Mars Men is a tokusatsu science-fiction/kaiju/superhero film produced in 1974 by Tsuburaya Productions, Chaiyo Productions, and Hsing Wah Film Company. It was released theatrically in Taiwan on July 3rd, 1976.
During 1975/76, Tsuburaya Productions and Chaiyo Productions had been working on getting their films distributed by other companies around East Asia. During this time period, the film Jumborg Ace & Giant was picked up by Hsing Wah Film Company, who filmed new scenes with Taiwanese actors that was inserted with the tokusatsu sequences from Jumborg Ace & Giant. After production wrapped, the film was distributed by Prince Movie Co. in Taiwan, and Shochiku Co., Ltd. for international distribution.
Summary[]
When the martian king Chin-Kung plans to conquer Earth, he needs the magic ying-yang pearl in order to further his conquest of becoming the king of the universe. Upon learning about this, the Taiwanese Space Agency investigates and eventually reawakens the ancient Temple Giant using their technology. The Temple Giant, combined with the forces of the American Space Agency's American Robot, takes down Chin-Kung in an epic battle set on both Earth and Mars.
Plot[]
Lin Ah-Wei, a local boy, is playing baseball with his friends. However, Lin accidentally loses the ball after striking it too hard and runs to get it back. When he discovers the ball in a nearby cave, he goes to retrieve it, but is then quickly knocked out by a force emitting a bright light. After noticing that he's been gone for some time, Lin's friends try to search for him, but to no avail. Later, Lin's father is watching a movie on TV before the transmission is suddenly hijacked by the martian king Chin-Kung. Chin-Kung announces his plan to both conquer Earth and obtain the ying-yang pearl, a peal with magic powers that is buried somewhere in Taiwan. Lin wakes up to the bright light before he notices something in the dirt, a statue. Lin Ah-Wei digs out the statue and wraps both it and his ball in his jacket before he runs home to his father.
Lin's father rushes Lin inside before telling him about the highjacking. Lin tells his father about what happened in the cave and, since Lin's father collects antiques, shows him the statue he discovered in the cave. Lin's father inspects the statue and tells Lin that it's a 3,000 year old Thai statue named "Temple Giant" that is said to have immense strength. Later, Chin-Wa and Ah-Fung, members of the Taiwanese Space Agency, are driving home while talking about the highjacking. Chin-Wa drops off Ah-Fung at her house, where she finds that her brother Lin and father have been knocked out. Ah Fung's brother and father are rushed to the hospital, where Chin-Wa and Ah-Fung are then told by a doctor that he's unsure what's happened.
At the Taiwanese Space Agency HQ, Chin-Wa and Ah-Fung are watching Chin-Kung's UFO closely as it enters Earth's atmosphere. Chin-Kung and Tin-Da, the lead spaceship designer of the agency, discuss what spaceships could be used against Chin-Kung. As Chin-Kung's UFO arrives in Taiwan, him and Jum Killer Jr. discuss where the ying-yang pearl could be. Chin-Kung decides that they'll both search separately before they exit the UFO and start attacking cities in Taiwan, leaving the cities to be left leveled and in flames. As Chin-Wa, Ah-Fun, And Tin-Da watch the chaos unfold, Tin-Da begs Chin-Wa to attack Chin-Kung and Jumkiller Jr., But Chin-Wa tells him no since they don't know how powerful Chin-Kung and Jum Killer Jr. are. Tin-Da runs out and boards his spaceship, Universe 1, before firing at Chin-Kung. Chin-Kung shoots back at Tin-Dah, Causing him to crash his ship, killing him instantly.
