The H-Man Blu-ray - Yumi Shirakawa

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Bijo to ekitai ningen")

Directed by Ishirô Honda
Japan 1958

Travel back to the days before CGI, when special effects were real and the results were spectacular! Director Ishirô Honda and special effects wizard Eiji Tsuburaya bring these wildly colorful kaiju eiga (monster movies) to life in this high-definition double feature presentation.

THE H-MAN (1958) Brought on by hydrogen bomb fallout, H-Man is a slimy green monster that dissolves human tissue and anything else in its path on contact. Scientist must figure out how to stop this creation. Contains both the American and Japanese edits for The H-Man.

***

In Tokyo, the police are investigating a growing number of disappearances. They're primary interest is in a drug dealer but their interests quickly shift to the strange occurrence where they find people's clothing as if people just vanished while wearing them. The story starts to make sense when a fisherman tells them he and others from his village found an abandoned merchant ship. On board they too found clothing but no people. They also found a gelatinous green-glowing substance that attacked them and consumed some of them. The police soon realize that they are dealing with a creature created as a result of H-bomb testing. They also realize that the creatures is living in the Tokyo sewer system.

Excerpt from IMDb located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: January 24th, 1958

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Comparison:

Sony - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Millcreek - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover
		Bonus Captures: In November 2020, Eureka is producing a Blu-ray *Ishiro Honda Double Feature* package with *The H-Man* & *Battle in Outer Space*
Distribution	Sony Pictures (3-disc) - Region 1 - NTSC	Millcreek - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:18:51 (English), 1:25:54 (Japanese),	English version: 1:18:57.607 Japanese Version: 1:26:04.117
Video	2.35:1 Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.79 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 48,138,992,604 bytes English version:: 22,989,459,456 bytes Japanese Version: 25,057,087,488 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 34.92 Mbps
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Bitrate English Blu-ray:
Bitrate Japanese Blu-ray:
Audio	DUB: English (Dolby Digital 2.0), Japanese (Dolby Digital 2.0)	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1967 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1967 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Japanese Version: DTS-HD Master Audio Japanese 1968 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1968 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	English, None	English (SDH) for English track and English DUB-titles for the Japanese, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Sony Pictures Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 2.35:1 Edition Details: • Commentary on Battle in Outer Space by authors and Japanese sci-fi historians Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski • Commentary on DUBBED (English) Mothra by authors and Japanese sci-fi historians Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski DVD Release Date: August 18th, 2009 Keep Case Chapters: 28 X 3	Release Information: Studio: Millcreek 2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 48,138,992,604 bytes English version:: 22,989,459,456 bytes Japanese Version: 25,057,087,488 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 34.92 Mbps Edition Details: • Separate Blu-ray with Battle in Outer Space Blu-ray Release Date: June 9th, 2020 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 10 / 8

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Millcreek Blu-ray (October 2020): Millcreek have transferred Ishirô Honda's The H-Man to Blu-ray. as part of a 'Sci-Fi Double Feature' boxset with Battle in Outer Space. This has both English and Japanese versions (NOT seamlessly-branched) sharing the same dual-layered Blu-ray. There are surface scratches but the 1080P looks fairly consistent with some nice grain textures. I'll be interested to compare to the upcoming Eureka, but I don't have extravagant complaints about the video which is similar for the two versions that both sport a max'ed out bitrate approaching 8X that of the 2009 DVD.

"The original Japanese version of the film focuses a similar amount of time on the drug-running criminals as the activities of the H-Men. This was cut in the American film.
The H-Man was distributed theatrically in Japan by Toho on June 24, 1958.[1] The film was released theatrically in the United States by Columbia Pictures with an English-language dub and 79 minute running time. The film was a double feature with The Woman Eater (1959) and released on May 28, 1959." - Wikipedia

NOTE: We have added 40 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Millcreek use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original Japanese (for the Japanese version) or an English DUB for the, shorter, English version. It is another advancement in the film's meager effects and score by Masaru Satô (The Yellow Handkerchief, Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster, Throne of Blood, The Lower Depths, Hidden Fortress, I Live in Fear etc.) sounding a bit deeper. Millcreek offer optional English subtitles (or DUBtitles - see samples below) on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Millcreek package has the two versions of the film and the second Blu-ray disc with Battle in Outer Space. No commentary.

Ishirô Honda's The H-Man is actually in the upper tier of these slapdash quasi-exploitation sci-fi efforts out of Japan. It has a partial Film Noir crossover, fear of the Atomic-age message and I liked the shadow/light-play camerawork and Go-Go Lounge affectation. It's not masterpiece but I was very entertained. This is something I will continue to revisit for Sunday afternoon home theatre matinees. We look forward to the Eureka (UK) Blu-ray of their Ishiro Honda Double Feature package with The H-Man & Battle in Outer Space which we will compare here. Stay tuned!

Gary Tooze

Sony - Region 1 - NTSC

Millcreek - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

1) Millcreek (English) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray LEFT

2) Millcreek (Japanese) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT

1) Millcreek (English) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray LEFT

2) Millcreek (Japanese) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT

1) Sony - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Millcreek - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Millcreek (Japanese) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Sony - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Millcreek - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Sony - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Millcreek - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Sony - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Millcreek - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE

Box Cover

Bonus Captures:

In November 2020, Eureka is producing a Blu-ray Ishiro Honda Double Feature package with The H-Man & Battle in Outer Space

Distribution Sony Pictures (3-disc) - Region 1 - NTSC Millcreek - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

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