A (probably) Japanese film from the 1960s or 1970s

[GoHawks]

Somewhere between 1980 and 1996, but probably in the mid-1980s, I saw this movie on TV.  (I don't remember which channel.)  The good guys included the typical genius scientist (maybe more than one) and some other guys who I think were some sort of Science Patrol or something.  The bad guys included one super-genius who was either an alien or a member of a long-lost society (e.g. Mu, Atlantis) and maybe some henchmen.  I know, I know, I just described about 10,000 films.

The unique characteristic of this film I remember is that the bad guy was capable of producing chimeric animals by surgery.  Specifically, I remember him (rather graphically, I might add) grafting on a set of wings to some large predator which I think was a lion.  I'm pretty sure he did this sort of thing to more animals as well.  I'm not sure how he controlled these animals, but he was able to get them to do some pretty specific things.  I'm pretty sure the bad guy had some sort of giant flying (space?)ship, or that he stole one from the good guys.

I can't remember what the bad guy was trying to do (other than take over the world, probably) or how the good guys managed to stop him.  I don't think there were any daikaiju involved.  I don't necessarily remember any of the actors being Japanese, but I do remember the film having that 'Japanese feel' to it, if you know what I mean.  Maybe it was a low-budget European film?

[Andrew]

This has to be "Latitude Zero."  I think that a DVD release of the film is planned in the near future.  I know that I've been begging for one.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064470/

[GoHawks]

Thanks Andrew, that's it!  Looking at the IMDB page, it's no wonder I wasn't sure if it was Japanese with all of the Western sounding actor's names.  There's even Cesar Romero!