Brains!

 

 (The Criterion Collection)

FIEND WITHOUT A FACE-1958-Strange murders occur on and around a US Air Force Base in Canada. Victims have their brains and spinal cords "sucked out". Locals think the cause is the base's radar experiments with atomic energy. Major Cummings (Marshall Thompson) must find the real reason which leads to Prof. Walgate (Kynaston Reeves) and his strange mind experiments. Cummings shows interest in Walgate's assistant Barbara (Kim Parker) but she blames him for everything. In a flashback the professor explains how he created an invisible "thing", a mental vampire. When the power plant is accidentally turned up the creatures become visible brains with long spinal cords. This has an excellent climax and good SFX (some of them rather gruesome for the time). 

Director Arthur Crabtree later made HORRORS OF THE BLACK MUSEUM. Screenwriter Herbert J. Leder later made THE FROZEN DEAD. According to star Thompson, he finished directing the film when Crabtree left the production before it was finished. It's based on the short story “The Thought Monster” by Amelia Reynolds Long.

Thanks for reading!

Goodbye Star

THE EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE-1964/1957-58-The Brain of Balazar from an alien planet plans to take over the Earth. Once again the strange inhabitants of The Emerald Planet decided that if Earth is destroyed it might have an adverse effect on them so they send Starman (Ken Utsui, of course) into the fray. It begins when a evil scientist in a wheelchair with a bird on his shoulder is in league with the brain. He has a sinister one legged henchman. His assistant Kawada steals the brain intent on destroying it. Unfortunately the police think he's a bank robber and in the scuffle to arrest him, a briefcase containing the brain is thrown into the river. He has a hard time convincing police detective Okamoto this is true but is later released and goes to a famous doctor for help. After Starman intervenes and vows to stop the aliens, Kawada returns to his former employer's house to try and find the brain (the evil doctor regained it but I'm not sure how Tawada found out). The detective follows him and after Kawada is knocked out by the henchman he sees the doc (who can actually walk) and one leg escape underground. The aliens send a weird monster with long claws to kill the famous doctor who's working on a formula to destroy the brain. Star saves him. Meanwhile the invaders commit many robberies to get money to pay for their food and clothes (?) and stab a woman in the neck to get some diamonds. 

Despite aliens running rampant, a scientist takes some important papers home to study and walks down a dark alley unescorted while two children return home from a party at night also unaccompanied! The scientist is killed but the children hide when confronted by an insidious alien woman. Star vows to save the Earth and then disguises himself as a “political dignitary” and stops and assassination attempt by the evil doc and his gang. Later the doc's scar faced brother releases a bunch of mutants to destroy mankind. They are weird guys in sunglasses and trench coats. Fortunately Starman invades their headquarters throws the aliens around, kills two mutants and finds the evil brain which is destroyed by the famous doctor's formula! Starman waves goodbye forever....

This was the fourth of the US edited series taken and combined from 7^th and 8^th episodes of Super Giant. A ninth film was made but that was in color and couldn't be used with the black and white footage. Both of these film had 2 separate plots (for instance the scarred brother in the original story was disfigured by the H-bomb) and editing it all together makes it a fast paced confused jumble of fighting, talking, scientific explanations and kids getting into trouble! A classic!

Thanks for reading and much thanks to Shintoho, the studio (a branch of Toho) who made the movies and to Ken Utsui who portrayed the superhero!

Lon Frank

THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN-1942-In the wake of events that transpired in SON OF FRANKENSTEIN, the angry villagers blow up Castle Frankenstein despite the best efforts of Ygor (Bela Lugosi; also in BOWERY AT MIDNIGHT the same year) to dissuade them (the broken neck ex-assistant to Wolf Frankenstein seems to have recovered from being shot to death in the last installment). Their explosive blasts unleash the monster from his sulfur pit doom of the previous picture much to the delight of Ygor (“My friend!”). After being struck by lightening the monster becomes stronger. The duo decided to visit Vasaria where the baron's second song Ludwig Frankenstein (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) lives. Ludwig is a brain surgeon who studies “diseases of the mind” and is assisted by the cheerful Dr. Kettering (Barton Yarborough; later in the I LOVE A MYSTERY series of films) and the unhappy Dr. Bohmer (Lionel Atwill; also in PARDON MY SARONG with Abbott & Costello the same year) and his daughter Elsa (Evelyn Ankers; in the previous year's THE WOLFMAN). 

