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Science Fiction Pint and Pizza Night featuring Classic Japanese Monsters

What:

Science Fiction Pint and Pizza Night featuring classic Japanese monsters with Gamera (1965), Starman (aka Supergiant) in Atomic Rulers of The World (1957), and other psychotronic weirdness, trailers, short films and strange giveaways Wednesday, June 30, at Arcata Theatre Lounge, 1036 G St. in Arcata. Doors open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., cost is free with $5 minimum purchase of food or beverage and is all ages. Sponsored by La Dolce Video, The Arcata Eye, Daisy Drygoods, Vintage Avenger, Tin Can Mailman, The Clothing Dock and more!

Gamera (1965) is a daikaiju eiga (Japanese giant monster film) about a giant turtle named Gamera. The film is similar in nature to the popular Godzilla films, and is also the first in a series of films about Gamera. Gamera awakens from the accidental detonation of an atomic bomb as a result of an aerial assault by American fighters on Soviet bombers caught crossing into North American airspace. Gamera wastes no time in causing a rampage of destruction, first destroying a Japanese research ship, then making its way to Japan to wreak havoc. In an attempt to stop the giant turtle, Gamera is sedated with a freezing agent on a precipice, and powerful explosives are placed at the base. The explosion knocks the monster on its back, and while it seems as though mankind has scored a victory, this is not the case: Gamera reveals its ability to fly. The monster arrives in Haneda airport and destroys most of Tokyo. The military attempts to lure it to an island with fire, which it eats, and kill it, but the creature is distracted when a volcano erupts. Gamera goes to eat the lava instead. A new strategy, Plan Z, is devised to stop the monster, this time by baiting it into a space rocket bound for Mars…

Amusing excitment that shouldn’t be missed!

Starman (aka Supergiant) was the alien superhero of a series of nine short Japanese films. In 1964, four of the dubbed features edited from the originals were released on American television. In this feature, Starman battles American gangsters who threated to destroy Japan with an atomic bomb. The fast-paced serial-type action includes martial arts style fighting, back flips, and colorful costuming. Worried that nuclear radiation may “poison outer space,” Starman tries to stop the country of Magolia from becoming the Atomic Rulers of The World of the world. But, uh oh, after wiping out a nest of Magolian agents who all dress like film noir gangsters, Starman is rudely arrested for murder! Worse, a Magolian nuclear weapon is stolen by a bunch of little boys! Very wow.

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