As Good As It Gets

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Try as might, I could not determine in a snappy summary line what the "H" in the title of the movie stood for. All the adjectives I could think of to describe the movie started with other letters. I can't say that the movie is "horrible" or "horrendous", but I can say that the movie really tested my patience. It's a really slow-moving exercise, particularly in the first third or so of the movie. It takes forever for things to get going, and once it does the "thrills" come in very brief (and somewhat weak) spurts. It's almost as if the filmmakers were afraid of potentially scaring or creeping out their audience, right down to the musical score, consisting of music that seems right out of a completely different movie. There are a few interesting low-tech special effects that are fun to watch, but in no way is it worth investing over 70 minutes of your time to watch a couple of minutes of slight novelty.

The police investigate the disappearance of a drug dealer after a dope deal goes awry. The cops discover lethal radioactive beings called H-Men who ooze slime and dissolve everyone they come in contact with who were created by H-bomb tests in the pacific. Director Ishiro Honda relates the absorbing story at a steady pace, maintains an admirably serious tone throughout, does an expert job of creating and sustaining an eerie and unsettling atmosphere (the flashback sequence which takes place on board an empty abandoned ghost ship is especially spooky and nightmarish), and stages the stirring fiery conclusion with considerable brio. Takeshi Kimura's intriguing script cleverly blends horror and crime thriller elements into an engrossing and entertaining multi-genre synthesis. This film further benefits from solid acting by a sturdy cast, with stand-out contributions by Yumi Skirakawa as sweet nightclub singer Chikaro Arai, Kenji Sahara as the earnest Dr. Masada, Akihiko Hirata as the skeptical Inspector Tominaga, and Koreya Senda as the shrewd Dr. Maki. The special effects are quite imaginative and impressive: The glowing green H-Men are truly scary while the scenes of people disintegrating are freaky and upsetting. Both Hajime Koizuma's crisp widescreen cinematography and Masaru Sato's rousing score are up to par. A fun fright flick.

While I am a huge fan of Japanese films, I don't care for giant monster films. While Godzilla and the like have huge followings, seeing a guy running around in a rubber monster suit does nothing for me. Because of this AND the fact that the film was made by Toho Studios (home of 'Zilla) AND the director of many of these films (Ishirô Honda), my expectations were very low. Fortunately, my fears were unfounded and H-MAN turned out to be a decent film--with an interesting plot and decent dubbing (though I would have preferred it to be subtitled).The film begins with some drug dealers stealing some drugs. However, unexpectedly, one of the men suddenly vanishes and all that is left of him is his clothes!! What happened and where he went was a mystery and so far the film reminded me of THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, where in the town the people were missing and all that was left were their clothes and some powder. However, the similarities to this Michael Crichton film/novel seem to end there and it really seems more like a variation on the film THE BLOB (also 1958).The police go on the assumption that the criminal is alive (and naked) somewhere and refuse to consider anything else. So, when a young scientist insists that he knows what happens, they naturally ignore him completely (even though they have no leads). He insists that nuclear testing (THE 1950s cause of all evil in horror films) created a monster that could dissolve people almost instantly but is forced to work on his own. Along the way, he falls for the missing gangster's lady friend and together they both set out to prove it.Eventually, after several folks are dissolved by this evil slime, the cops FINALLY admit that the scientist might just be right! And, in a very radical departure from what they'd been doing, they order the sewers of Tokyo to be flooded with gasoline and ignited to kill the beasts (which, apparently, isn't all that hard to kill--unlike most nuclear mutants). But, the girl is kidnapped and carried into the sewers, so it's up to the studly scientist to come to her rescue and save the city--at the same time (what a guy!!).While a lot of the film is the standard "nuclear slime dissolves the masses" film, it manages to do a good job thanks to better than normal dubbing, a decent story and a monster that isn't nearly as laughable as Godzilla, Rodan or Mothra!! Good old 50s horror entertainment for all.

Why is this classic Japanese sci-fi movie not available on DVD? But yet it's on VHS? Come on, VHS?, & with all the other awful ones being offered on DVD, like Revenge of Godzill, Godzilla vs Megalon & Godzilla vs the Bog (Smog) Monster etc. Anything produced by Toho from 1970 thru 1998 were seriously inferior, (& that's pushing the envelope for these types of movies) in terms of plot/actors/building models/creative monster suits, etc. I buy only the good ones (the red one) dating back from 1954 thru 1968, then boom, no more.They seemed to have gotten their groove back on the right track with Godzilla 2000, All Out Giant Monster Attack & Tokyo SOS, combining CGI with old school model making, even bringing back some of the old favorites (Kumi Mizuno, Kenji Sahara, etc.), then boom again, Godzilla, Final Wars. What a terrible way to end the series. That Japanese director was obviously on crack and trying desperately to appeal to today's jaded US pop culture crowd (who needs them) and failed. I understand that Sony Pictures now owns Columbia and MGM (their back-lot too), so how about it? This, and other titles like a newly re-issued original Rodan, Mothra & War of the Garganuas, with both Japanese and unedited US versions, along with other special features that would only appeal to fans of these beloved science fiction icons. Get with the program! Who ever is in charge!