Tomei ningen (1954)

Director:

Motoyoshi Oda

Writers:

Hiroshi Beppu (story)
Shigeaki Hidaka (writer)

Release Date:

29 December 1954 (Japan)

Genre:

Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

A car strikes an unseen object; blood spreads from an invisible source which becomes visible as the bleeding man dies...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Seizaburô Kawazu	...	Takemitsu Nanjo, the Invisible Man
Miki Sanjo	...	The Singer
Minoru Takada	...	Gang boss
Yoshio Tsuchiya	...	Young Reporter
Sonosuke Sawamura
Keiko Kondo	...	Mariko, the little girl
Kamatari Fujiwara	...	Mariko's grandfather
Shôichi Hirose
Fuyuki Murakami
Yutaka Sada
Akira Sera
Yasuhisa Tsutsumi
Shin Otomo
Haruo Nakajima
Kazuo Suzuki	...	Man in Nightclub

Also Known As:

Invisible Avenger
The Invisible Man
Transparent Human

Runtime:

70 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Company:

Toho Company

Movie Connections:

Version of "The Invisible Man" (1984)

Toho's Sci-Fi Film Noir

This movie, known in the U.S. as "The Invisible Man," was the first sci-fi film from Toho released after "Godzilla." It is about a man named Takemitsu Nanjo, an invisible man who makes his living visibly, painting his face like a clown's and carrying advertising signs. His favorite neighbor is a little blind girl whose mother is being hounded of by "invisible" gangsters, who are also terrorizing the city in a string of robberies. Therefore, Nanjo has to use his invisibility to his advantage and save his friends and rid the cities of these gangsters.

This is a very dramatic movie from Toho, with in depth characters and a solid plot. It is like Hollywood's film-noir/crime dramas, only with a sci-fi twist to it; the special effects were really good. The relationship between Nanjo and the blind girl is very heartwarming, and provides some spirit is this serious story. There are some lighthearted moments as well, like a man who was bewildered when he witnessed a motorcycle riding by itself (droved by the Invisible Man). This film also contains probably the only torture scene I have seen in a Toho film.

Actor Seizaburô Kawazu plays the part of the Invisible Man. He also appeared as the Gangster Boss in the monster film "Dogora, the Space Monster" (1964) and played the role of the General in "Mothra," (1961).

Overall, a solid film equivalent to Hollywood's film-noir movies-dark, somber and serious, but with dabs of some light comedy and spirit.

So, go catch the Invisible Man, if you can.