Matango (1963)

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Nitwits get off at the wrong stop when they walk onto an island inhabited by zombie mushrooms.Things become a free-for-all after our heroes discover they are not alone. 90 minutes later, everybody is still running to and fro, half the time looking for a way off the island, the other half staving off those annoying shrooms which have been wandering around in the jungle. A Japanese film from the famed Toho Studios, this one was later English-dubbed and released in the U.S. as 'Attack of the Mushroom People'. OK sci-fi/horror movie; fun to watch at 3 AM with all the lights off.

Is it a lack of having seen movies out of this type. I don't know but as much as I see that there is supposed to be a way the characters in this movie have fights, work together, the reason behind it all it is not apparent why. Is it a genius movie that is very good at hiding these things in deep layers. Is it a movie that simply works based from a different mentality. Japanese movies have their odd things, for instance why it is always a loud bratty I wish he would die child that wins the heart of the monster. This is well..In a way I see it and in another way I don't. I don't get it yet I see the puzzle pieces yet not all.Does this makes this movie brilliant? I dunno either!You know what see it for yourself and you decide. You decide if you are capable and willing to work with the pieces of the puzzle. After all it is not a nonsensical but it is odd. It is the slightly off, the strange way things go that make it I dunno! A movie that doesn't wants to be defined and it is about drugs. But not in the 80ties cheesy way. Or is it about betrayal, Class Society and how things can fall apart. Is it about the change one goes into once giving over to the natural. Hey I don't give answers here this movie is something you gotta see. If you can stand movies out of that time period that are a slightly bit odd. This will do it definitely is not straight forward.

OK--I've only seen the dubbed version of this retitled "Attack of the Mushroom People" on TV. I've heard the original version works but the dubbed one is stupid and funny when it's supposed to be scary. A bunch of idiots out sailing get lost in a fog and are shipwrecked on a deserted island. Being hungry they start eating the mushrooms on the island. They're slowly turned into walking, talking giant mushrooms! Seriously.Lousy acting and terrible "special" effects really sink this one. Also the basic story is laughable. I mean come ON! There's nothing scary about people being turned into mushrooms! The only mildly scary parts are when you see a woman eating one of the mushrooms and seeing the mushrooms growing out of a guys face (until you get a good look and realize it's obviously fake). I suppose this movie does some good. I mean think of it--if people hadn't seen this movie there might be walking, talking giant mushrooms on every deserted island out there! Good for laughs and nothing more.

Attack of the Mushroom People (1963) * (out of 4) Incredibly poor horror film from Toho about seven people who get stranded on an island and turn into the title characters. Toho certainly should have looked at some Roger Corman films for inspiration because the monsters here don't show up for 80-minutes in an 90-minute movie! I'm not sure why Japanese horror movies had to be filled with so much boring talk that doesn't lead to anything except boredom for the viewer. The characters themselves are also annoying, which doesn't help matters. The really bad thing is the fact that all these characters and boring dialogue takes away from the monsters, which look pretty good but again, they appear way too late.