This
box set, containing the most complete offerings
to all three of Kow
Otani's
stellar work on the Gamera series, has become a hotly
desired item in the collector circuit. Although
not released all that long ago, the release consistently
fetches rather exorbitant prices on the resale market,
typically going for well over $80 which is nearly
double its original retail value. Thankfully, the
desirability of this set is well merited. As previously
mentioned, this set boasts expanded soundtrack releases
for all three of the 1990's Gamera soundtracks.
All three are improved over their single disc presentations,
in particular the first disc which contains several
themes that were left off the original CD release
entirely. However, the discs for the other two films
are also noteworthy for what they offer over their
previous releases, such as the trailer for the second
film and some unreleased advert background music
from the third.
In regards to the music itself, Otani's work on Shusuke
Kaneko's Gamera trilogy is one of the composer's
finest hours. All three scores make for excellent
listening experiences, both as part of the movie and
as a stand alone body of work.
Bottom line, even though the three disc set commands
a hefty price today, it's worth the money for what's
found inside. Those who already own one of the single
disc releases, though, might have some trouble warranting
the set, at which point it would be advisable to simply
opt for the single disc releases of all three scores
instead. However, those who haven't purchased one
of the three separate releases are better off holding
out for this three disc offering, even though it's
a little rare to pop up now.
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