By CONNOR KEATING
Tiger Media Network
Last October, I reviewed Ishiro Honda’s horror classic “Matango,” so I felt it would only make sense to do another one of his horror movies that doesn’t get nearly as much recognition as it deserves. This time the film is “The H-Man,” or you can go by the way cooler Japanese title, “Beauty and the Liquid People.”
The story follows a group of police investigators as they try to unravel the mystery behind a notorious criminal’s sudden disappearance after he seemingly got hit by a car, but only his clothes remained. They try talking to the criminal’s girlfriend, who’s a singer at a popular club, but don’t get any real leads until a scientist studying the effects of radiation comes to them with the theory that they may have been dissolved. The police don’t buy this theory and still believe that the various criminal gangs around town are responsible, but as more and more people begin to go missing, it grows ever more likely that something strange is involved.
“The H-Man” is an interesting film because not only is it a monster movie, but also a little bit of a mysterious crime drama. Much of the movie is focused on this mystery and the police trying to capture various criminals that they believe are involved, but it never feels separated from the monster plot. The two stories are woven quite nicely together. Toho would go on to do a number of other movies where they mix a monster movie with a crime drama, but honestly, I feel “The H-Man” does it the best. It also helps that here, it’s a disappearance/murder mystery that could conceivably be done by a person, but at the same time, the way people suddenly disappear, leaving behind only a pile of clothing, makes it just weird enough for the characters to have doubts that a human is behind it.
Speaking of the characters, they’re all fine. As much praise as I’ll give the film, I have to admit that the characters are fairly weak. I wouldn’t say they’re bad or even boring, just nothing too special. The various police investigators are pretty homogeneous, but watching them try and piece together the mystery is still pretty engaging. The first criminal to go missing’s girlfriend, Chikako Arai is also a pretty important character in the film who much of the plot revolves around, but she’s nothing too special. She does have a little romance subplot with a scientist named Dr. Masada, but it’s a very minor element of the plot.
Dr. Masada himself is fine. He’s mostly there to explain the fictional science of the monster, but I will give the film some credit, he’s got a fun little relationship with one of the investigators, Inspector Tominaga. Chikako, Masada, and Tominaga end up forming the main trio for the film, but overall the film has a fairly sizable cast and doesn’t expand on any of them. There’s also this random gangster who kidnaps Chikako for the climax, but he’s just a generic evil guy who doesn’t get much set up.
Still, despite the film’s rather lackluster cast of characters, the narrative is strong enough to keep the film engaging and interesting throughout. There are also a number of really well-done sequences in the film. The scene where the surviving sailors retell the story of how they encountered the H-Man on a ghost ship is effectively creepy, the operation to capture the various gangsters suspected at the club is exciting, especially as the music gets louder the more intense the action grows in order to cover up the noise, and finally, the film ends with an exciting chase through the sewers in a race against time to rescue Chikako from the kidnapper before the H-Man gets both of them. It’s all so well done.
When it comes to the monsters, the film’s namesake, the H-Men, can at first seem a tad bit generic. It’s a living pile of slime that seeks out living organisms to consume, dissolve, and turn into one of its own. The living slime aspect is rather reminiscent of “The Blob,” but it’s worth noting that “The H-Man” predates “The Blob” by four months. Even if the H-Man were a straight copy, it has enough interesting aspects to make it unique. The big one being that, much like many 50s monster movies, the H-Man is the result of atomic testing. Much like the original “Godzilla,” there are some very noticeable references to incidents like the Lucky Dragon 5. The way that the slime also dissolves and pretty much turns people into a living pile of radioactive goo is a pretty freaky concept, and to add to the eeriness of the creature, while most of the time it appears as a puddle of slime, it will occasionally stand up and move around like a man, giving it a very ghastly appearance.
Effects-wise, the film is admittedly pretty dated, but if you’re a fan of old-school effects like I am, I’m sure you’ll find them pretty charming. Of course the slime moves so unnaturally because of the odd placement of the camera to make it seem as though it’s moving up or along the side of a wall, but there are a number of more creative ways that they show off the H-Man. The transparent appearance of the standing H-Man is by far the most impressive effect of the movie, even if it’s nothing special by today’s standards. You’ve got to remember that this is 1958. And evidently, the film’s deterioration of the characters at the hands of the H-Man is graphic enough for Google to flash a content warning over images of it, so take that information as you will.
Another aspect of the film I want to praise is its style. A running theme throughout the film is the juxtaposition of the dark, creepy, and damp tone of the ghost ship that brings the H-Men in on and the rainy streets of Japan, next to the bright, colorful, and bombastic aesthetic of the clubs that Chikako sings at, and the police stakeout in. This aesthetic is even how the movie opens as it begins with shots of the dreary abandoned ship accompanied by a loud and exciting score filled with cymbals and trumpets. Seriously, the main theme for this film is so good.
While “The H-Man” may have a mediocre cast of characters, it manages to deliver an interesting and exciting story that beautifully blends a serious crime thriller with a spooky sci-fi monster movie. The film’s style is superb, the effects are fun and creative, and dang that score is good! If you’re looking for a horror movie that’s a little different from what you’re probably used to watching, check this one out. I give it seven “Senkichi Omura sightings” out of ten!
Connor Keating is a senior at Fort Hays State University, studying Natural Resources. Connor is an old-school movie fan, particularly Japanese monster movies, and is an avid DVD collector.
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