PRINCE OF SPACE / INVASION OF THE NEPTUNE MEN

Drive-In Twin Bill

By Brian Thomas     May 26, 2006

Dark Sky Films has become one of the leading packagers of vintage psychotronic films in a relatively short time, picking up rights to some choice titles that have never had an official DVD release in the USA. Recently they began a line of "Drive-In Double Features" of which this is the second - complete with intermission ads and trailers, and they've proven as adept at this kind of programming as Something Weird Video and Elite. Here we have a pair of early Japanese superhero features made in the late 1950s in the wake of the popular SUPERGIANT serials (shown in the USA as a series of "Starman" movies). that made their way to US television matinees in the mid '60s. Since disappearing from TV in the '70s, these movies have only been available on blurry tapes and as popular subjects on MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000.

The science fiction action feature PRINCE OF SPACE, edited from a serial, borrows shamelessly from Starman movies like EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE, with the addition of a shoeshine boy kid gang. Rocket scientist Professor Makin is impressed by assistant Wally (Tatsuo Umemiya), who is raising orphans Miki and Kimi. Apparently rocket scientist's helpers aren't paid much, since Wally and the kids earn their main living as bootblacks. The enigmatic Ambassador Phantom (Joji Oka) from Planet Krankor interrupts TV broadcasts to announce the aliens' invasion plans, which will begin, he says, the next evening at precisely 8 o'clock. The nifty-looking Krankor ship lands out in the woods and starts disintegrating folks with a death ray just for emphasis. The heroic Prince of Space shows up in his own lil' flying saucer to challenge the invaders, and he chases them away. Miki and Makin's son Johnny keep watch with their telescope, and spot the aliens as they establish an underground base nearby, and naturally they go take a peek at it. The Prince rescues the kids from the Phantom, and then gives them a special dial to call him with in case they're ever in trouble again. Phantom temporarily abandons efforts to kill Prince and blows up Makin's space rocket, and then captures the scientist and takes him to Krankor. After some boring scenes of Phantom trying to coerce Earth scientists to switch sides, Krankor spies do what Wally's own kids can't: they figure out that the Prince of Space poses as the humble shoeshine boy. Finally getting down to business, the space dictator announces plans to destroy a random Earth city the next day unless the Earthlings surrender.

Imported by Bellucci Productions in 1964 for TV and matinee distribution, the main attraction of this standard juvenile superhero flick is the performance of Joji Oka as the Krankor dictator, Phantom. This is fortunate, since he has a lot more screen time than the dull hero. The Krankorians have big noses and pointy heads, and wear lots of antennae on their space helmets. Phantom's leadership status is signified by his shiny cape, ruffles on his uniform, and his hearty laugh. His opulent palace on Krankor comes complete with a gigantic guardian outside though having a guy sitting next to it doesn't do the model any favors. The models and props are all nicely designed, such as the Krankor zap gun with three barrels, and their ship, which features a barber pole cone at the front. The uniforms are less impressive - Prince's helmet looks puffy with boxy details, and the Krankor suits have odd bulges at the joints. It's hard to say whether the Earthlings resist because they cherish their freedom, or just fear having to wear silly Krankor uniforms. Star Umemiya, born in Manchuria during the occupation, went on to star in dozens of spy and yakuza pictures.

INVASION OF THE NEPTUNE MEN is, if possible, even sillier. On a science camping trip to Mount Osaka, the science students of rocket scientist Mr. Tabana (future international action icon Sonny Chiba) are shocked to spot a satellite falling toward Earth. They're excited to see the object is actually a spaceship that lands in a nearby field. The dome-helmeted aliens attack, but the kids are saved by the intervention of a superhero that they call Space Chief for no given reason (he was "Iron Sharp" in Japan) after which they ask him his name, and he cooperatively agrees to take the one they've given him. The Neptunian invaders retaliate by making all of Japan's electronic devices run backward, interfere with the scientists' "electronic brains", and blow up nuclear power plants worldwide. Tabana and Kenny's dad Dr. Tanowai work to create an electronic shield to protect Tokyo from the Neptunian bandwidth. Of course, Kenny and his little pals have full access to all top secret projects. The shield works, repelling an attack. As an afterthought, the spacemen get around to leaving a recording announcing their plans to invade Earth which of course is found by the kids. The spacemen create storms to interfere with the electro-barrier, and try to infiltrate the Japanese army in disguise. Fortunately, the kids spot their effeminate make-up, and Space Chief disintegrates them with his zap gun. The spacemen mass for another assault, which destroys much of the city, but thanks to Space Chief's heroic dogfight skills, and the new electro-rockets invented by his alter ego, the Neptunians are defeated.

Who is Space Chief? Don't look for any answers here, as this is one of those sci-fi movies for children that operates only on dream logic. It's not even clearly spelled out that Tabana is Space Chief's secret identity it's just taken on faith that Tabana always happens to be missing when the superhero flies into action. The miniatures and costumes are delightfully clunky. The aliens all wear shiny suits with bullet-shaped helmets, and their ship is of the Buck Rogers variety. Space Chief's vehicle is ultra-cool, looking like a customized Cadillac with rockets attached. Surprisingly, the special effects sequence where the hexagonal Neptunian ships attack the city is actually quite well done. But the film is entirely too padded with repetitive scenes and stock footage to maintain even the interest of the intended small fry audience. Scenes of citizens hiding during bombing blackouts, waiting to see if they're protected from the attacking spacemen likely resonated more strongly in Japan.

Dark Sky delivers the features from sharp looking prints, and surrounds them with a fine selection of drive-in intermission ads and fitting trailers for other MPI releases. But the disc's big flaw is in its menu. The only option is to play the entire double bill from the start, with no option to play individual parts of the program.

Copyright © 2006 Brian Thomas, author of the massive book VideoHound's DRAGON: ASIAN ACTION & CULT FLICKS.

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