“That’s the first movement since the operation. It’s alive.”
Dr. Bragan (James Craig) is a rocket scientist at NASA who is working on a project that entails a mission to outer space. The stress of the mission results in his having a mental breakdown. His assistant, Dr. Paul Nakamura (James Yagi) suggests he take a vacation to Japan to rest. Since botany was one of the subjects he was interested in before mathematics took over, Bragan decides to examine the Japanese flora while he is there.
In Japan he acquires the assistance of Dr. Noriko Nakamura (Atsuko Rome). He brings with him a Venus fly trap that he acquired in the states before he left. Bragan wants to find a place private where he can work. Noriko’s family owns an abandoned resort that Dr. Bragan can stay at. It is out in the boonies and near a volcano so no one goes there. Bragan accepts the offer. The resort has a caretaker that wanders around, otherwise he and Noriko are alone. Bragan begins conducting bizarre experiments.
Bragan’s temperament has not changed. He is just as moody and irascible as before. He begins to get secretive and refuses to allow Noroko access to his experiments. Noroko is in fear of Bragan’s sanity. Eventually he lets her in on what he is doing.
With Noriko’s help, Bragan crosses his Venus fly trap with a Japanese carnivorous oceanic plant. Bragan’s theory is that humans evolved from plants. With the use of the electrical charge from lightning, in some kind of Frankensteinal experiment, his creation turns into a carnivorous man-eating plant. His hybrid creature becomes humanoid. The creature requires the blood of mammals to flourish. He feeds it mice, rabbits, puppies, whatever he can get his hands on. He calls his creation “Sectovorus”. The creature uproots itself and begins eating people from the near by village.
“Revenge of the Venus Flytrap” AKA “The Revenge of Doctor X” AKA “Body of the Prey” AKA “The Double Garden” AKA “The Devil Garden” was supposedly released in 1966, 1967 or 1970 and was probably directed by Norman Earl Thomson. Never has such a crappy movie had so much contradiction attached to it. Rumors abounded that the movie was directed by Ed Wood Jr. Consensus now believes that it was not, it was directed by the aforementioned Norman Earl Thomson AKA Earl Norman, AKA Norman Thomson. However, the screenplay was believed to be written by Ed Wood. The identities of the film makers is another story. There are several in the running. None of them interesting. The same holds true for the distributors. Although the general belief is The Toei Company.
As for the movie, there’s a lot of boring going on here. The movie is a little more than an hour and a half long. The first hour being the most tedious. The music is whatever old music was in the bargain bin of the local church bazaar tag sale. One minute cartoon music and the next Wurlitzer organ. Worst music ever! The acting is also really bad. Especially poor Atsuko Rome. And for some bazaar reason there are topless women standing around the shore when Bragan goes looking for the Japanese ocean plant. Some may find that the only appealing thing about the movie. Could be. The only thing I like was the silly looking Venus flytrap-humanoid monster.
The monster is, of course, a guy in a foam rubber suit. And he’s funny as hell. I can’t even describe it. It’s got boxing glove Venus fly trap hands, a tulip bulb head and giant thorns sticking out of its chest. Once the monster appears the movie is a gas. If you can get through the first hour then it goes from boring to stupid. Some people like stupid, but on this movie you’re going to have to wait for your fix.
One other bizarre note; the film has been distributed by just about everyone under various labels, even public domain. Some releases have the opening credits for the wrong movie. Specifically they have the opening credits for “Mad Doctor of Blood Island”. It’s just another contradiction surrounding this movie. Some believe the movie was supposed to be a double feature with “Mad Doctor”. This is also speculation.