GAPPA The TRIPHIBIAN MONSTER - 1967

Oiseau géant qui se présente par paire, méfiez-vous ! The only giant monster movie from Japan's Nikkatsu Corporation, 1967's "Gappa the Triphibian Monster" aka "Monster From A Prehistoric Planet" and "Giant Beast Gappa", tells the story of a reptilian bird monster found on a south seas island by explorers, who bring the newly hatched creature back to Japan for public exhibition. However, the baby's gigantic parents are not at all pleased with this development, and fly out towards Japan in a destructive search for their kidnapped child. Despite the dire plot similar to "Gorgo", the original Japanese film was meant as a fairy lighthearted, satirical romp, not unlike the original Japanese cut of "King Kong vs Godzilla".

 The Gappa Family have never made a return appearance via movie follow-ups, but stock footage of Mommy and Daddy Gappa were used in the British sci-fi comedy series "Red Dwarf", as two giant Waxdroids on the rampage. Unconfirmed reports also state that in the mid-1990s, during the wake of a Japanese giant monster resurgence ("Godzilla vs Destroyah", "Ultraman Tiga", and "Gamera the Guardian of the Universe") there were plans to produced the crossover film entitled "Gappa vs Guilala"(!).

 The 1967 film also features a brief appearance from a small pterodactyl-like creature, which startles one of the human explorers while in the jungle.

Scans and text by Rafael C. Gonzalez, Xenorama, the Flame of Udin and Asian Feast, thanks !