This is the seventh Honda film that I've watched but only the second that I found to be in any way satisfying the other being, of course, GOJIRA (1954); actually, I've got five more of his titles to go (which I'll be checking out throughout the week)
though, in all honesty, I only expect the earlier effort RODAN (1956) to be any good!
The theme and setting of the film derives from a number of earlier horror/sci-fi classics: for instance, the flashback framework where the hero's tall tale is disbelieved by everyone not to mention the scene in which he's seduced to the 'other side' by his transformed lover was certainly inspired by INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956). Conversely, it looks forward to another good Japanese genre outing i.e. GOKE BODY SNATCHER FROM HELL (1968) with its disparate group of stranded passengers and the influence on them of the unfamiliar 'contaminated' environment (which slowly but surely leads to the disruption of the unit).
Incidentally, despite the distinction given to each of the characters (psychologist, author, entrepreneur, skipper, etc.) including two females (one a sluttish chanteuse and the other a naïve student) none are developed in enough detail to be allowed to take center-stage. Interestingly, too, the identity of the sole male survivor among them is not immediately disclosed; the revelation at the end, then, takes proceedings into unexpected amour fou territory! As for the mutant creatures (the U.S. title of the film, in fact, was the catchpenny ATTACK OF THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE), they're quite silly-looking in themselves but, sensibly, these are mainly depicted as menacing shadowy figures.
Though not quite the sci-fi masterpiece that Enrico Ghezzi (eccentric presenter of "After Hours", the programme during which the Honda TV marathon was held) proudly claimed in his introduction, it's quite an engaging and effective piece if somewhat lacking in pace. All in all, I wouldn't mind owning the SE DVD of MATANGO from Media Blasters eventually (also given the fact that the Italian subtitles on the version I watched were too rapid to read through at times, while the image itself suffered from occasional momentary freezing!)...
The theme and setting of the film derives from a number of earlier horror/sci-fi classics: for instance, the flashback framework where the hero's tall tale is disbelieved by everyone not to mention the scene in which he's seduced to the 'other side' by his transformed lover was certainly inspired by INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956). Conversely, it looks forward to another good Japanese genre outing i.e. GOKE BODY SNATCHER FROM HELL (1968) with its disparate group of stranded passengers and the influence on them of the unfamiliar 'contaminated' environment (which slowly but surely leads to the disruption of the unit).
Incidentally, despite the distinction given to each of the characters (psychologist, author, entrepreneur, skipper, etc.) including two females (one a sluttish chanteuse and the other a naïve student) none are developed in enough detail to be allowed to take center-stage. Interestingly, too, the identity of the sole male survivor among them is not immediately disclosed; the revelation at the end, then, takes proceedings into unexpected amour fou territory! As for the mutant creatures (the U.S. title of the film, in fact, was the catchpenny ATTACK OF THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE), they're quite silly-looking in themselves but, sensibly, these are mainly depicted as menacing shadowy figures.
Though not quite the sci-fi masterpiece that Enrico Ghezzi (eccentric presenter of "After Hours", the programme during which the Honda TV marathon was held) proudly claimed in his introduction, it's quite an engaging and effective piece if somewhat lacking in pace. All in all, I wouldn't mind owning the SE DVD of MATANGO from Media Blasters eventually (also given the fact that the Italian subtitles on the version I watched were too rapid to read through at times, while the image itself suffered from occasional momentary freezing!)...