The Atomic Monstrosity

MONSTROSITY-1964- (aka THE ATOMIC BRAIN)-Sub-low budget Sci-Fi nonsense with a decrepit old rich woman (Marjorie Eaton from ZOMBIES OF MORA TAU who’s pretty scary herself) financing the atomic brain transplants of mad scientist Dr. Frank (familiar low budget character actor Frank Gerstle). She wants her brain transferred to a younger body and seems very excited over that fact that the Doc put a live dog’s brain into a dead human body. The resulting “man-dog” looks like something left over from the basement scene climax of Brook Peter’s THE UNEARTHLY. The old lady also has a cynical “gigolo” companion named Victor (Frank Fowler). Their relationship is only hinted at thank God!

After Frank’s grave robbing efforts prove fruitless, the old lady invites three young women to stay at her mansion. One is Mexican, another is from Vienna and the third is a “foxy blond” (with an English accent). When the doctor gives them physical check-ups, the Mexican girl is deemed unacceptable because she has a birthmark on her back! So that nothing goes to waste Frank gives her a cat’s brain and she spends part of the movie scratching and clawing and making cat noises. The “man-dog” prowls around the grounds at night too. When things get too boring a narrator (who’s suppose to sound like Rod Serling?) shows up and tells us what some of the characters are thinking. I read somewhere that the uncredited narrator is actor Bradford Dillman. There is another Dillman in the credits so maybe he was helping out a relative?

In the end Victor gets stabbed with a hatpin, Frank gets atomic fried by his own machine and the old lady’s brain winds up in her cat’s body! The girl from Vienna gets all the old lady’s money but the cat is still on the loose too.

Joseph Mascelli who was the director of photography on Ray Dennis Steckler’s infamous monster/musical THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE CREATURES… directed MONSTROSITY. Since the latter film is fairly well shot Mascelli must have been better at that job than as a full-fledged director. Of more mainstream historical importance he shot the Ariel footage of the first Bikini Island H-Bomb blast.

In 1965 he published the book “The Five C’s Of Cinematography”.

MONSTROSITY is kind of creepy in a sleazy exploitation way but mostly characters just stand around talking or staring aimlessly. Ms. Eaton (who had an un-billed role in MARY POPPINS the same year!) is the most frightening character by far!

Thanks for reading!