One of the most enjoyable films of the year has emerged (available now on Amazon Prime, no less): Joshua Kennedy's Gooey Films Production of Mantopus!: a William Castle/Roger Corman-styled, monster flick with traces of Herbert L. Strock's How to Make a Monster, Edward L. Cahn's The She-Creature, Douglas Hikcox's Theatre of Blood, John Lamont's Konga and Freddie Francis' Trog, which truly holds up with the nostalgic best of them.
The movie revolves around a filmmaker who specializes in the macabre, the Michael Gough-inspired Charles Lander, played by the versatile Kennedy. Lander seeks to make the ultimate, monster movie after his Frankenstein in Texas receives studio derision. However, to ensure success, he embarks on employing a real-live creature for his comeback opus.
The enlisted monster (a reputed "god" from the Pacific) is superb. As designed by Mitch Gonzales, its facial features are reminiscent of Ray Harryhausen's test-footage Martian for his unfulfilled War of the Worlds adaptation, crossed with Rick Baker's specimen from the cult favorite, Octaman. The monstrosity comes per a strange, unnamed, "needful things" proprietor, played with sinister relish by Bryan Martinez, who helps churn an atmosphere that taps Lovecraftian lore and the ominous glee of Joe Dante's Gremlins, motivated by crafty, kill-the-critics revenge in glitzy L.A.
In addition to Kennedy and Martinez, the cast includes the beautiful Valerie Prince as Lander's neglected spouse, Julia; the vivacious Mitzi Venus as promising, leading lady, Cindy Banks; the dashing Jaime Torres as her congenial but sometimes jealous boyfriend, Rick Fallen; and Jonathan Tamez as the titular, frightful Mantopus and detective Troy Sheppard. (John Danziger, Victoria Rose, Hilda Sofia Bautista, Julian Flores, Tom Pearson, Jess Conrad and dear ol' Dani Thompson comprise the rest of the fine cast.)
Kennedy's script and direction are as nimble as his crisp, Gough-ian performance, creating loads of good-natured mayhem, with the production holding a lurid, seasoned look that may have characterized a UHF, Saturday matinee back in the day. The vibrant texture is Creepshow caliber, and Reber Clark's score is menacing as heck with its many Jerry Goldsmith touches: an apt throwback for all its thrilling, melodramatic prompts.
Kennedy's appreciation for, and familiarity of, chilling classic cinema is indisputable, which in turn can only delight fans such as myself.
I LOVED this one and will be watching it often. You can watch it right here and now at
https://www.amazon.com/Mantopus-Joshua-Kennedy/dp/B0F6SRGGDR/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PSAE1RW5SPWL&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.d2v4a_y1c2fspEUR3FnqFZPTNBovSmZqYP_Q0WaJS28.TJMfgxYlyQPXcGtkqEpW9-47Uamw2Bic84hPk_WAxRM&dib_tag=se&keywords=mantopus&qid=1750469238&sprefix=man%2Caps%2C988&sr=8-1
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