OK, stop me if you've heard this one: An American foreign correspondent climbs up a mountain to interview an eccentric Japanese scientist, who promptly slips a Mickey Finn in the American's drink, and the American passes out. When he wakes up, his underwear is on backwards, and...no, actually, he just has a "kink in his neck".
The scientist pretends to befriend the American in order to keep him around where the scientist can study him, and the injection begins to change the poor American's personality, turning him into a boozer and a philanderer and a grouch, and a total ham. Well, no, it's the actual actor who's a ham, but his approach seems to work with the material.
The changes get worse and worse; he starts killing random people with his new hairy right hand. Then he discovers an "eye" growing in his shoulder, then a new head, and eventually, he's off on a rampage, killing Buddhist priests and geishas and policemen and whoever else is in his way (he's an equal opportunity monster.) Eventually he is cornered by the police in the scientist's lair, he actually pulls himself in half, and his monstrous half drags the scientist into the volcano (you knew there had to be a volcano) and his geisha girlfriend falls in after him. The American is left with a huge Visa bill and also faced with making some very awkward explanations to make to the police (not to mention his wife).
Pretty darned good for what it was. The opening scenes have a nice nasty vibe to them, lots of moody black and white photography to make the cheap sets look their best, good casting (the estranged wife was especially good - convincingly "worn" and looking her age, and yet still appealing), a very inventive premise for the time, and a strong finish. Ludicrous, but strong.
The scientist pretends to befriend the American in order to keep him around where the scientist can study him, and the injection begins to change the poor American's personality, turning him into a boozer and a philanderer and a grouch, and a total ham. Well, no, it's the actual actor who's a ham, but his approach seems to work with the material.
The changes get worse and worse; he starts killing random people with his new hairy right hand. Then he discovers an "eye" growing in his shoulder, then a new head, and eventually, he's off on a rampage, killing Buddhist priests and geishas and policemen and whoever else is in his way (he's an equal opportunity monster.) Eventually he is cornered by the police in the scientist's lair, he actually pulls himself in half, and his monstrous half drags the scientist into the volcano (you knew there had to be a volcano) and his geisha girlfriend falls in after him. The American is left with a huge Visa bill and also faced with making some very awkward explanations to make to the police (not to mention his wife).
Pretty darned good for what it was. The opening scenes have a nice nasty vibe to them, lots of moody black and white photography to make the cheap sets look their best, good casting (the estranged wife was especially good - convincingly "worn" and looking her age, and yet still appealing), a very inventive premise for the time, and a strong finish. Ludicrous, but strong.