Nicely atmospheric Japanese Sci-fi Horror by Toho productions which sees a supposedly dead soldier getting revenge by killing off those crooks who left him for dead, by using a teleporting machine to locate and then finally dispose of them on by one. However a police detective and reporter are on the case in trying to stop this indestructible killer. "Secret of the Telegian" has a clever gimmick, striking special effects (mainly involving the life matter transmitter) and an interestingly complex little tale engulfed with mystery and darkness, however while there are some eerie visuals and a creepy villain (just listen to that cackle) who lives in the shadows. It's just not as fun as it could have been. Too bad as it starts off strange, but there are some really slow passages and its script is dry as can be. Even when it came to the action, it's rather streamlined with plenty of foot chases despite the distorted villain being able to teleport, but the best moments occur when it's leading up to the stylistic deaths. There's something ominous about its tension through those scenes and the music beautifully complements it with its haunting cues. The photography is smoothly projected and the art direction (with some obvious back-lot sets) is rich in details. I see some people mention about a black & white version, but try to get your hands on the colour film. Looks great! Yoshio Tsuchiya, Akihiko Hirata and Yumi Shirakawa give solid performances and the direction is tersely layered.
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lost-in-limbo21 September 2015
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Jeremy_Urquhart3 August 2023The Secret of the Telegian is sometimes also known as The Electrically Transmitted Man. It's a sci-fi/horror movie from Japan, and some sources say it's the sequel to movies I watched at some point called The H Man and The Human Vapor. I honestly don't know which order they go in. I also don't know if it matters.
This is, I think, a movie about a serial killer with strange powers, and follows a group of people trying to track the killer down while also doing all they can (i.e., not much) to work out exactly what those powers are. There are some zappy things and also matter being transported - I don't know, it's all a bit dull and muddled.
The Secret of the Telegian tries to have some fun with the whole premise at certain points, but I don't think it pushed hard enough into silly/goofy territory. It also doesn't really work when being taken seriously. It's watchable, and maybe good for some cheap entertainment, especially because there isn't anything offensively bad about it... but I ultimately thought it was just another old-school sci-fi/horror movie. -
Someone is killing former Imperial soldiers and the prime suspect is a comrade they betrayed and left for dead 14 years earlier. The sci-fi gimmick in this otherwise routine murder mystery is the killer's access to a teleport machine, which allows him to get at the victims and yet seem to have an alibi. The plot doesn't really make a lot of sense* and not much is done with the teleportation angle other than allowing the killer to unexpectedly appear and to occasionally emit a blue aura or flicker mysteriously. Eiji Tsuburaya's special effects are limited but effective (especially the teleportation sequences) and Jun Fukuda's direction is serviceable, although some of the drama is undercut by some cartoonish dubbed-in voices and frequent use of gimmicky Dutch angles. Not as good as the studios earlier sci-fi noir, 1958's 'The H-man' ('Bijo to ekitai ningen') or 1960's 'The First Gas Human' ('Gasu ningen dai 1 gô') but entertaining enough for fans of vintage tokusatsu. *at least in dubbed version I watched.
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OllieSuave-00711 January 2004Probably one of the creepiest and scariest sci-fi from Toho. A former, vengeful soldier uses a matter-transmitting device to transport himself to his enemies so he could do away with them. A reporter and the detectives get mixed into the plot and they aim to stop this "Teleport Madman" before he continues his killing spree.
This is one of the more dull and dark stories from writer Shinichi Sekizawa, who was known for his more light-hearted and positive screenplays. Jun Fukuda, known for his crime dramas, did well directing. Sei Ikeno's music score was eerie and added suspense to this thriller. With some heart-pounding terror, this movie is not short on believable special effects. Featuring veteran Toho actors Akihiko Hirata, Yoshio Tsuchiya, and Yumi Shirakawa, this movie is a good one to scare away the kids.
Grade B -
darthsmythe113820 September 2010One of Jun Fukuda's first films, this effects-laden affair with special effects sequences done by Eiji Tsuburaya and Teruyoshi Nakano has two versions, a severely chopped up and mangled B&W version and a beautiful Tohoscope version that is rare to find, but I have it. This is quite a suspenseful flick even today. It is about a serial killer who teleports himself to his victims and stabs them to death. One of the better films from director Jun Fukuda, this film combines elements of horror and police drama to create a thriller. The music from Sei Ikeno is enjoyable to listen to- having quite a rustic and unique feel. The overall film feels very dark and creepy, perfect for a non-gory Halloween flick. The effects are very well done, especially the optical effects such as the electricity that envelops Sudo as he hunts down his victims and strikes them.
Recommended! -
Horror Fan31 January 1999A creepy film. A soldier teleports himself around with a teleportation device and kills his enemies where ever they try to hide then steals some gold. This realy scared me the first time I saw it when I was 8. I would really like to find a color version of this.
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email2amh16 September 2008Like the other two reviewers (so far), I liked this film. Like is not love, however. I had some questions about a train explosion, and the specifics of his teleportation (sometimes he runs away, sometimes he climbs in a machine) - but these items of continuity may be from watching the English-dubbed, black & white TV version. The sci-fi elements are sparse, mostly well done, and the film functions fairly well as a detective thriller. I wish they had beefed up the teleport sequences, as it would have really helped. Also, I cannot call this film "scary" - just a little dark. Of definite interest for fans of the genre, and a little bit hard to find these days. I, too, long for the full-length color version.