Sunday, April 16, 2017

GAMERA RETURNS! Visiting a Super Monster Filming Location!

The Shinjuku Sumitomo Building (left) and the Shinjuku Mitsui Building (right). Photo by Brett Homenick.

Many Godzilla fans know that the Shinjuku Sumitomo Building was prominently featured in Godzilla 1985 (1984), as Godzilla not only collapses into it following his first confrontation with the Super X, but Godzilla also pushes the building onto the Super X after he defeats it. 


However, the Shinjuku Sumitomo Building makes another appearance in a kaiju flick from the '80s, but this time it's Gamera's turn! In Gamera Super Monster (1980), when Gamera makes his first appearance in the movie, he flies over these dueling skyscrapers in Shinjuku -- the Shinjuku Sumitomo Building and the Shinjuku Mitsui Building.


Many of the scenes in Gamera Super Monster were filmed in Shinjuku, but when you consider all the changes that have taken in the last thirty-plus years, most of the locations are no longer recognizable. At least these two office buildings still look the same!


I always get a kick out of seeing these filming locations in person. There are plenty of places still out there to visit, but you won't find the best ones in any English-language publication. I'll continue to dig these locations up, so stay tuned!

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