Docteur Satan

I can't understand why 'The Manster' isn't better known! It's often unfairly lumped in with 'The Incredible Two Headed Transplant' and 'The Thing With Two Heads', but 'The Manster' is much more than a kitschy gigglefest. It is closer to another forgotten Japanese 60s movie, 'The Human Vapour', made around the same time. Both movies use horror/sf trappings to explore questions of identity and what it means to be human Philip K. Dick style. Neither reaches the giddy, hallucinogenic heights of PKD's best work, but they are both a cut above your average "monster movie" of the era.

'The Manster' concerns a cocky American journalist who befriends a charismatic Japanese scientist. The scientist's lifestyle seduces the journalist who goes off the rails and ignores his job, wife and responsibilities. He thinks he's just letting his hair down after several years of hard work, but doesn't realize that he is the unwitting guinea pig in an ambitious scientific experiment which turns out horribly wrong.

Try and see 'The Manster', and if possible make it a double bill with 'The Human Vapour'. You'll see that was a LOT more going on in Japanese fantastic cinema that Godzilla, Mothra, et al. 'The Manster' is a low key, imaginative movie just waiting to be rediscovered!

"An American reporter traveling in Japan stops to meet and interview a reclusive Japanese scientist at his mountain laboratory. The scientist greets the curious newsman and, after getting to know him, concludes the reporter is the perfect test subject for his latest experiment. After injecting the reporter against his will, the scientist discovers his serum changes the man into a..." according to the DVD sleeve's synopsis.

Don't join "The Manster" in progress, as its opening scenes are very striking. The erotic sight of two young Japanese women bathing is interrupted as mad scientist Tetsu Nakamura (as Robert Suzuki) must immediately deal with his violent brother ("An experiment that didn't work out"), while his wife (another "experiment that didn't work out") screams in her cage…

Mr. Nakamura takes charge of the situation by killing his brother; then, Peter Dyneley (as Larry Stanford) conveniently shows up; a self-described "brilliant and highly underpaid foreign correspondent", Mr. Dyneley wants to interview Nakamura about his research on "the secrets of evolution". Nakamura is a very perceptive mad scientist; he senses Dyneley is a sex-stared alcoholic, who lies about his age. Dyneley laps up Nakamura's offer of booze and flooze.

With some re-writes and re-takes, George Breakston (a former child actor) might have had a genuine classic. Still, "The Manster" is some good fun.

***** The Manster (7/59) George Breakston ~ Peter Dyneley, Tetsu Nakamura, Jane Hylton

I saw this thing as a child, for chrissakes, and still vividly remember that darned eye! Since I didn't exactly knew what a movie was (I was a VERY SMALL little runt) and didn't understand a word of English, and though the movie was subtitled in Spanish I didn't yet know how to read, I was absolutely terrified! Were there really people around us who grew eyes on their shoulders, turn into really scary monkeys that split in half, and then each half tried to strangle each other? I don't understand. Is this for REAL!?

It really took me a while to get over that one, I'll tell ya, until I saw The H-Man Monster and the whole stinking nightmare started over again.

Is this for REAL!?

American reporter Larry Stanford (Peter Dyneley, 'Thunderbirds') has been globe-trotting for a while, and is currently working in Japan. He goes to interview a scientist, Dr. Robert Suzuki (Tetsu Nakamura, "Red Sun"), who almost immediately turns the hapless reporter into the latest guinea pig for his experiments in mutation. Soon, Larry has become a foul-tempered jerk who can't help but cave in to homicidal impulses here and there, as he slowly mutates. His concerned wife (Jane Hylton, "My Brother's Keeper") and friend / colleague (Norman Van Hawley, in his only film appearance) fret over his hostile behaviour.

A mad scientist / cautionary tale in the classic tradition, "The Manster" is delicious fun for people who love a good B flick. The sight of Larry in monstrous form (played by George Wyman ("Battle in Outer Space")) is a true hoot, as he runs around and slaughters people and baffles the police. Larry remains a very entertaining character, for even though he turns into this big jerk, he's not entirely unsympathetic. We know he's a victim of somebody else's machinations. That said, his tirades are often hilarious. The whole cast (including Jerry Ito ("Message from Space") as an obligatory police superintendent) does creditable if not exactly award-worthy work. The effects are a blast; especially cool is that scene where Larry notices an eyeball has appeared on his right shoulder. And that is when this movie really starts to cook. Terri Zimmern (another cast member here making the only feature film appearance of their career) supplies some sex appeal as the assistant to Suzuki who realizes that she has fallen for Larry. Nakamura is solid as the antagonist who is portrayed in an even-handed way: he does express regret late in the game.

If you are anything like this viewer and have a BIG soft spot in your heart for "monster on the loose" programmers, you too will likely find this to be highly engaging entertainment.

Seven out of 10.

Everyone has already commented on their (mostly happy) childhood memories of The Manster, but the film actually has aspirations beyond those of the typical monster fest. The film is surprisingly bold about sexuality, hinting frankly at both rape and adultery. The Manster could be posited as a film that anticipated the free love of the late 60s, the 'split' as psycho-sexual as it is physical. Larry is, after all, a happily married average joe until his libido is aroused by a serum introduced via Mickey Finn by a 'mad' doctor. It's a bit like George Harrison being introduced to LSD by his dentist. As his desire for rough and raw sex increases, his body begins to mutate, leading to the infamous shoulder eye and second head. A cautionary tale, well told and ultimately very conservative, but thoroughly enjoyable on more than one level.