The Human Vapor
Encyclopedia
The Human Vapor, known in Japan as , is a tokusatsu
film
produced and released by Toho Studios
in 1960. The film was made by Toho's legendary Godzilla
directing/special effects/producing team of Ishirō Honda
, Eiji Tsuburaya
, and Tomoyuki Tanaka
. Along with Secret of the Telegian
and The H-Man
, it is often part of Toho's "mutant" trilogy.
A sequel to this film was planned called Frankenstein
vs. the Human Vapor in which the Human Vapor survives the climax and goes to find a doctor who brought Frankenstein's monster to back to life, in hopes of finding a way to bring back his girlfriend who didn't survive the climax leading to battle between the two. This was dropped in favor of Frankenstein vs. Baragon
(the 1957 film Tomei-Ningen To Hae-Otoko or Invisible Man vs. Fly Man is available in North America under the title Vapor Man meets the Human Fly
but it is not related).
), a librarian at a sanatorium
(implicitly for cancer
), who has been given the ability to become vapor after a scientist does an experiment on him. Mizuno uses this power to engage in criminal activities, robbing banks to give the money to his dancer girlfriend (Kaoru Yachigusa
). Kenji Okamoto (Tatsuya Mihashi) is the police inspector after them. The film was recut by Brenco Pictures in 1964, changing the premise from mystery to being told from Mizuno's point of view. Even though this version is dubbed, Tsuchiya has stated that he prefers this cut of the film, which he considers to feature his finest performance.
provided the voice of the Human Vapor in the dubbed
American version. The English-dubbed version was released theatrically in 1964 by Brenco Productions. This version is extensively re-edited. The American distributors created a constant narrative from the title character. The music and sound effects are also toyed with. Despite all these changes, star Yoshio Tsuchiya has stated that this is his preferred version of the film. The American version was released on home video several times throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. MGM, the current rights holder, however, has yet to release the film on DVD.
Tokusatsu
is a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
produced and released by Toho Studios
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
in 1960. The film was made by Toho's legendary Godzilla
Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
directing/special effects/producing team of Ishirō Honda
Ishiro Honda
Ishirō Honda , sometimes miscredited in foreign releases as "Inoshiro Honda", was a Japanese film director...
, Eiji Tsuburaya
Eiji Tsuburaya
was the Japanese special effects director responsible for many Japanese science-fiction movies, including the Godzilla series...
, and Tomoyuki Tanaka
Tomoyuki Tanaka
----Tomoyuki Tanaka was a Japanese film producer, most famous for creating the Godzilla series. He was born in Kashiwara, Osaka, Japan on April 26, 1910, and died in Tokyo on April 2, 1997. He died of a stroke at the age of 86....
. Along with Secret of the Telegian
Secret of the Telegian
The Secret of the Telegian, released in Japan as , is a 1960 tokusatsu sci-fi/horror/mystery film. Produced by Toho Company, Ltd., the film was directed by Jun Fukuda , and written by Shinichi Sekizawa, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya and some scenes by Teruyoshi Nakano...
and The H-Man
The H-Man
The H-Man, known in Japan as , is a tokusatsu film produced and released by Toho Studios in 1958. The film was made by Toho's legendary Godzilla directing/special effects/producing team of Ishirō Honda, Eiji Tsuburaya, and Tomoyuki Tanaka, and is considered part of Toho's "mutant trilogy," along...
, it is often part of Toho's "mutant" trilogy.
A sequel to this film was planned called Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
vs. the Human Vapor in which the Human Vapor survives the climax and goes to find a doctor who brought Frankenstein's monster to back to life, in hopes of finding a way to bring back his girlfriend who didn't survive the climax leading to battle between the two. This was dropped in favor of Frankenstein vs. Baragon
Baragon
is a fictional Kaiju that was first featured in the 1965 Toho-produced film, Frankenstein Conquers the World. Baragon is a four-legged dinosaur with a horn on his head and large ears. His main weapon is a heat ray that he can fire from his mouth...
(the 1957 film Tomei-Ningen To Hae-Otoko or Invisible Man vs. Fly Man is available in North America under the title Vapor Man meets the Human Fly
Human Fly
Human Fly was the nickname of at least four stunt entertainers of the 20th century who would scale the exteriors of tall buildings in the United States:* Harry Gardiner * George Polley * John Ciampa...
but it is not related).
Synopsis
The film tells the story of Mizuno (Yoshio TsuchiyaYoshio Tsuchiya
is a Japanese actor who has appeared in such films as Toshio Matsumoto's surreal masterpiece "Bara No Soretsu" and Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and Red Beard, and Kihachi Okamoto's Kill!. He has a long-standing interest in UFOs and had written several books on the subject...
), a librarian at a sanatorium
Sanatorium
A sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...
