The influence ofH.P. Lovecraftand his conjuring of cosmic and metaphysicalhorrorcan be felt worldwide. Yet, his abstract means of storytelling is very seldom pulled off in a way that properly presents the work, with many of the objects of horror existing as being uncanny, abstract, or completely told within the mental decline of its protagonist’s introspective meanderings.Kaijufilms, most famously throughGodzilla, have become a cult sensation, the perfect blend of camp with underlying social themes.
These two present a juxtaposition that doesn’t necessarily seem like they would mix well; while there are thematic crossovers, the complexities of each genre seem too much to combine into a singular artistic vision. Yet, one film stands out as one of the best movies in both genres, blending the two to create a terrifying experience that is still enjoyable decades after its release. That movie is an underrated gem known asMatango.
‘Matango’ Is a Tale of Madness on a Remote Island
Matango(also known asAttack of the Mushroom People) follows several socialites who find themselves washed up on the shore of a remote island after their yacht capsizes. Upon exploring the island, they find shelter in a long-abandoned ship,which leads them to notes from the previous crew that warn of a mushroom namedMatango, a nuclear-fed hybrid legume that caused its crew to go mad. As the group starts to succumb to starvation, infighting begins. Eventually, one chooses to eat a Matango, resulting in a transformation and a flood of past victims, human/mushroom hybrids who were the previous crew. The entire story is told retrospectively from the confessions of the sole survivor.
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Releasing on August 14, 2025,the Toho feature would bring together familiar faces from the world of kaiju, notably tapping director Ishirô Honda to lead the project. The movie also starred prolific Japanese actor Kumi Mizuno, who would amass over 140 credits before her passing, and Kumi Mizuno, who would become a prominent actor in both the Godzilla and Ultraman franchises. The movie performed poorly in its native country,facing heavy censorshipdue to its portrayal of victims of Matango bearing similarities to nuclear burn victims. In America, the film was cut by 10 minutes of content and given a painful English dub, making its eventual rise to cult status come much later.
‘Matango’ Is Lovecraft Meets Kaiju
From the beginning,Matangoutilizes a straightforward narrative device that instantly places it in the realm of Lovecraft’s storytelling — one that, despite being a staple in the master of cosmic horror’s writings, is seldom used: the confessions of a madman. Yes,many of Lovecraft’s works begin with a broken man tucked away in a corner, the sole witness to an unspeakable horror that has shattered his mind. This is howMatangoopens, setting the viewer on a path steeped in doom and incomprehensible horrors.
Of course, presenting a story starting with a profound statement of witnessing terrors beyond comprehension would fall flat if the follow-up were banal. ButMatangoexcels in creating creatures that perfectly balance the familiarity of the human form and mushrooms, with the uncanniness of the merging of the two into a hard-to-conceptualize monster. While Lovecraft seldom delved into body horror,Matangoindulges here, but it utilizes another trick of Lovecraft’s writing, metaphysical horror, by focusing on the psychological side of transformation: the terror lies in the characters knowing they’re changing, not just the affliction itself.
As Lovecraftian asMatangofeels, director Ishirô Honda’s love for Japanese monsters is equally integral to the end product.ForGodzillafans, Ishirô Honda needs no introduction; he directed the first filmandmany of the franchise’s best entries. Here, he collaborated with production designer Shigekazu Ikuno (then early in his career) to create distinct creature designs. Notably absent is Eiji Tsuburaya, a longtime Godzilla effects maestro. Credit for the film’s success is also largely due to writer Takeshi Kimura, whose scripts forThe Mysterians,Rodan,The H-Man, andThe Human Vapormade him ideal for Matango’s mix of cosmic horror, sci-fi, social commentary, and drama.
Matango isn’t fully original; it wears its influences openly, and its team drew on deep genre experience. Audiences won’t find concepts unexplored in earlier kaiju or sci-fi films. Yet the sum of its parts is spectacular.Over 60 years later, the themes in Matango still resonate, unsettling viewers by tapping into the same primal fears that have kept the writings of Lovecraft relevant after almost a century since his passing.
The Challenges of Approaching Lovecraft and Why You Should Still Watch ‘Matango’
Lovecraft’s influence on other cultures is always a contentious subject, as the author himself was notoriously racist; his use of ‘otherness’ always has to be taken with a grain of salt by fans. Yet when approaching Lovecraft as a figure, it’s almost easier to list what the man was not terrified of, and in his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island, in the 1920s and ’30s, he likely saw little challenge to his opinions. While Lovecraft’s influence was strongest in the West with its very close-minded Americanized view of the world, that isn’t to say the author lacked global influence.
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Lovecraft was introduced to Japan in the 1940s, and his ideas began to seep into many art forms. Admittedly, it’s not known ifMatangotook direct influence from Lovecraft’s work, as it’s rather a loose adaptation of William Hope Hodgson’sThe Voice in the Night— a precursor and major influence on Lovecraft himself. Yet the author of cosmic horror mark appears more clearly inlater masters of the genre like Junji Ito, whose manga have achieved global acclaim with works likeUzumaki. The important takeaway is this:even if Lovecraft had looked down on other cultures adapting his style, that doesn’t diminish what those cultures achieved with his ideas— especially when considering him as a product of an era when racism was normalized in many parts of America.
Matangois an overlooked masterpiece, a convergence of talents drawing from both Western and Eastern art to create an unforgettable monster film steeped in dread— and that’s before even addressing how brilliantly it dissects class and greed through its stranded ship crew. Whether you’re a fan of kaiju, horror, or sci-fi, this is essential viewing.
You can stream Matango for free on Fawesome, Darkroom, and IndieFlix.
