Kaijuly is BACK at the Showroom Cinema and we’re going even bigger with a focused festival of bio-horrors, mechanical menaces and clashing deities. Previously we’ve celebrated milestone anniversaries of two of Japan’s most prominent titans, Godzilla and Gamera but this year we’re going global, unearthing a vast array of ancient terrors. Expect the destructive debut of King Kong and his robotic rival Mechani-Kong, the sentient miasma Hedorah, and the UK’s own ancient, folkloric horror, Gorgo!
Kaijuly – Planet: Meltdown commences on Saturday 4 July with 1989’s Godzilla vs Biollante. Switching focus from nuclear anxiety to biotechnological threats, this feature marks our first foray into Godzilla’s Heisei period, a pinnacle era for the franchise’s signature suit-mation effects.
Eugène Lourié’s Gorgo (1961) arrives to terrorise our own shores, infusing the newly born genre with Britain and Ireland's specific brand of folk horror and weird sci-fi. Ishirō Honda also returns to direct King Kong Escapes (1967), a bizarre cross-cultural exchange that sees Hollywood’s own iconic monster face off against a mechanical doppelganger culminating in a devastating battle atop Tokyo Tower.
Sunday 5 opens with 1971’s Godzilla vs Hedorah, a singular psychedelic feature pitting the King of Monsters against an amorphous smog monster borne of humanity’s waste and pollution. Animated segments and musical interludes distance the film from the solemn horror of the original but its sincere and prescient message about our duty to the planet and its endlessly creative execution make it a regular favourite amongst fans.
Also on Sunday 5 is Roland Emmerich’s 1998 Godzilla, the first American adaptation of Toho’s biggest star. Often controversial and regularly reappraised, this oddity of kaiju canon remains one of the most radical and interesting interpretations of the King of Monsters to date. With Godzilla Minus Zero taking the action back to New York City this winter, there’s been no better time to revisit the notorious classic.
Last year’s screening of Gamera – Guardian of the Universe (1995) proved immensely popular, so we are excited summon earth’s guardian turtle back to complete the trilogy! Gamera 2 - Attack of Legion (1996) closes Saturday evening, while Gamera 3 - Revenge of Iris (1999) concludes our celebrations the following day. Be sure to catch both films to experience the full explosive arc!
A weekend pass will be available to purchase alongside day passes and individual tickets, all available here: https://showroomcinema.org.uk/festivals/kaijuly-planet-meltdown
By Max Barker, Kaijuly Co-Curator
Paternoster Row, Sheffield City Centre, Sheffield S1 2BX
Bike racks, nearby tram parking, tram and bus access
