Maciste_Brother
When I saw the amazing music video Mindphaser by industrial rockers Frontline Assembly, I was curious to see from which film the clips were taken from. You see, Frontline Assembly got a hold of the rights for using images from GUNHED and edited together one amazing six minutes long music video which has become one of my favorites music videos ever. So it was only normal to see the film from which the clips were taken from.Well, bad idea.The movie sucks so bad that I should have been just happy with the music video. In fact, if you're reading this and never seen Mindphaser, go to Youtube and look for it. It's the whole movie condensed into 6 minutes, without the bad acting (and actors), bad pacing and well, bad everything. Mindphaser is a masterpiece of editing and music, which GUNHED is most definitely not.
Cacus7
Ganheddo was produced by the same Japanese studio which brought us Godzilla, and it shows... but in a good way. Where many, higher-budgeted films of the time were moving to computer-generated effects, Toho stuck with scale models and stop-animation, giving this movie a gritty look not often found in films of similar provenance.Though the plot is difficult to keep up with at times, it is still enjoyable, made especially the more so by the character of Seven. This movie will be a godsend for fans of the Mechwarrior/vertical tank type stories. The plot revolves around a group of scavengers who happen across a defunct lair controlled by machines, cyborgs, and their master, a central computer. The scavengers are after a rare power source which fuels the complex. Having detected their presence, the computer counts down to self destruct. Matters are complicated when one of the crew becomes incorporated into the machine's consciousness.Good cinematography, decent acting, and a fantastic story all contribute to this film's warrants. It's too bad that CGI has taken the forefront -- I think modern filmmakers could learn a lesson from this one.
GenFX
I saw this at a science fiction convention back in 1990. A friend of mine had been talking up this film for some time and I fell for the hype. The dialogue was bad, the pacing worse. The Japanese seem to have a monopoly on giant robot action, too bad it appears not to apply to live action. I wish I had brought a book to read...or more beer. I would not have been bored out of my mind or simply to blitzed to care. It was so bad I simply walked out after a while...even half drunk this was not a good movie. There are inumerable examples of better giant mecha action to be found from Japan (Gundam, Patlabor, Gasaraki, etc.). Rent those.Luckily a good example of Japanese film making was starting (Akira) in an ajoining room.
atc
Gunhed is by no means an Oscar contender, but if you are a fan of Japanese Fantasy Films, or even a sci-fi fan, I see no reason why you wouldn't enjoy it. Though the plot may be a bit convoluted at times, I find that after multiple watchings (at least twice) a lot more makes sense. What you can't make out of the plot, ignore it and watch the action sequences! A lot goes on with this movie, and it's some of the better "giant robot/machine" technology I have ever seen. I would like to address a few complaints I've heard/read regarding the film:1. "It makes no sense!"- Remember, this is one of those sci-fi, neo-future, cyberpunk, check your brain at the door films. They can write their own history of technology.2. "It wasn't anime!"- No, though the film was released through ADVFilms, which mostly produce Japanese Animation, they have obtained the rights to distribute some live-action Japanese films. If you didn't like Gunhed because it wasn't anime, or you only want to see anime, then you may also want to stay away from ADV's copies of Destroy All Monsters, and the Daimajin Trilogy.3. "They should have used CGI!"- Keep in mind, this movie was made in 1989. Even the Americans weren't using much CGI back then!Like I said, enjoy this movie for what it is!
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