Inspired by the works of
Edogawa Ranpo.
Set in an alternate 1948
where Japan didn’t enter into World War II and class system is strictly
enforced, the kaijin or mystery man known as K-20 The Fiend with 20 Faces has
been stealing from the wealthy elite.
When K-20 discovers that
Nikola Tesla’s wireless electricity device has been built in Japan he tries to
steal it. The device is rumoured have
been responsible for the Tunguska explosion in 1908. As part of his plot K-20 frames a circus
acrobat Heikichi Endo for his crimes.
Endo is a poor and
idealistic circus acrobat/illusionist who is hired by K-20 to be at the scene
of a crime to take photos of the engagement party of Yoko Hashiba a wealthy
heiress and Kogoro Akechi an upper class police detective for the pulp
magazine The True Story.
Endo is arrested but is
rescued by the honourable thieves of Thieves Alley when they steal the bridge
that the prison transport is traveling on.
Endo trains in the ways of the thief so that he can fight K-20 and clear
his name.
This is a fun and pulpy
romp through a Japan where the police patrol in blimps and fly autogyros – in many
ways this film would make an ideal companion piece to Sky Captain and the World
of Tomorrow. I was also reminded of The
Cape – the idealist is framed for crimes he didn’t commit, trained by thieves who
helped him escape death to become a hero.
There were several twists
throughout the film and I have to admit that one of them caught me by surprize. There
were several parts that had me giggling with glee like when the thieves stole
the bridge as well as the final confrontation between Endo and K-20.
This an enjoyable film
and well worth tracking down. Whilst it
appears that there was no sequel made to this, it has whetted my appetite to
try the works of Edogawa Rampo and see how he uses K-20.
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