Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People

Let's see... it's the early 60's and a group of seven people (including a skipper, university professor, sultry performer, and wealthy businessman) take a cruise only to get caught in a storm and shipwrecked on a deserted island. Gilligan's... hold on! There are also scores of mutated, deadly, and monstrous mushrooms on the island. So unless I missed that particular episode of a well known sitcom, I must be talking about the classic TOHO production of Matango: Attack of the Mushroom People. Or Curse of the Mushroom People. Or Matango: Fungus of Terror. By whatever title it goes by, it stands as the gold standard... or mold standard... of monster mushroom movies. Sure, it might be the only one but that doesn't disqualify it from being MycoBabble's favorite film.

Released in 1963 and directed by Ishiro Honda (Duel of the Gargantuas, Mechagodzilla vs. Godzilla, Yog: Monster from Space, amongst others) Matango is the account of what can happen when humans and mushrooms mix in unpleasant ways. It also provides great insight into the "Gee, I'm dying of starvation, but I'm surrounded by a forest full of huge, fleshy mushrooms. Should I eat them?" debate.

Despite it's somewhat goofy (USA) title, this is a terrific monster movie. Atmospheric with a great score and terrific set pieces, this is one of those movies that would put a scare into you as part of a weekend's Creature Double Feature on the local TV stations. Oh sure, the monster mushrooms look a little like something out of Sid and Marty Krofft's H.R. Pufnstuf, but that's easy to forgive.

Over the coming months we'll take a closer look at Matango. (In fact, I've even given it it's own label so all the Matango madness is only a link away.) If you'd like to play along, you can buy a copy of the DVD (which features an English dubbed version as well as a commentary) here through Amazon.

UP NEXT: Ukuleles! Psychiatric wards! The cruise begins!