Ishirō Honda Double Feature: The H-Man & Battle in Outer Space Blu-ray Movie
HomeIshirō Honda Double Feature: The H-Man & Battle in Outer Space Blu-ray Movie 
Masters of CinemaEureka Entertainment | 1958-1959 | 2 Movies | 347 min | Rated BBFC: 12 | Nov 16, 2020
Price
List price:Listed on Amazon marketplace
Movie rating
Movie has not been rated yetBlu-ray rating
| Users |  | 0.0 |
| Reviewer |  | 3.5 |
| Overall | | 3.5 |
Overview
Ishirō Honda Double Feature: The H-Man & Battle in Outer Space (1958-1959)
In Tokyo, a mysterious radioactive liquid is dissolving people into slimy, sentient, seemingly indestructible, blobs of destruction! Part-Japanese gangster noir, part-gooey body melting horror, The H-Man is one of the most unique sci-fi films of the 1950s. A series of mysterious catastrophes sweep the globe, causing the world’s scientists to conclude that beings from another planet are attacking Earth, and the world must unite to defend itself in a gigantic battle in outer space! In Tokyo, a mysterious radioactive liquid is dissolving people into slimy, sentient, seemingly indestructible, blobs of destruction! Part-Japanese gangster noir, part-gooey body melting horror, The H-Man (Bijo to Ekitai-ningen – ‘Beauty and the Liquid People’) is one of the most unique sci-fi films of the 1950s. A series of mysterious catastrophes sweep the globe, causing the world’s scientists to conclude that beings from another planet are attacking Earth, and the world must unite to defend itself in a gigantic battle in outer space! With wonderful special effects sequences by Eiji Tsuburaya (Godzilla, Ultraman), Battle in Outer Space is a glorious sci-fi extravaganza.
| Foreign | 100% |
| Horror | 30% |
| Sci-Fi | 3% |
| Thriller | Insignificant |
| Action | Insignificant |
Specifications
Video
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audio
See individual releases
Subtitles
English
Discs
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Packaging
Slipcover in original pressing
Playback
Region B (locked)
Review
Rating summary
| Movie |  | 3.0 |
| Video | | 3.5 |
| Audio | | 3.5 |
| Extras | | 3.0 |
| Overall | | 3.5 |
Ishirō Honda Double Feature: The H-Man & Battle in Outer Space Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 8, 2021Ishirō Honda lived a long and eventful life that saw him forge a really remarkable career in the Japanese film industry. Though being at least intermittently associated with such legends as Akira Kurosawa, Honda may forever be best remembered for his relationship with another “legend” of sorts: Gojira (note that the link points to a long ago release, because that’s one I personally reviewed). Honda was instrumental in developing what a lot of folks think of as the “modern” kaiju film, having not just helmed the first (and several subsequent) Godzilla outings, but also Rodan and the recently reviewed Mothra. While all of those kaiju entries probably at least flirted with a science fiction ambience, Honda also made films which were inarguably firmly within a sci-fi idiom, including The Mysterians, as well as both of the films Eureka! Entertainment’s Masters of Cinema series has aggregated together here in this release. This collection in fact mirrors the Mill Creek Entertainment The H-Man / Battle in Outer Space release put out for the North American market last year, at least in terms of the content of the features included.
For reviews of the two films in this set, please click on the following reviews:
The H-Man Blu-ray review
Battle in Outer Space Blu-ray review
Ishirō Honda Double Feature: The H-Man & Battle in Outer Space Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
Video quality of each film is assessed in the above linked reviews.
Ishirō Honda Double Feature: The H-Man & Battle in Outer Space Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
Audio quality of each film is assessed in the above linked reviews.
Ishirō Honda Double Feature: The H-Man & Battle in Outer Space Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
Supplements for each film (which amount to audio commentaries and still galleries) for each film are detailed in the above linked reviews.
Ishirō Honda Double Feature: The H-Man & Battle in Outer Space Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Neither of the films in this set is probably going to be remembered as well or as fondly as some of Honda's more iconic work, but they each have their own peculiar pleasures if taken on their own merits and definitely within the context of their production era. Technical merits are generally solid and the supplementary package very enjoyable, for those who are considering a purchase.