(implicitly for cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
), who has been given the ability to become vapor after a scientist does an experiment on him. Mizuno uses this power to engage in criminal activities, robbing banks to give the money to his dancer girlfriend (Kaoru Yachigusa
Kaoru Yachigusa
is a Japanese actress from Osaka Prefecture. From 1947 to 1957 she was a member of the Takarazuka Revue. Since leaving the Revue, she has been active in film, television, and narration....
). Kenji Okamoto (Tatsuya Mihashi) is the police inspector after them. The film was recut by Brenco Pictures in 1964, changing the premise from mystery to being told from Mizuno's point of view. Even though this version is dubbed, Tsuchiya has stated that he prefers this cut of the film, which he considers to feature his finest performance.
Cast
- Kenji Okamoto, Assistant Inspector - Tatsuya Mihashi
- Fujichiyo Kasuga, Master of Japanese dance Nichibu - Kaoru YachigusaKaoru Yachigusais a Japanese actress from Osaka Prefecture. From 1947 to 1957 she was a member of the Takarazuka Revue. Since leaving the Revue, she has been active in film, television, and narration....
- Mizuno, Gasu ningen - Yoshio TsuchiyaYoshio Tsuchiyais a Japanese actor who has appeared in such films as Toshio Matsumoto's surreal masterpiece "Bara No Soretsu" and Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai and Red Beard, and Kihachi Okamoto's Kill!. He has a long-standing interest in UFOs and had written several books on the subject...
- Kyoko Kouno, woman journalist - Keiko Sada
- Dr. Tamiya - Hisaya Ito
- Tabata, Inspector - Yoshihumi Tajima
- Inao, Detective - Yoshio Kosugi
- Dr. Sano - Fuyuki Murakami
- Old TsuzumiTsuzumiThe is a Japanese drum of Chinese/Indian origin. It consists of a wooden body shaped like an hourglass, and it is taut, with two drum heads with cords that can be squeezed or released to increase or decrease the tension of the heads respectively...
player - Bokuzen HidariBokuzen Hidariwas a Japanese actor and comedian born in Kotesashi Village , Iruma District, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. He appeared in such films as Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, The Lower Depths and Ikiru... - Metropolitan Police Department executive officer A - Takamaru Sasaki
- Metropolitan Police Department executive officer B - Keisuke Yamada
- Metropolitan Police Department executive officer C - Akio Kusama
- Hayama - Minosuke Yamada
- Ikeda - Tatsuo Matsumura
- Bank manager - Youyou Miyata
- Fujita, Detective - Ko Mishima
- Hotta, Detective - Yukihiko Gondo
- Osaki, Detective - Kamayuki Tsubono
- Kawasaki, journalist - Kozo Nomura
- Nishiyama - Ren Yamamoto
- Mondayu - Somemasu Matsumoto
- Aizawa, policeman - Yasuhisa Tsutsumi
- Nakaya, policeman - Rinsaku Ogata
- Journalist - Masaaki Tachibana
- Prison guard of a detention center A - Keiji Sakakida
- Prison guard of a detention center B - Shoichi HiroseShoichi Hirosewas a Japanese actor. He is probably best known for playing Godzilla's archenemy King Ghidorah and for being the actor inside the King Kong suit in King Kong vs...
- Tobe - Tetsu NakamuraTetsu Nakamurais a Japanese medical doctor. He was awarded the 2003 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Peace and International Understanding. He has devoted his work among refugees in the Afghanistan/Pakistan borderlands.-ex.link:***...
- The man who eats bread in a library - Akira Yamada
- Satoyo (Mondayu's wife) - Toki Shiozawa
- Kajimoto - Jiro Kumagai
- Kamata, Discernment of the police - Mitsuo Matsumoto
- Spectator of a theater A - Yutaka Oka
- Spectator of a theater B - Koichi SatoKoichi Satois a Japanese actor.He is the son of veteran Japanese actor Rentarō Mikuni.-Films:*The Last Chushingura *Nobody to watch over me * Shonen Merikensack * The Magic Hour * Smile Seiya no Kiseki...
- Spectator of a theater C - Tadahiko Kuroda
Alternate versions
James HongJames Hong
James Hong is an American actor and former president of the Association of Asian/Pacific American Artists . A prolific acting veteran, Hong's career spans over 50 years and includes more than 350 roles in film, television, and video games.-Early life:Hong was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His...
provided the voice of the Human Vapor in the dubbed
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
American version. The English-dubbed version was released theatrically in 1964 by Brenco Productions. This version is extensively re-edited. The American distributors created a constant narrative from the title character. The music and sound effects are also toyed with. Despite all these changes, star Yoshio Tsuchiya has stated that this is his preferred version of the film. The American version was released on home video several times throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. MGM, the current rights holder, however, has yet to release the film on DVD.
External links
- Scheib, Richard. THE HUMAN VAPOR (Gas Ningen Daiichigo)