Matango (1963)

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Director: Ishiro Honda

Writers: Shinichi Hoshi & Masami Fukushima and Sakyo Komatsu (uncredited), adapted from the story "The Voice in the Night," by William Hope Hodgson

Stars: Akira Kubo, Kumi Mizuno, Hiroshi Koizumi, Kenji Sahara, Hiroshi Tachikawa, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Miki Yashiro


After running aground on a mysterious island during a pleasure cruise, a group of the idle rich soon discover that they are sharing the island with previous shipwreck victims, who have mutated into mushroom monsters via the local toadstools.
 

I suppose this film was meant as a drug allegory.
 

Despite a few creepy scenes when the mushroom people shamble after our heroes, they really seem to be more interested in lying around in the forest and giggling.
 

Even though the protagonists know what will happen to them if they eat the mushrooms, they do so anyway as they give in to despair over their situation.
 

This is a very odd film but enjoyable in a goofy way.



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