4-D man starts off very poorly, as the opening music sound like it was written for a 1950s strip club. Unfortunately, while it did get a bit better, it still was brash, loud and cheap and often seemed like music designed for a beatnik coffee house--not a sci-fi film. Additionally, the film features a romance that just isn't believable--happening almost instantly and making very little sense. This was less annoying than the music--more of a minor problem. However, despite having these two strikes against it, the film manages to still be a dandy sci-fi film--partly because it was NOT about some bug-eyed monsters or aliens.
The film begins with a young researcher (James Congdon) getting fired. He hitchhikes to the lab where his brother (Robert Lansing) is in charge of a team working on a new impervious metal. However, the younger brother says that he's been working on a matter amplifier that will allow ANYTHING to be permeated. Later, when Lansing is playing with Congdon's machinery, he manages to pass his hand through a block of metal--in a rather terrifying scene. Oddly, soon after this, Lansing finds he's able to continue passing through objects even without using the electronic equipment--just his own will! Naturally, being a 50s sci-fi film, this power turns out to be far greater and difficult to control than they'd imagine--leading to deadly consequences! The plot is interesting (and rather reminiscent of THE INVISIBLE MAN), the special effects pretty good for 1959 and the story was unique. I liked it a lot--too bad it was given such annoying and funky music--it deserved MUCH better.
The film begins with a young researcher (James Congdon) getting fired. He hitchhikes to the lab where his brother (Robert Lansing) is in charge of a team working on a new impervious metal. However, the younger brother says that he's been working on a matter amplifier that will allow ANYTHING to be permeated. Later, when Lansing is playing with Congdon's machinery, he manages to pass his hand through a block of metal--in a rather terrifying scene. Oddly, soon after this, Lansing finds he's able to continue passing through objects even without using the electronic equipment--just his own will! Naturally, being a 50s sci-fi film, this power turns out to be far greater and difficult to control than they'd imagine--leading to deadly consequences! The plot is interesting (and rather reminiscent of THE INVISIBLE MAN), the special effects pretty good for 1959 and the story was unique. I liked it a lot--too bad it was given such annoying and funky music--it deserved MUCH better.