Matango!

[Dr. Whom]

Just saw this, and I learned a number of things from it.

Really tough sailors wear their shades at all times, especially during storms and when snooping around at night.

The contractor who builds the control panels for Starfleet started out making out making radios in Japan

A bolt action rifle just keeps on shooting

Mushrooms giggle when it rains


Overall, I found the mushrooms themselves a bit disappointing. Clearly nobody has thought about how many of them there were, and what they could or could not do. One moment  they're flailing about helplessly, the next they're breaking down doors. A bit more consistency would have helped.

[Andrew]

The title is something of a misnomer.  For the most part, the film is about the breakdown of society in a small group of castaways.  The mushroom people end up being a enabler.  If you do not resist the urge to eat the plentiful mushrooms, they begin to affect your reasoning and eventually turn you into a huge mushroom.

I did find the full-sized myconids to be interesting.

http://www.badmovies.org/movies/matango/

"Survivor" set on mushroom island would be a show I would watch.

[Dr. Whom]

Well, yes, that was partly my point. The director ought to have made his mind up. Either you have a classic monster movie: a bunch of characters are trapped somewhere, and attacked by something nasty that wants to eat them, impregnate them or generally do unspeakable things. Or he could have made a more psychological drama about the breakdown of society in which the castaways had the choice of pulling together and survive, or give up and go mushroom. I had the feeling he tried to do the second, but threw in bits of the first for reasons best known to himself. Perhaps he wanted some action scenes. The result falls between two chairs, I think.

For me, the mushrooms are much more effective as a psychological threat than as a physical. Besides, nothing much makes sense about the mushroom attacks, neither the motivation, timing or abilities.

[Evan]

I generally enjoyed Matango. Very different from other TOHO movies I have seen. Beautiful cinematography also.

[peter johnson]

I really shouldn't post a response here without doing some research first, but I like this film a lot --
It is adapted from a short story/novella by a very famous British fantasist from the 1920's/1930's -- I think by the same guy who wrote "The King in Yellow", but I'm not certain.
Damn!  I was hoping that by typing in here the name would suddenly pop up to me -- It's not Saki; It's not Dennis Wheatley;  It's . . . ARRRGG!! 
Trekgeezer?  You're literate -- help me out here!!
peter forgetful/denny no memory

[Just Plain Horse]

Wasn't it William Hope Hodgeson? "A Voice in the Night", I believe?

I liked the film very much... I wish Toho had become known for these kinds of films more than Godzilla, but at least they have a wide variety.

Alex, I can't stand movies that follow "movie rules" to the letter, so you'll forgive me for disagreeing with your idea. I think it's a shame so many people dislike a film if it doesn't imitate something that's already been done. I suppose if they were zombie mushrooms you'd have liked the film better.

[peter johnson]

William Hope Hodgson indeed!!
Killed at Ypres.
What a waste --
peter johnson/denny crane

[Dr. Whom]

Alex, I can't stand movies that follow "movie rules" to the letter, so you'll forgive me for disagreeing with your idea. I think it's a shame so many people dislike a film if it doesn't imitate something that's already been done. I suppose if they were zombie mushrooms you'd have liked the film better.

Quite the opposite, in fact (not that I would mind a movie about zombie mushrooms). I think Matango would have been better if they stuck to psychological aspect of it. The actual attacks were unnecessary and broke the atmosphere for me.

[Just Plain Horse]

I thought the final attack on the boat was very effective, myself. The only part that dissapointed me was the "huh?" fadeout at the height of the first attack- that deflated everything the entire movie had been trying to build. Ask yourself if you were suddenly surrounded by several weird people in mushroom costumes if that wouldn't make you a little uncomfortable- especially if they're attacking you- even if they look a little silly.

[Ometiklan]

I watched this one last night..
And quite enjoyed it!
It was definitly one of the better Japanese
Movies that I have seen in quite some time.
And had some really eerie moments in it.
7 1/2 out of 10 stars...
A Fun flick

[Andrew]

I thought the final attack on the boat was very effective, myself. The only part that dissapointed me was the "huh?" fadeout at the height of the first attack- that deflated everything the entire movie had been trying to build.

***SMALL SPOILER***

The buildup to seeing the first afflicted mushroom-man was very creepy and full of atmosphere.  Something was on the boat, the characters knew it, and they all huddled together for protection against whatever it was that slowly drew near.  Then the door opens, we see the thing (is that Tetsuo, the iron man?), and fade out - like you said.  The buildup was great.  Total flub on the final delivery.

I think that the film was an interesting experiment.  It just failed to quite make it for me.