Retro Movie Review: THE MANSTER

Continuing my indulgence in trash cinema, I watched The Manster (1959) (aka Nightmare/The Split/The Two-Headed Monster/Kyofu/Doktor Satan), an American scifi horror film directed by George P. Breakston and Kenneth G. Crane from a screenplay by Walter J. Sheldon, which was based on Breakston's original story (or, as the opening credits have it, "ORIGNAL story"). It was filmed in Japan using a mostly Japanese crew, but the dialogue is all in English.

Before finally returning to his estranged wife in the U.S., world-traveling foreign-news correspondent Larry Stanford (Peter Dyneley) interviews the renowned Dr. Robert Suzuki (Tetsu Nakamura) at the secretive scientist's lab atop a volcanic mountain. Suzuki says he has discovered a method for producing evolutionary change through chemical means. Larry falls asleep due to a drug the doctor put in his drink, and he awakens with no idea Suzuki injected his shoulder with an unknown substance, nor that the scientist has chosen him as the subject of his next experiment.

Later, a noticeably sloppier and more ornery Larry puts off going home and decides to spend a week with Suzuki in Tokyo. The doctor's assistant, Tara (Terri Zimmern), is recruited to seductively ply Larry with mineral baths and lots of alcohol, which will push the unwitting guinea pig along the path of evolution.

When his wife (Jane Hylton) arrives to win him back, Larry throws her over in favor of Tara and hard partying. When he's alone, he finally learns the horrifying reason his shoulder has been so painful. After that, he starts stalking late-night Tokyo and kills several people. During these activities, he becomes...

I'm going to stop there so as not to spoil the outrageous climax for you. All I will say about it is that things get pretty hot for the major characters, and Larry ends up beside himself...with rage.

Scott Ashlin summed it up perfectly when he wrote, "You know, for a big bunch of shit, this movie is really cool." Not that it doesn't have problems and laughable choices. The Japanese scientist and his assistant converse in English, even when they're alone. The musical score by Hirooki Ogawa is annoying, especially the theremin that is played continually after Larry is infected with the mutating chemical. And the monster--oh, the monster! I won't show you a picture here because I want you to experience it for yourself.

Yes, I recommend a viewing of this flicker. Not only will you have a cheesy good time, but you may even find Larry's gradual personality change interesting. Dyneley is hardly a classic leading man, but he presents an engaging performance here.

You could get the crappy transfer in a 50 Movie Mega Pack of DVDs, but it's now also available in a restored-print Blu ray. Or you could just watch the crappy version on Youtube. Maybe check out the original trailer first.

The Manster is not rated, but it contains bloodless violence, mature themes, and a grating performance by Jane Hylton.

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