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Horrors of Malformed Men
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Wikipedia article
is a 1969 Japanese horror film directed by Teruo Ishii, who also co-wrote the film. It is based on the novels and by Edogawa Rampo.
Plot
Hirosuke (Teruo Yoshida), a medical student with almost no recollection of his past, is trapped in an asylum, despite being perfectly sane. After escaping, and being framed for the murder of a circus girl, he spots the photo of a recently deceased man, Genzaburo Komoda, to whom he bears an uncanny resemblance. By pretending to have been resurrected, Hirosuke assumes the dead man's identity, fooling everyone, including Komoda's widow and mistress. Whilst at the Komoda household, Hirosuke recalls memories that convince him to travel to a nearby island, home of Jogoro, the web-fingered father of Genzaburo. Whilst on the island, Hirosuke not only discovers Jogoro's plans to build his 'ideal community' (by transforming perfectly normal humans into hideous freaks), but also the awful truth behind his own identity.
Cast
* Teruo Yoshida as Hirosuke Hitomi/Genzabur Komoda
*Tatsumi Hijikata as Jogoro
* Yukie Kagawa as Shizuko
* Teruko Yumi as Hideko/Hatsuyo
* Mitsuko Aoi as Toki Komoda
* Asao Koike
* Michiko Kobata as Chiyoko Komoda
* Minoru ki as Kogor Akechi/Manservant
Release
Home media
On August 28, 2007, Synapse Films and Panik House gave 'Horrors of Malformed Men' a mass-market release on region-1 DVD.Reception
Later reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 100% based on , with a weighted average rating of 7.7/10.Donald Guarisco from Allmovie praised the film, calling it "a powerful, transgressive work that still packs a punch". Stuart Galbraith IV from DVD Talk wrote, "With its odd mix of absurdist theater, surreal images, taboo-breaking depravity, and commercially driven exploitation, it's all over the stylistic map and not for all tastes, but a fascinating film on many levels". Ian Jane from 'RockShockPop.com' called it "A genuine holy grail of Japanese genre cinema", commending the film's choreography, cinematography, mood, and use of surreal imagery. Arty Flores from 'HorrorNews.net' liked the film, commending its bizarre and surreal imagery, while also noting that the film felt dated.
Legacy
The film is considered a precursor to Toei's ventures into the "Pinky violent" style in the early 1970s.
References
Notes
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