Le Monstre aux abois

I'm always amazed to see a classic movie having the same ideas as modern day movies I thought to be original. This movie reminded me of '' Hollow Man '' by Paul Verhoeven ( but without the fancy special effects of our modern day ). It's the story of two brothers - one of them playful and charismatic, the other one strict and serious - finding themselves in a struggle over a woman. At a certain point one of them gets the ability to alter molecular substances, making him able to speed the aging process inside human beings and to walk through concrete walls. Yep, pretty handy to become a thug if you can do these things.

I liked it. It's another nice story about someone gaining a superpower and using it for his own benefit. Like so many other movies, this is about how we human beings are able to do horrible things in a situation in which we gain power. It's like Spiderman once said: with great power comes great responsibility.

It's a SF-movie from the fifties, so the special effects are nothing compared to what we're used to. If you're able to look past that, you can enjoy a pretty decent movie. Not a masterpiece, but enjoyable on its own accord.

Producer Jack Harris and director Irvin Yeaworth were responsible for two of the more off-the-wall sci-fi flicks of the '50s, "The Blob" and this one (they also did "Dinosaurus," but that's a whole other story). Both films appear to have been made around the same time, in 1957; while "The Blob" was released then, this picture, for some reason, wasn't put on the market until two years later. Actually, all things considered, I think it's a better film than "The Blob," although "The Blob" is actually more fun to watch. Lead actor Robert Lansing would at first glance seem to be an odd choice to star in a sci-fi movie; he was one of the more intense actors of his period, and you wouldn't think that his somewhat gruff demeanor and rugged, craggy looks would be the qualities you'd expect to find in an actor playing the lead in a sci-fi film; those parts were usually played by men who were more conventionally better looking than Lansing--and, frankly, younger. However, Harris and/or Yeaworth knew what they were doing when they cast him, as he fits this part to a tee; the coiled intensity he brought to all his roles really works here. His character is a basically good guy who lashes out when he discovers he's been betrayed (his ne'er-do-well brother steals his girlfriend) and in the process comes up with a scientific discovery that allows him to pass through solid matter. He also discovers that the side effects of this condition necessitate his draining the "energy" from others in order for him to survive. It's intriguing to watch Lansing's transformation from a decent if somewhat grouchy man to a homicidal, power-crazed "mutant"; where a sci-fi standby like John Agar would have either underplayed it or gone over the top, Lansing manages to strike just the right note, and really makes you pity, if not empathize with, the creature he's become.

Female lead Lee Merriwether has always been, in my opinion anyway, much underrated as an actress, being judged more for her status as a former Miss America than for her talent. However, she had a relaxed, naturalistic quality that many actresses with far more training and experience lacked, and I think it adds to the believability of the picture.

"The 4D Man" is no masterpiece, of course, but it's definitely one of the more intriguing, and thoughtful, sci-fi epics of the '50s. An interesting premise, very good special effects--considering the relatively low budget--solid performances and a much more adult tone than the usual '50s sci-fi flick make this a keeper. Check it out.

Of all the films of actor Robert Lansing this film " The 4-D Man " is perhaps the least seen or appreciated. The story revolves around inventive scientist Dr. Scott Nelson (Robert Lansing) who is searching for something which can revitalize his nearly futile experiments with a new metal process. He discovers that his younger brother Dr. Tony Nelson (James Congdon) is also working with a fantastic invention which ventures into the realm of the incredible. At first, Scott is uninterested and disbelieving, until his brother shows him. Once aware of the possibilities, Scott steals the project and pushes it to the limits. However, the outcomes are totally unexpected as Scott is propelled into the world of the Forth Dimension with horrendous results. This is a solid movie and Lansing overwhelms the cast despite having Lee Meriwether, Robert Strauss and Edgar Stehli as Dr. Theodore W. Carson. Look carefully and you'll see a very young Patty Duke playing Marjorie Sutherland. Good fun for the Special Effects crowd. ***

The second Jack H. Harris-Irwin S. Yeaworth collaboration is a more cerebral effort (being an outright sci-fi piece) than its more famous predecessor THE BLOB (1958). Typically for the genre, it deals with a scientist becoming accidentally endowed with some form of superhuman ability (in this case, passing through solids) – the downside to this is that he ages every time this feat is accomplished…but, then, coming to contact with other people, he is able to sap their energy and bring about his own rejuvenation! Robert Lansing – whom I fondly recall from the TV series AUTOMAN (1983-84) that I used to watch during childhood – is adequate in the title role but his brash younger brother (who is actually the catalyst for the transformation) is less likable; as a result, while Lee Meriwether makes for a lovely conflicted heroine (being engaged to Lansing but falling for his younger sibling), their budding relationship sorely feels like a plot contrivance. Besides, Robert Strauss is cast against type as a scientist who is not above appropriating a colleague's work for his own advancement. Even though boasting variable effects (particularly the aging make-up) and ending somewhat inconclusively, the film remains an eminently watchable and thought-provoking piece that should please fans of the genre and the era which spawned it.

I didn't have very high expectations for 4D man and when I started to watch it, the jazz music playing started to confirm my fears right at the start of the film. It really got the movie started off on the wrong foot. Other than the music, I must admit that it was a pretty good sci-fi movie. The acting was good, film quality good, very nice special effects and an unusual sci-fi plot. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought that this movie was made in the mid 1960s and not 1959. It's my opinion that 4D Man is probably a little underrated as a 50s sci-fi, horror flick and should get more attention. Don't expect too much though. I wouldn't go as far as calling it a classic, but I think it's still a pretty good movie and is well worth watching. Let the 4D Man come through the wall for you. I don't think you will be disappointed.