Chin-Wa, Ah-Fung, and the rest of the Taiwanese Space Agency crew are shocked at Tin-Da's death. Chin-Wa tries to storm out in order to fight Chin-Kung and Jum Killer Jr., but he's stopped by Ah-Fung. Ah-Fung tells him that going out to die would be pointless since mankind needs his skills as a scientist and a pilot in order to kill Chin-Kung and Jum Killer Jr. Chin-Wa is calmed down by Ah-Fung and decides to stay, but is still shocked by Tin-Da's death. Back at Chin-Kung's UFO, him and Jum Killer Jr. discuss how finding the ying-yang pearl at night may be easier due to its intense bright light. The next day, Chin-Wa and Ah-Fung visit the hospital to get an update on Ah-Fung's brother and father. The doctor tells them that they're both suffering from radiation poisoning, which puzzles Ah-Fung as there's nothing radioactive in the house. Chin-Wa suggests that, since her father collects antiques, one of them may have had something radioactive on them.
At the home of Ah-Fung's father, Chin-Wa and Ah-Fung search for the source of the radioactivity. They eventually come across the source, the statue of Temple Giant. They bring the statue to the Taiwanese Space Agency HQ, where it's decontaminated and put through an x-ray, which shows that the statue has arteries. Chin-Wa comes to the conclusion that it must've been radioactive due to it being near a highly radioactive source. The Taiwanese Space Agency discusses what the radioactive source could be before Ah-Fung suggests it possibly could've been the ying-yang pearl. Chin-Wa realizes that Ah-Fung is right and asks her if she could ask her grandfather about where the statue was found. Later, Chin-Wa and Ah-Fung arrive at the cave where Lin discovered the statue. They get close to the pearl, but are intercepted by Jum Killer Jr., who takes the pearl before they can.
Chin-Wa and Ah-Fung organize the Space Associates Meeting to discuss ways Chin-Kung and Jum Killer Jr. could be defeated. However, the meeting is cut short as Chin-Kung fires his ying-yang pearl powered Sun Ray Mirror at the Earth, causing even more destruction and death than his previous attack as people burn to death, buildings explode, and streets erupt into flames. Chin-Wa and Ah-Fung escape into the Taiwanese Space Agency's HQ before they see that Temple Giant's statue has grown bigger. It shakes as they touch it, making them realize it's still alive. Ah-Fung tells Chin-Wa that the life force inside of the statue must be activated and Chin-Wa agrees. Just then, a crew member tells Chin-Wa that the American Space Agency has sent their robot, American Robot, up to the moon. Chin-Wa places a device on the statue of Temple Giant that causes it to wake up, fly off to the moon, and grow at an immense size.
Temple Giant arrives at the moon with American Giant coming in close behind him. Jum Killer Jr. panics, but Chin-Kung tells him not to worry as he has a plan. Chin-Kung fires a beam at them simultaneously before disappearing, causing Temple Giant and American Giant to fight. Chin-Wa and Ah-Fung fly up to the moon in order to stop the fight but Temple Giant and American Giant fall down a hole, leaving them unconscious. Chin-Wa and Ah-Fung realize that oxygen in their spaceship is depleting and attempt to flee before they're fired upon by the Sun Ray Mirror and Chin-Kung, escaping just in the nick of time. Jum Killer Jr. laughs at the stupidity of Temple Giant and American Giant for falling for Chin-Kung's trap. Overhearing this, Temple Giant grabs Jum Killer Jr., causing him to fight both Temple Giant and American Giant. Jum Killer Jr. runs to Chin-Kung for protection as they escape, leaving Temple Giant to thank American Giant before they agree to find and kill Chin-Kung and Jum Killer Jr.
American Giant and Temple Giant go separate ways to search for Chin-Kung and Jum Killer Jr., but American Giant is caught up in the Sun Ray Mirror, burning him badly. Chin-Kung disappears to Earth, but American Giant flies down to fight him. American Giant and Chin-Kung fight for a while before Chin-Kung summons his dinosaurs, which quickly overpower American Giant. Suddenly, Temple Giant appears and fights off both Chin-Kung and his dinosaurs. Temple Giant kills Chin-Kung's dinosaurs before Chin-Kung disappears, leaving Temple Giant and American Giant on Earth before they fly back to the moon. Back on the moon, Chin-Kung and Jum Killer Jr. are planning to fire the Sun Ray Mirror at the Earth again before they're stopped by Temple Giant and American Giant. Temple Giant and American Giant fight off Chin-Kung and Jum Killer Jr. in a furious, intense battle as each side attempts to kill the other. In the midst of the battle, Chin-Kung accidentally fires the Sun Ray Mirror Jum Killer Jr., which sets him on fire before he explodes. Taking advantage of this, Temple Giant grabs ahold of the Sun Ray Mirror and fires it at Chin-Kung, causing him to be set on fire and explode. Temple Giant and American Giant break open the Sun Ray Mirror to obtain the magic pearl, with Temple Giant promising that he'll take it back to Earth. Temple Giant exclaims to American Giant that, from now on, Earth will enjoy permanent peace. They both wish each other farewell as they start their flight back to Earth.
