Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Nick Adams | ... | Dr. James Bowen (as Nikku Adamusu) | |
Kumi Mizuno | ... | Dr. Sueko Togami | |
Tadao Takashima | ... | Dr. Yuzo Kawaji | |
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Yoshio Tsuchiya | ... | Mr. Kawai |
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Kôji Furuhata | ... | Frankenstein |
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Jun Tazaki | ... | Military Advisor |
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Susumu Fujita | ... | Osaka Police Chief |
Takashi Shimura | ... | Axis Scientist | |
Nobuo Nakamura | ... | Skeptical Museum Chief | |
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Kenji Sahara | ... | Soldier |
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Yoshifumi Tajima | ... | Submarine Commander |
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Kôzô Nomura | ... | Overzealous Reporter (as Terunobu Nomura) |
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Haruya Katô | ... | TV Director |
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Ikio Sawamura | ... | Man Walking Dog |
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Yoshio Kosugi | ... | Mountain Soldier |
During WWII, a human heart taken from a certain lab in Europe (Dr. Frankenstein's) is kept in a Japanese lab, when it gets exposed to the radiation of the bombing of Hiroshima. The heart grows in size, mutates and sprouts appendages, and eventually grows into a complete body and escapes. Later, a feral boy with a certain physical deformity (a large head with a flat top) is captured by scientists who refer to the boy as Frankenstein. The creature grows to the height of 20 feet, escapes again, fights police and army, and is practically indestructible. Later, a reptilian monster goes on a rampage. Eventually the Frankenstein creature and the reptile face off in a terrible battle. Written by QQQ-2
The legend of Frankenstein and his various adventures have been covered to a crazy degree over the years but right here we have horror legends Toho take a stab at it. Sadly it appears they weren't told very much before they wrote the screenplay.
Assisted once again by a US studio (Which has always been to their detriment) this tells the story of a young boy who is discovered and found to be growing at an incredible rate. Before they know it he's grown disastrously large and broken free of his constraints, just at the same time as a giant monster has appeared on a rampage as well.
You can immediately tell that it's a Toho film, from the sfx to the one bit of score they keep using or mildly remixing. Several of the usual faces are also present including Takashi Shimura who has a blink and you'll miss it role.
The storyline is actually more competently done than many of these Toho monster films but in its place the sfx are a tad worse. The creature effects and that of our Frankenstein are fine, but every once in a while you'll spot something so bad it should have got someones butt fired (I'm looking at you shifty Boar and awful Horse).
What drew the most ire from me were certain logistical issues. For example Frankenstein is of course the name of the Scientist who created the monster not the name of the monster itself. As the boy grows the clothes grow (Hulk style) and various other little things that bothered me more than they perhaps should.
It's more Toho monster cheese, if you like that stuff this will likely appeal otherwise you'll probably scratch your head in amazement just how ridiculous it all is.
The Good:
Fairly well made stuff
The Bad:
Takashi Shimura is wasted
Frequent logistical flaws
Some really poor sfx