Rent The Mysterians (1957)
3.2 of 5 from 58 ratings
1h 25min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
After an unexplained landslide destroys a village near Mount Fuji, investigating scientists discover traces of radioactivity and rivers full of dead fish. Soon they find themselves pursued by a massive robot that sets to destroy everything in its path. The robot is being remotely controlled by the Mysterians, survivors of a planet destroyed by nuclear war, who have landed on Earth in order to rebuild their scientifically advanced but dwindling population. When a group of Earth scientists accept an invitation to meet with the Mysterians inside their dome-like base, they soon discover that the aliens' intentions are far from benign. Featurete is an arresting vision of futuristic warfare and a cautionary tale for the atomic age. - Actors:
- Kenji Sahara, Yumi Shirakawa, Momoko Kôchi, Akihiko Hirata, Takashi Shimura, Susumu Fujita, Hisaya Itô, Yoshio Kosugi, Fuyuki Murakami, Tetsu Nakamura, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Yutaka Sada, Ren Imaizumi, Takeo Oikawa, Tadao Nakamaru
- Directors:
- Ishirô Honda
- Producers:
- Tomoyuki Tanaka
- Writers:
- Shigeru Kayama, Takeshi Kimura, Jôjirô Okami
- Aka:
- Chikyû Bôeigun
- Studio:
- BFI Video
- Genres:
- Classics, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
- Countries:
- Japan
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Reviews (1) of The Mysterians
Four-star sci-fi period piece from Japan - The Mysterians review by GR
In a landscape overlooked by Mt Fuji, a group of aliens from Planet 5 set up an Earth base. Equipped with superior science, colourful capes and crash-helmets, they plan the colonization of Japan and, to the greater alarm of the locals, interbreeding with Earth females.
A first show of alien force by means of an immense radio-controlled robot – an hilarious cross between a giant ant-eater and a Samurai warrior – is eventually neutralized by the brave military, but not until after much model-work special effects, and ‘heat-rays’ painted directly onto the celluloid. The heroic 1950s style is highly enjoyable and must have been a great technical achievement at the time. Now it is an amusing and pleasant contrast to latter-day CGI. The acting is earnest and without irony.
Negotiation is simplified by the surprising fact that the Mysterians speak Japanese and even bow politely in the manner of the people they are invading. Scientists, rather than politicians, are invited to the discussion table indicating the aliens have some good-judgement at least. No compromise can be reached however.
A full-scale battle commences with a slightly too-prolonged effects sequence. Meanwhile a romance narrative involves the rescue of some captured Japanese maidens. There is much drooping of artillery barrels as the heat rays defend the alien dome. A solemn decision not to deploy H-bombs is justified after a last-ditch perfection of a counter-ray which sees the aliens off.
This is great entertainment from a classic sci-fi period-piece of the mid-C20th era.
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