Gunhed (1989)

[shinmattiathekaiju]

the soundtrack is good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1Ghuc-ZdH8

[Tamura]

The trailer on both ADV discs implies that Gunhead has stunning visuals, but then I'm treated to washed out frames. It would be nice if Sony or Media Blasters released this film using the print from that trailer.

SONY! SONY! SONY!

[Tohosaurus]

I'm interested in seeing this, especially since originally Godzilla was written into it. Coulda been a cool 1990 Godzilla release maybe?

[Sydney Aradi]

I have seen Gunhed and the acting, script is nothing special but the music & special effects make this film worth viewing at least once or twice

[Cimmerian Dragon]

It's especially of interest for fans of "real robot" anime, and the technical details are impressive. The script is about par for say, a summer action release, but nothing more. Most of the cast is bland too, but Brenda Bakke plays a pretty cool military type.

[Tyler]

I thought it was odd how they kill half the characters before the movie really starts.

[bananaoil]

I thought it was odd how they kill half the characters before the movie really starts.

What you meant to say was:

I thought it was predicable how Paul W. S. Anderson killed off half of the characters before the movie really starts.

[shinmattiathekaiju]

Theres also a manga.

[Patrick Alan]

Does anyone remember the 1989 Toho movie Gunhed? I think Toho should have added a Gunhed cameo in at least one of the Heisei Godzilla movies, anyone else like or even remember Gunhed?

[Cimmerian Dragon]

I saw Gunhed when I was a young kid, and I loved it. It's probably the best realization of the technical side of the "Real Robot" genre ever filmed in live-action. Looking back as an adult, I admit that its flaws are more obvious. It was some serious pacing issues and a thin script, but I do like the characters (and I'd pay to watch Brenda Bakke read the newspaper ), and the effects sequences are rather stunning considering when it was made.

P.S. It's said that James Cameron is a big fan of this film, and I can see why. My criticisms of Gunhed mirror my criticisms of Cameron's lastest cash-machine, Avatar. Both are films where it is obvious that the filmmaker's focus was on acheiving stunning visuals and a good sense of atmosphere, meanwhile churning out a totally bland, cliched story.

[CTHimes]

GUNHED is one of the most painfully bad SFX movies Toho ever made (and I've seen just about all of them). The only reason to watch this movie is for the special effects, which are actually pretty good, as CD mentioned. I don't think Kawakita topped his work on BYE-BYE, JUPITER (another awful movie), but the effects here are so much better than his 90s films.

[Goji]

Cimmerian and CT nailed it. There are a lot of good things about GUNHED, especially in the SPX department, but as a whole, the film is a dud. I also agree that his work in BYE-BYE JUPITER was quite impressive. It's a damn shame that the only Godzilla film that was saw any of his true talent translated to was BIOLLANTE..most likely due to his reported problems with alcohol after both GUNHED and BIOLLANTE flopped at the box office.

Cimmerian, I'm curious, how did you see GUNHED as a youngster? I know it had a VHS release, but I recall that being sometime in the late 90's. Did you snag a copy of the Japanese version when you were younger?

[Cimmerian Dragon]

I bought a VHS copy on a family excursion to NYC. Generic clamshell case, Japanese version...very "grey market". I think the ADV version hit stores when I was around 13 or so, and I bought that as well, so at least I supported the legit release eventually.

A lot of the Asian neighborhoods used to be overflowing with video stores like that. There was a small one on Market street in Philadelphia that I hit up for tons of martial arts VCDs (remember those?) and John Woo flicks, but they closed a few years back. Still some around, but now that we have the internet and all, I just don't get the same illicit thrill when I walk through the doors anymore. Sigh...now you've made me all nostalgic!

[Goji]

Here's one of those cases where when I say "cool story bro", I literally mean it! (minus the sarcasm of course).

I sort of wish I had seen it around that age, personally. When the film got the VHS release (I wanna say it was '98, but somebody correct me if I'm wrong), I didn't even know it was a Toho production, but I do recall seeing it in stores at the time. I was 13 that year, and my primary focus was still on Toho's monster films, some of which I still hadn't tracked down (SPACE AMOEBA being the main one, which I never did find. I actually didn't even see the film until the MB disc was released =/). My only bootlegs were of the Heisei Godzilla films, and I was very fortunate enough to have have tracked them all down by the fall of '96. /end nostalgic rant.

[Rody]

Post removed for un-necessity.

[Cimmerian Dragon]

Here's one of those cases where when I say "cool story bro", I literally mean it! (minus the sarcasm of course).

I sort of wish I had seen it around that age, personally. When the film got the VHS release (I wanna say it was '98, but somebody correct me if I'm wrong).

It must have been around there, it lines up with my memory at least. I guess we're about the same vintage, Goji.

[Sydney Aradi]

Sure the acting might not be up to snuff but it didn't matter that much to me as the film was pretty entertaining and as many have said before, the effects are pretty damn good considering the time Gunhed was made and yes it is a shame that Kawakita's effects work slacked off quite a bit in the 90's.

[o.supreme]

I have a VHS of this film (cant even remember where I got it), But I've had it for probably close to 20 years and watched it once. It could quite possibly be the film I have not watched in the longest time in my entire collection. This or the Ultra Q 1990's movie.

[Goji]

Wow, really?! Could you maybe submit a pic of the box art to the VHS box art article on the main site?

I always assumed the ADV release was the only VHS release. Does your version feature the full international credits?

[o.supreme]

My apologies for the confusion Goji, its not an official VHS, just a copy I made for myself from an acquaintance I had back in college in the early 90's. He was from Japan, and had tons of random stuff he just taped off TV (or from video stores) before he left. Sadly I only have a fraction of them now. I'm pretty sure the ADV VHS & DVD are the only official North American release.