| 'Super Inframan' (1975) (alias 'Jung Gwok Chiu Yahn/Zhong Guo Chao Ren', 'Chinese Superman') is like smoked gouda: it's very cheesy, but it also tastes good! It's not seven or eight bucks a pound, thank goodness. This film was lucky enough to get a U.S. theatrical release back in the 1970's courtesy of Joseph Brenner Associates. This film, I suppose, tried to jump on the Tokusatsu (a term used in Curt McCarter's review at kungfucinema.com) bandwagon. A legion of monsters, led by voluptuous villainness Princess Elzibub/Princess Dragon Mom (Terry Liu Hui Ru), are unleasing chaos and destruction upon Planet Earth. Danny Lee Hsiu-hsien (light years before he got the nickname "Lee Sir") is Rayma, a scientist who helps Dr. Liu Yingde (Wang Hsia) and his team battle the monsters and help innocent people caught in the monsters' path. Dr. Liu transforms Rayma, who's willing to participate in the experiment, into Inframan, a bug-eyed robot/man with super powers. In this three-act story, Rayma/Inframan, Dr. Liu Yingde, his family, and a team of scientists battle Princess Elzibub, her subordinates, and their attempts to take over the world. Infamous, Bruce Lee clone Bruce Le/Wang Kin Lung co-stars as "Xiao Lung" (Mandarin for "little dragon", Bruce Lee's nickname).
'Super Inframan' has its share of cheese. Even though Princess Elzibub and her lackeys are centuries old, they can speak fluent Mandarin (I have only seen the Mandarin version, so far)! Watching Mutant Drill and a skeleton-clad lackey take Dr. Liu to Mount Devil by speedboat makes me want to snicker! Another flaw in the film involves a sappy scene where Dr. Liu tells his daughter that he's happy if he can keep his children safe from monsters. Thankfully, this scene doesn't overwhelm or affect the rest of the movie. Still, Tong Gaai's solid, zesty action choreography, the colorful art design, the cinematography by Tadashi Nishimoto, the killer music score (Was it canned or original? Oh, well! It still cooks.), etc. are a number of factors that make this cheesy movie special. Is it just me or did the scenes of destruction in the city feel Irwin Allen-esque? Some of the footage may have had an influence on 'Independence Day' (1996). Princess Elzibub not only feels like a semi-threat, but she makes me feel funny! Kind of like when I used to climb the rope in gym class!
Kudos to the stunt guys who worked on 'Inframan'; they endure some painful-looking stuff. This movie felt like a Power Rangers episode, only without the crappy, English-speaking actors, crappy English dubbing, and some more edgier violence (although, it's far from R-rated). Like 'Gamera' and 'Fugitive Alien', this film is a fun, MST3K-worthy flick. If one is looking for a cheesy, cinematic blast from the past, 'Super Inframan' may be up one's alley. |
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