5.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A ruthless serial killer with a peculiar method of stalking and killing his victims comes face to face with a police officer turned invisible by a scientific experiment. Who will emerge triumphant?
Starring: Ryûji Shinagawa, Yoshirô Kitahara, Junko Kanô, Ikuko Môri, Jôji TsurumiForeign | 100% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Japanese: LPCM Mono
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of The Invisible Man Appears / The Invisible Man vs The Human Fly.
For all of the frankly awe inspiring magic that modern day CGI has brought to the film world, there’s really nothing to match the wonder that is
generated by watching an older movie like Universal’s 1933 The
Invisible Man (and its many follow ups, as aggregated in The Invisible Man: Complete Legacy Collection). With decades of special effects brilliance having
occurred
in the interim, from our 21st century vantage point, it’s still absolutely remarkable to think that the often mind boggling effects featured in the first
Universal film built around the H.G. Wells
classic came only four years after the advent of talkies! There are a number of fascinating sources those interested can consult to find
out
how some of the more memorable effects were created, but the bottom line is, even after reading about the techniques utilized, the resultant
effects
are
still generally gobsmacking (to use an appropriately British term, given Wells' country of origin), especially when considering the still nascent
technologies available to technicians of the early 1930s. The
Invisible
Man was a major hit for Universal, and it has of course spawned a litany of imitators through the years (including Universal’s own 2020 The Invisible Man), but even diehard film fans may be
unaware of the two Japanese entries Arrow has collected in this new release. The cheekily titled The Invisible Man Appears from 1949
and
the kind of bizarrely titled The Invisible Man vs. The Human Fly from 1957 may in fact have no connection other than their titular
references
to a largely unseen focal character, but they prove that the special effects wizards in Japan had obviously studied Universal’s groundbreaking modes
of
making the invisible, well, visible.
The Invisible Man vs. The Human Fly is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.37:1. The film begins with the following disclaimer (which can be seen in the sixth screenshot included in the The Invisible Man Appears / The Invisible Man vs The Human Fly Blu-ray review):
The Invisible Man Appears and The Invisible Man vs. The Human Fly are presented from the best surviving film elements, which in both cases are 16mm exhibition prints. As a result, both transfers feature anomalies like picture weaving, scratches and exposed film edges that we felt could not be effectively repaired without further compromising the integrity of the original image.This film looks considerably better and more consistent than The Invisible Man Appears, though there are still some source based issues. This presentation offers generally better looking contrast, even in some of the effects sequences, and detail levels are also noticeably better throughout, though understandably limited at times due to the smaller format source element. Close-ups in particular often look surprisingly good. There is still quite a bit of damage that can be spotted, including expected issues like dirt, scratches and reel change markers. My score is 2.75.
We sincerely hope these issues do not affect your enjoyment of these two rare pieces of tokusatsu history, available outside Japan for the first time.
The Invisible Man vs. The Human Fly features an LPCM Mono track in the original Japanese. As with the video side of things, audio is at least marginally improved here when compared to The Invisible Man Appears. This film has a rather interesting mix of scoring and sound effects, and I for one am going to try to find out more about composer Tokujiro Okubo, since this film seems to offer some proto-electronic effects as well as what might either be a Theremin or a good Yma Sumac impersonator. The score, which tends to traffic in the upper registers, can sound a little too bright at times, but the overall effect is interesting. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly. Optional English subtitles are available.
Arrow has packaged both films together on one BD-50, with the following supplemental features:
- The Invisible Man Appears (HD; 4:00)
- The Invisible Man vs. The Human Fly (HD; 2:50)
There are a number of things in this film that just kind of made me laugh at times, including one character I nicknamed "Man Looking Up Guy", since he repeatedly stumbles across victims and then gazes skyward to try to find out who did the murdering (while emitting grunt like dialogue insisting the dying victims identify their killer). This film's out of nowhere musical sequence is also kind of delightful. But as mentioned above, there are actually some surprisingly nuanced elements at play just beneath the surface of The Invisible Man vs. The Human Fly, at least for those willing to look for them. Video is not optimal, as Arrow's own disclaimer mentions, but is better than on the first film in this set, and audio is similarly also at least marginally better. The Kim Newman supplement is also enjoyable, for those who are considering a purchase.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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1949
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1989
Oro
1934
地球攻撃命令 ゴジラ対ガイガン / Chikyû kogeki meirei: Gojira tai Gaigan / Godzilla vs. Gigan
1972
ゴジラ対メガロ / Gojira tai Megaro
1973
怪獣総進撃 / Kaijû sôshingeki
1968
メカゴジラの逆襲 / Mekagojira no gyakushu
1975
ゴジラ対メカゴジラ / Gojira tai Mekagojira
1974
怪獣大戦争 / Kaijû daisensô / Godzilla vs. Monster Zero
1965
Uchu kaijû Gamera
1980
Gamera tai Jigura
1971
Gamera tai Jaiga
1970
Gamera tai Gyaosu
1967
Daikaijû Gamera
1965
Gamera tai Giron
1969
The Sword & the Dragon / Slipcover in Original Pressing
1956
Gamera tai Bairasu
1968
Gamera tai Barugon
1966
Ruusujen aika / Slipcover in Original Pressing
1969