Characters[]
- Chin-Wa: A head scientist at the Taiwanese Space Agency that excels in both piloting and science.
- Ah-Fun: A head scientist at the Taiwanese Space Agency that provides most of the strategy leading up to Temple Giant's re-awakening. She is also Chin-Wa's girlfriend.
- Tin-Dah: The head spaceship designer at the Taiwanese Space Agency that loses his life early in the battle against the martians.
- Father: An old man that likes to watch films on television and collect antiques. He is Ah-Fun and Lin Ah-Wei's father.
- Lin Ah-Wei: A child that likes to play baseball. He is Ah-Fun's brother.
Heroes[]
- Temple Giant: A 3,000 year old Thai guardian that is brought back to life in order to fight for the Earth in the battle against the martians.
- American Giant: The American Space Agency's robot that is used in the battle against the martians.
Villains[]
- Chin-Kung: The martian king that plans to become the king of the universe by using the Sun Ray Mirror to conquer planets.
- Jum Killer Jr.: Chin-Kung's second in command. Although he looks up to Chin-Kung and constantly wishes for his approval, He is constantly topped and belittled by Chin-Kung.
Cast[]
- Wen Chiang-Long : Chin-Wa
- Wang Pao-Yu : Ah-Fung
- Hwang Tzer-Ching : Tin-Dah
- Mian Fang : Father
- Yeh Hsiao-Yee : Lin Ah-Wei
English Dub[]
- Chris Hilton: Chin-Wa, Jum Killer Jr. (most scenes), TV station employee, Police officer, Actor on TV
- Mandy Cooke (unconfirmed): Ah-Fung
- Saul Lockhart: Chin-Kung
- Peter Boczar: Temple Giant, TV station employee
- Ron Oliphant: American Giant, Doctor, TSA scientist
- Ted Thomas: Father, TV station employee
- Unknown: Ah-Lin
- Warren Rooke: Scientist at space associates meeting
Filming Locations[]
- Temple / Cave entrance: Yuantong Temple | No. 64號, Lane 367, Yuantong Rd, Zhonghe District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 235
- Hospital: Central Clinic & Hospital | No. 77號, Section 4, Zhongxiao E Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106
- Taiwanese Space Agency headquarters (exterior): National Taiwan Craft Research And Development Institute | No. 41, Nanhai Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100
- TV Station (exterior): TTV building (former location, likely demolished)
- Airport: Taipei Songshan Airport / Taipei International Airport | No. 340-9, DunHua N Rd, Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10548
Music and Sound Effects[]
No new music was composed for the film; with sources for the tracks ranging from needle drops of albums to the M&E tracks of other films. These tracks consist of Shunsuke Kikuchi's theme from the TV show Jumborg Ace, Covers of unknown origin of Johnny Pate's "You Can't Even Walk In The Park" and "Shaft In Africa (Addis)" composed for the film Shaft In Africa, Pink Floyd's "Time" from the album The Dark Side Of The Moon, Peter Thomas' "Rocket Science" and "The Flying God Of Palenque" from the album Chariots Of The Gods?, A track by Yang Ping-Chung from the film The Ghost Hill, and Oskar Sala's "Five Improvisations On Magnetic Tape" from the album Electronics. Sound effects originating from Karlheinz Stockhausen's album Kontakte and EMI Records' Spectacular Sound Effects Vol. 2 can also be heard, mostly during the fight that takes up the second half of the film.
Gallery[]
