Mystery Science Theater 3000: GAMERA VS. JIGER

July 23, 2022 11:07 AM - Season 13, Episode 7

aka "Gamera tai Daimaju Jaiga," "Gamera vs. Monster X," "Monsters Invade Expo '70." Everyone's favorite humongous turtle and Friend to Children protects Expo 70, being held in Japan, from a monster attack. Did you ever want to know what Gamera looked like from the inside? Stay tuned. It's not a rewatch this time! Jonah and his bots go up against one of the few Showa-era Gamera movies not done back during the Comedy Central era. And furthermore, I hear they were required to show this one uncut, so get ready for the longest episode of MST3K to date, clocking in at over two hours! Premiered July 22, 2022, in the Gizmoplex.

Episode 1307 GAMERA VS. JIGER

Rotten Tomatoes (Critics N/A, Viewers 29%)
IMDB (1970, 5.4 stars) - Wikipedia

"When an ancient statue is moved for display in Expo '70, a giant, vaguely Triceratops-like monster is released. The monster goes to Japan in pursuit of the statue and ends up battling Gamera, the giant flying turtle."

Directed by Noriaki Yuasa and Shigeo Tanaka (footage from past movies). Written by Niisan Takahashi. Starring Tsutomu Takakuwa, Kelly Varis, and Katherine Murphy.

posted by JHarris (6 comments total)

I can't believe I'm invested in the "story", but does anyone else expect Pearl to be taking Kinga on a field trip so she (Pearl) can lose her (Kinga) somewhere and then take over the experiments herself?
posted by wittgenstein at 4:06 PM on July 23, 2022

At first I assumed they were just doing the Irish wake so they could make that Jigerbomb joke, but that was a really good song.
posted by ckape at 9:21 PM on July 23, 2022

Obviously I'm going to like this movie. Watched about 45 minutes last night but I'm recovering from gut surgery so I worry about laughing too much.
posted by gamera at 1:30 PM on July 24, 2022 [4 favorites]

OK, I dig that the licensing agreement was that they show the whole movie, but I think we all could have done without the elephant scene.
Loved the Irish wake song. Also how pleased Jonah was with his Flaming Lips reference in the post show.
posted by The Ardship of Cambry at 9:31 AM on July 25, 2022

I suppose Kinga's trip will be the perfect time for Jonah and Emily to do whatever it is they were conspiring in rhyme about.
posted by ckape at 9:55 PM on July 28, 2022

I have a guess about what Pearl's up to--

I think Pearl might be feeling kind of lonely and elderly, and maybe that she's driven off and/or strangled most of her family, and is trying to reconnect? Loneliness that might be explained a bit in that Brain Guy and Bobo aren't around this season.

That might have something to do with Pearl asking Joel whether Clayton had ever mentioned her or Kinga. Him having a kid was a surprise to most viewers even, as Clayton always seemed to be a pretty hopeless single.

Maybe that's what they're using the Time Bag (Vac?) for, to reconnect with Dr. F? I wonder how well that will work out though, considering that she strangled him when he was a star baby.
posted by JHarris at 1:40 PM on July 29, 2022