After going to IMDb and seeing Ed Wood's name affixed to this interesting 1970 concoction, I suddenly understand all I need to understand.
Where can we start in dissecting this film? How about the title (which is 'The Revenge of Dr. X' on the version I have)? Let's see first of all, there IS no Dr. X just good old Dr. Bragan. Secondly, he doesn't seek or get revenge against anyone or have any REASON for revenge. He merely agrees to take a much-needed vacation to Japan to ease work-related stress although it certainly appears that he may have a brain tumor or some other physical problem coming on.
The movie is quirky enough, with James Craig, who looks just like Clark Gable at the end of his life, and the attractive Japanese assistant (who goes nameless, since IMDb only lists TWO cast members!). Throw in some topless, well-built female divers, the obligatory hunchback helper (also unnamed) and shot after shot after shot of the two lead characters driving up and down and up and down rugged roads in a convertible, back and forth and up and down much of the time with silly Gilligan's Island-like comedy music playing.
The basic plot is NASA scientist Dr. Bragan is getting stressed out and takes the advice of co-worker Dr. Nakamura (James Yagi, the only other listed cast member) and visits his cousin in Japan. On the way he picks up a Venus fly trap from a snake-handling gas station attendant in North Carolina. Although the plant apparently doesn't exist in Japan, he seems to have no trouble at all carrying it in. Meanwhile, his co-worker's cousin turns out to be an attractive young female, who makes arrangements for them both to go to an abandoned resort her father owns, out in the country. The road is bad, she warns him and director Kenneth Crane and/or Wood make darn SURE we understand this by showing them driving back and forth and back and forth over the rough road on various errands.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bragan is getting more and more secretive, working with his flytrap. The only thing we see more of than them driving the convertible back and forth is the girl awakening to a dog barking, going to the window, looking out to see Dr. Bragan tip-toeing to his laboratory, then going back to sleep. This happens about half a dozen times! I won't even mention the man in the plant costume with two pot-holders that are supposed to be man-eating Venus fly-trap hands OR the scene straight from every Frankenstein movie where he cranks the fly-trap up, through an opening in the ceiling during a thunderstorm to bring it to life! (No kidding!) Still, for those with insomnia or those who want to see every project the legendary Wood was associated with, it can be amusing. The backdrops at times are breathtaking, as the pair go to Tokyo (after braving that rough road for another 60 seconds of film driving), visit a museum, go to the ocean, meet topless divers and prowl around on the ocean floor while eerie haunted church music plays. A threatening volcano is thrown in for good measure.
Instead of 'The Revenge of Dr. X,' I might title it 'The Long, Rough Road' or 'Dr. Bragan Goes to Tokyo Then Breeds a Killer Venus Fly-trap.'
Where can we start in dissecting this film? How about the title (which is 'The Revenge of Dr. X' on the version I have)? Let's see first of all, there IS no Dr. X just good old Dr. Bragan. Secondly, he doesn't seek or get revenge against anyone or have any REASON for revenge. He merely agrees to take a much-needed vacation to Japan to ease work-related stress although it certainly appears that he may have a brain tumor or some other physical problem coming on.
The movie is quirky enough, with James Craig, who looks just like Clark Gable at the end of his life, and the attractive Japanese assistant (who goes nameless, since IMDb only lists TWO cast members!). Throw in some topless, well-built female divers, the obligatory hunchback helper (also unnamed) and shot after shot after shot of the two lead characters driving up and down and up and down rugged roads in a convertible, back and forth and up and down much of the time with silly Gilligan's Island-like comedy music playing.
The basic plot is NASA scientist Dr. Bragan is getting stressed out and takes the advice of co-worker Dr. Nakamura (James Yagi, the only other listed cast member) and visits his cousin in Japan. On the way he picks up a Venus fly trap from a snake-handling gas station attendant in North Carolina. Although the plant apparently doesn't exist in Japan, he seems to have no trouble at all carrying it in. Meanwhile, his co-worker's cousin turns out to be an attractive young female, who makes arrangements for them both to go to an abandoned resort her father owns, out in the country. The road is bad, she warns him and director Kenneth Crane and/or Wood make darn SURE we understand this by showing them driving back and forth and back and forth over the rough road on various errands.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bragan is getting more and more secretive, working with his flytrap. The only thing we see more of than them driving the convertible back and forth is the girl awakening to a dog barking, going to the window, looking out to see Dr. Bragan tip-toeing to his laboratory, then going back to sleep. This happens about half a dozen times! I won't even mention the man in the plant costume with two pot-holders that are supposed to be man-eating Venus fly-trap hands OR the scene straight from every Frankenstein movie where he cranks the fly-trap up, through an opening in the ceiling during a thunderstorm to bring it to life! (No kidding!) Still, for those with insomnia or those who want to see every project the legendary Wood was associated with, it can be amusing. The backdrops at times are breathtaking, as the pair go to Tokyo (after braving that rough road for another 60 seconds of film driving), visit a museum, go to the ocean, meet topless divers and prowl around on the ocean floor while eerie haunted church music plays. A threatening volcano is thrown in for good measure.
Instead of 'The Revenge of Dr. X,' I might title it 'The Long, Rough Road' or 'Dr. Bragan Goes to Tokyo Then Breeds a Killer Venus Fly-trap.'