4-D Man (B-)
STARS...
Robert Lansing, Lee Meriwether, Patty Duke, Guy Raymond, James
Congdon, and Robert Strauss.
DIRECTOR: Irvin S. Yeaworth, Jr.
YEAR & RATING: 1959 (NR)
PLOT SUMMARY...
A scientist develops the power to pass through solid objects,
gradually losing his sanity in the process.
QUICK SCAN...
4-D MAN could be compared to "Man with the X-ray Eyes".
This film features drama, romance, and FX. Special Effects depicting
Lansing walking through doors and walls are well done, particularly
for the time. The Music is jazzy, mushy, and distracting. Both Lee
Meriwether, ("The Time Tunnel"), and Patty Duke made their
film debuts in this flick.
SYNOPSIS...
A scientist experiments with radiation. His brother shows up, and
promptly falls in love with the scientist's girlfriend.
The brother succeeds in moving one solid object through another.
The scientist uses his brother's research to figure out how to move
HIMSELF through solid objects. He commits a bank robbery, then goes
on a killing spree, sucking energy out of people to extend his own
life.
The scientist returns to the lab, where his brother is working on
a method of defeating him. The scientist is shot by his girlfriend
during a kiss. The scientist, severely injured, disappears into
a wall, his fate unknown.
BEST BETS: The Fly (86), Altered States
|
Review:
Co-Producer/Director Irvin S. Yeaworth, Jr.'s 4-D MAN is a relatively
obscure, but not particularly noteworthy, Sci-Fi effort.
Robert Lansing ("Kung Fu"; syndicated) in an early screen
appearance, does what he can with the role of the man who can pass
through solid objects. Unfortunately, he was encouraged by Director
Yeaworth to overact, particularly during a scene where he suffers
an attack due to the side effects of radiation exposure. Classic "Star
Trek" fans will recall Lansing as "Gary 7" in the episode,
"Assignment: Earth".
This film marked the film debuts of both Lee Meriwether (The Time
Tunnel) and Patty Duke (The Patty Duke Show). Fortunately, appearances
in this lackluster Sci-Fi flick did not prevent them from going on
to better things.
The film's script (Screenplay by Theodore Simonson & Cy Chermak;
from an Original Idea by Jack Harris) has a clever premise: a scientist
develops the ability to pass through solid objects. Unfortunately
the film is not helped by slow pacing, an overemphasized romantic
sub-plot (Lansing's brother James Congdon falls for gal pal Meriwether)
and flat dialogue. A typical exchange: Lansing, "It's Tony, isn't
it?" Meriwether, "No, Scott. It's you and me."
Director Yeaworth is best known for "The Blob", which debuted
the year before. While "The Blob" (1958) is certainly a
minor Sci-Fi effort, it is head and shoulders above 4-D MAN.
The film's Music is mostly 50's Hollywood's interpretation of beatnick-style
jazz, accented by brass, bass, and bongos, with abrupt mood shifts
into hokey pokey mushy stuff and a pinch of big band style swing Music.
The distracting and annoying Music was Composed and Conducted by Ralph
Carmichael.
The film's FX are rather good. Shots of Lansing walking through walls
and doors, though accompanied by a bit of a blue outline around him,
were certainly state of the art for the time, and are still not bad
today. Bart Sloane gets the credit for the Special Effects.
The film's visual imagery is mostly ho-hum. A high angle shot looking
down on a building, as the police attempt to close in on Lansing,
is pretty cool. Director of Photography Theodore J. Pahle gets the
credit.
My favorite scene takes place shortly after Lansing develops his power
to move through solid objects. Walking along a street at night, he
reaches through the glass window of a grocery store. Plucking out
an apple, he takes a few bites, laughs, then casually tosses away
the apple, obviously drunk on his new power.
4-D MAN will be slightly watchable for SOME Sci-Fi viewers. Lansing/Meriwether
fans MAY enjoy this film. 4-D MAN is Dull, Dumb, Depressing, and Dopey!
|