I really wanted to like this... I know this was released as part of the Criterion Collection in a set with 3 other late 60's Shochiku sci-fi/horror titles... and Criterion is my favourite DVD/Blu Ray company.
The "Eclipse" series is a really "mixed bag", I find... some sets are great, others not so much... judging by the IMDB ratings on the other 3 films in the set, this was supposed to be 1 of the good 2, with the other 2 being terrible... but I didn't think much of this one... maybe "The Living Skeleton" is better?... I don't know... but obviously, the Japanese were not cut out for low-budget sci-fi films.
It just wasn't interesting... and quite pathetic in other areas... protagonists trying to escape from the "alien" are suddenly confronted with an "avalanche" of rocks... out of nowhere!!... and this happens more than once... LOL
I find the "Mr. Mano" character to be the most interesting, a common character in Japanese film... a selfish jerk who will sacrifice friend and foe alike to save his own hide... of course, characters like this must meet a gruesome end in films like these.
A few kudos go as well to a very serviceable "score"... creepy and effective.
3/10
The "Eclipse" series is a really "mixed bag", I find... some sets are great, others not so much... judging by the IMDB ratings on the other 3 films in the set, this was supposed to be 1 of the good 2, with the other 2 being terrible... but I didn't think much of this one... maybe "The Living Skeleton" is better?... I don't know... but obviously, the Japanese were not cut out for low-budget sci-fi films.
It just wasn't interesting... and quite pathetic in other areas... protagonists trying to escape from the "alien" are suddenly confronted with an "avalanche" of rocks... out of nowhere!!... and this happens more than once... LOL
I find the "Mr. Mano" character to be the most interesting, a common character in Japanese film... a selfish jerk who will sacrifice friend and foe alike to save his own hide... of course, characters like this must meet a gruesome end in films like these.
A few kudos go as well to a very serviceable "score"... creepy and effective.
3/10