coverage. As of this time Mr. Parry's article and review of the film has been the only English language article written about the premiere. Readers should note that this review is written by an political correspondent and not a movie critic. It basically pokes fun at Japanese monster movies and makes light of references to our present political leaders. It is fairly obvious that Parry is no monster movie fan and knows very little about these films except the widely accepted notion that they are nothing more than brainless B-movie fodder. For what it is worth, this review does shed some light on the films content and themes. Until another review surfaces this will have to suffice.

A Review By: Richard Lloyd Parry

Certain traditions are part and parcel of the G8 summit – the lavish banquets, the photo-opportunities, the souvenirs and the protests. In Japan, the occasion is being celebrated in a unique way – a Japanese monster movie in which Gordon Brown, George Bush and Nicolas Sarkozy make unflattering appearances.

"Guilala-no Gyakushuu Touyaku Samitto Kiki Ippatsu" (Guilala's (Girara's) Counter Attack: The Lake Toya Summit Crisis) the latest in a long line of sci-fi B movies dating back to Godzilla, complete with wooden acting, dreadful script and a deeply unconvincing monster played by a man in a rubber suit. Its originality is in its contemporary setting, during this week’s summit in the resort of Lake Toya, on the island of Hokkaido.

Guilala, a warty space dinosaur with ping-pong ball antennae and a rhombus-shaped head, comes to Earth as the summit is taking place and immediately rampages through the nearest city.

Trapped in their conference venue, the leaders of the free world resolve to send him to his doom and earn the gratitude of their people. Apart from the familiar low-tech special effects, the film becomes an opportunity for the display of racial stereotypes of the G8 nations from a Japanese point of view. Thus, the US President is blustering and overbearing, the British Prime Minister is obsessed with his country’s honour and reputation, and the French President spends much of the film naked in bed with his Japanese interpreter.

Shochiku, a studio wholly unaffiliated with the Japanese Government, premiered the film at the weekend in the city of Sapporo, in a cinema that is seen being trampled by Guilala early on in the story. It features several distinguished Japanese actors and a supporting cast of foreigners whose resemblance to the actual G8 leaders is almost as slight as their talent.

The actor playing the US President sounds Canadian, the British leader is played by an American, and the Canadian Prime Minister is Italian. A pretence of discretion is maintained by changing some of the leaders’ names: the French President is “Escargot Sorkozy”, the Russian is “Stroganoff Putin”, and Gordon Brown is renamed “Meat Pie Brightman”.

The satire, as well as the casual treatment of the facts, extends to the local characters as well. Instead of Yasuo Fukuda, the Japanese Prime Minister, the host leader in the film is his predecessor, Shinzo Abe, who resigned from the job last year after suffering from a bowel condition. Throughout the movie he is shown breaking wind and excusing himself to go to the lavatory.

Mr Sorkozy seduces his ladyfriend with the words: “You are my Arc de Triomphe, I am your Eiffel Tower.”

As our Meat Pie Brightman says: “Truly, Japan is the land of the gods.”

See Also: A Brand New Full-Length Guilala Trailer / New Guilala Poster And Teaser Trailer / Guilala Prepares To Stomp Its Way Into Cannes / Shochiku Announces Plans For A Uchuu Daikaijuu Girara Remake