The H-Man (1958) Bijo to ekitai ningen | Region-Free (Blu-Ray)

Cinema Dream Network Custom Region-Free Blu-ray/BD-R Release

Presented in 1080p with English subtitles

Title: The H-Man (1958)

Alternate Title: Bijo to Ekitai Ningen

Genre: Science Fiction, Horror, Thriller

Plot Synopsis:
In Tokyo, a narcotics deal goes awry when a suspect mysteriously vanishes, leaving only his clothes behind. As the police investigate, they discover a series of similar disappearances. A young scientist proposes a startling theory: H-Bomb tests in the Pacific have created radioactive creatures—”H-Men”—who ooze like slime and dissolve anyone they touch. The authorities must confront this new threat while navigating the city’s criminal underworld.

Cast and Crew:

• Director: Ishirō Honda
• Writer: Takeshi Kimura
• Cast:
  • Yumi Shirakawa as Chikako Arai
  • Kenji Sahara as Dr. Masada
  • Akihiko Hirata as Inspector Tominaga
  • Eitarō Ozawa as Chief Detective Miyashita
  • Yoshifumi Tajima as Detective Taguchi

YouTube Trailer:
The H-Man | Trailer (HD)

IMDb Link:
The H-Man (1958)

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. Jonathan Rodriguez – ★★★☆☆
   “Seeing this again after so many years was interesting. It is slow, make no mistake about it. The effects, serious tone, acting, and characters are just fine. Nothing spectacular, but there was some effort put into this for a 1958 film. Worth a view for sure.”
2. Mike Lieto – ★★★☆☆
   “This is a good mix of horror movie sci-fi. The special effects look pretty awesome for most of the film, and the idea of the H-bomb irradiating something so much that it creates new life is very fascinating. The fact that this came out six months before The Blob is crazy! The pacing could be better here, and some of the other characters in the story could use a bit of tightening up/more development. The gangster stuff is also kind of confusing. I was not expecting the cabaret scenes, and the climax at the club is pretty darn awesome! This one also has one of the funniest car chases I’ve seen; it’s filmed from almost entirely inside the cars! This one’s a good time; I think I like it more than how good it actually is, but it’s definitely worth a watch—quite entertaining.”
3. Grant McLanaghan – ★★★☆☆
   “A familiar formula: criminals, cops, scientists, the military + romantic entanglement + a little exoticism (in this case, a semi-seedy nightclub featuring gyrating bikini-clad ladies and a come-hither chanteuse). And of course, there’s an out-of-the-ordinary threat. Here, it’s sentient, homicidal Swarfega, which Honda and his team make imaginative use of, accomplishing some queasily effective deaths.”

Meta Description:
“The H-Man” (1958), directed by Ishirō Honda, is a Japanese science fiction horror film that explores the terrifying consequences of nuclear testing, as radioactive creatures known as “H-Men” threaten Tokyo.