Background and Trivia |
- Heritage Enterprises, who would later do a copyright claim with Brenco Pictures, submitted the movie to the US copyright office on May 14th, 1981. This was under registration number V1841P347 and included 58 titles in title, with this 1960 production under the name The Human Vapor. On February 3rd, 1988, Toho submitted the movie to the US copyright office under registration number PA0000369118. The titles they user were the international title, The Human Vapour, and the Romaji title, Gas Ningen Dai Ichi-go.
- The script, by Takeshi Kimura, had been languishing at Toho since 1958 before production began. In addition, original drafts of the film were simply titled "Toho's Third Mutant Movie". However, by the time it was released, it had been beaten to the market by other films in the genre such as Secret of the Telegian (1960) earlier that year. For reference, the earlier two "mutant" films being referenced were The Invisible Man (1954) and H-Man (1958). Noted in Age of the Gods (self-published).
- Actor Yoshio Tsuchiya prefers the US version to the Japanese due to the fact that it gets to the heart of the matter faster. That said, he was surprised and disappointed that the music for the Noh dance sequence was replaced. Mentioned in Age of the Gods (self-published).
- Actor Yoshio Tsuchiya recalled that once, while traveling in America, he was staying at the Rocky Mountain Hotel. While dining there, a nearby theater happened to playing The Human Vapour. As the audience left the theater, they were shocked to see the actor nearby and a line for autographs quickly formed. Brought up in Age of the Gods (self-published).
- A stage version of the film was run at the Theatre Creation starting in October 2009. Adapted and directed by Hirohito Goto, the stage version is set in modern times and adds in light comedic elements. The cast includes Issei Takahashi, Ataru Nakamura, Emily Nakayama, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Kumi Mizuno, Noboru Mitani and Ryota Yamazato. Detailed on the OZ Mall website.
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