This poster for Girara-no Gyakushuu Touyaku Samitto Kiki Ippatsu [lit. Guilala’s Counter Attack: the Touyaku Summit One-Shot Crisis] (Japan–2008; dir. Minoru Kawasaki) — otherwise known as Monster X Strikes Back: Attack the G8 Summit! featuring Guilala’s Western pseudonym — looks like it might be the one used for releases outside of Japan.
This appeared on a site related to the Venice Film Festival in August.
The following synopsis gives more details of the film’s plot and suggests its main satirical target beyond the daikaiju eiga genre, though it does contain one spoiler:
A parody of the Japanese daikaiju genre (in technical terms, a film with gigantic monsters) set during an imaginary G8 summit ravaged by Guilala, the monster from outer space. With a focus on environmental issues, the summit, which takes place in the summer of 2008 in Hokkaido, explores the various ineffectual efforts of the major world leaders (including the French President, who is exclusively concerned with matters regarding the fairer sex) to deal with planetary imbalances. The arrival of the monster from outer space sets off a frenzied race to take credit for saving the planet from the extraterrestrial threat, right up to the finale in which the Japanese leader is unveiled as an impostor, an emissary from an evil enemy dictatorship.
- Source: FarEastFilm
- Previous Backbrain article (follow the links for more info)
I keep hearing very mixed reviews of the film and from what I can gather it’s definitely a parody/spoof that leans more towards infantile humor. It also relies heavily on stock footage I’m told. ‘Sci-Fi Japan’ posted a very negative review of the film: http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2008/09/06/review-monster-x-strikes-back-attack-the-g8-summit/ and then ‘TwtchFilm’ posted a more positive review: http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/sitges-2008-monster-x-strikes-back-attack-the-g8-summit/ Perhaps it’s about understanding this weird director and his “craft” and/or being able to accept it??
I suspect you’re right, Avery. Minoru Kawasaki’s other films get similar responses and from what I’ve seen of them, they sometimes work and sometimes don’t. I found “Calamari Wrestler” hilarious and “The World Sinks Except Japan” much less so. But despite this, the latter had effective bits and was conceptually interesting overall. Just a little slow and forced in places. It comes down to the individual viewer. There seems to be a growing tendency to compare Kawasaki to Ed Wood. But to me this is totally inappropriate. Wood’s films are (mostly) unintentionally funny and ridiculous, because Wood was being “serious” and the result is so contrary to his intentions. Minoru Kawasaki is deliberately being outre and kitsch. Like most satire, however, he walks a fine line with his material and approach and often it’s not going to work. I’ll be seeing his Guilala whatever critics say.
Oh you can definitely count me in as well!! “Guilala” has always been my favorite kaiju by design. He’s just so absurd and extremely silly so much that he could only have been made by the Japanese. I’ve waited forever for a new film of the this kaiju and couldn’t be more excited about this new one. I never really let the critics deter my enthusiasm. I often don’t agree with them anyways since I generally have different tastes in films and love some good old schlock. However, I find that some reviews such as these do prepare one not to build their expectations up too high and to just take the film for what it’s meant to be; a cheesy fun time.