Igor and his friend walk right into the village square and scare children. The monster befriends a little girl (“Are you a giant?”) and takes her to the rooftops to retrieve her ball. After returning the girl to her daddy he's overpowered by the cops and townspeople. Cut to Ludwig's residence where town prosecutor Erik (Ralph Bellamy; also in THE WOLFMAN) tells the doctor about an imprisoned madman who killed 2 villagers. But unbeknownst to Erik, Ygor has already met with Ludwig to discuss helping fix his friend's “sick brain”. When he's put on trial the monster escapes and almost kills Ludwig but Ygor's horn playing pacifies him. Bringing him back to Ludwig's laboratory the monster kills Kettering and gas is used to subdue him. Ludwig plans to take the monster apart “piece by piece” but his father's ghost (also Hardwicke) intervenes and Ludwig decides to put Kettering's brain into the monster's head! Ygor convinces Bohmer (who feels his part in Frankenstein's experiments have been overlooked because of a mistake he made years before) to put his demented brain in the monster's skull. Erik accuses Ludwig of deception and the doc nearly 'fesses up but the monster kidnaps his little girlfriend and all that's put to the side. The operation is a success but of course the monster's evil brain has been replaced by one that is even eviler. It doesn't go as planned though. The monster, now talking with Ygor's voice plans on ruling the world but it turns out Ygor's blood doesn't match the monster's and he (they?) go blind. The monster kills Bohmer and starts a fire that burns down the house, killing him (for now) and Ludwig while Erik saves Elsa. 

SON OF FRANKENSTEIN director Earle C. Kenton made this fine if a little convoluted follow-up which although cheats on story continuity provides some good scenes and great performances. Cedric Hardwicke is excellent as the noble scientist who wants to do the right thing but once again falls victim to the “Frankenstein curse”. And having Lugosi back as the scheming Ygor (especially since he was killed at the end of SON) is a major plus. Though criticized a lot for his portrayal Lon Chaney (in the first post-Karloff role of the monster) does an acceptable job considering he's not given much to do! Atwill of course is at his best here, the seemingly co-operative assistant hiding a bitter vengeance driven other self. The screenplay is by W. Scott Darling, a prolific film writer before his death by drowning in 1953. GHOST of course features several actors in un-billed roles: Holmes Herbert, Richard Alexander, Harry Cording and Dwight Frye.

Director Kenton later worked with Abbott and Costello and also made two "sequels"  HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN and HOUSE OF DRACULA.

Thanks for reading!

50's Brain

THE BRAIN FROM PLANET AROUS-1957-Wooo-Hoooo! They don't make 'em like this anymore!

Nice scientist Steve March (John Agar; in THE DAUGHTER OF DR. JEKYLL the same year) discovers some abnormal radioactivity at "Mystery Mountain". After discussing it with his girlfriend Sally (Joyce Meadows) and her father (Thomas B. Henry) he and his assistant Dan (Robert Fuller) decide to investigate. In a cave (Bronson canyon) they run into a a giant alien brain that's impervious to their bullets. It goes inside Steve's body.

After being gone a whole week, Sally plans her own expedition to find them but Steve mysteriously shows up and gives her a big kiss ("It make my toes tingle). He says Dan has gone to Las Vegas and then seems to have a spasm that he says is just a toothache. Sally senses trouble and needs the help of the family dog to get free of his over amorous clutches. When she says he should see a doctor he says "Don't expert me, Sally!". Is this real English?

Later we learn the brain that has taken him over is named Gor and is from the planet Arous. It has big plans and thinks Sally is "a very exciting female". Sally expresses her concerns to her father who's too cheerful about it even when Steve yells at him for no reason. Father and daughter decide to go up to "Mystery Mountain" and look around. They find the cave Steve and Dan went into. There they discover  Dan's burned corpse. They also meet another brain named Vol who it seems is kind of like a federal agent from Arous and has come to capture Gor, obviously some kind of escaped lunatic. At night Vol plots with Sally and dad to save Steve's life by getting Gor out of his body. Vol decides to take over George the dog to be around Steve/Gor a lot.

Meanwhile Gor has plans to take over the world with "the power of pure intellect". Steve's eyes become very glassy and he destroys an airplane. On a date Steve brags about his new discovery that will "make me the most feared man on Earth". Vol tells them that a blow to the "fissure of Rolando" at the base of Gor's skull could kill him. After he kills the local sheriff, Steve goes to Washington DC and demonstrates his power by setting off an atomic bomb before it's scheduled. He later meets with delegates from every nation. He lays out a plan wherein the Earth will work continuously around the clock to build a huge armada so Gor can return to Arous and conquer it. In the end its plans never see fruition as Sally gets the word to Steve about the fissure and armed with an ax Steve does the brain in.

BRAIN is a pretty cool little Howco production that benefits from John  Agar's performance especially when he's possessed by Gor. His maniacal laugh and sinister grin are the high points of the low budgwt production.

Director Nathan Hertz (aka Nathan Juran) was very busy in 1957 also directing 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH, THE DEADLY MANTIS and HELLCATS OF THE NAVY (with Ronald Reagan & Nancy Kelly).  

Colossus in The Big Apple!

THE COLOSSUS OF NEW YORK-1958-Just after winning a Nobel prize a brilliant scientist Jerry Spensser (Ross Martin) is hit and killed by a truck while chasing after his son's toy plane. His slightly demented but famous brain surgeon father (Otto Kruger) takes out Jerry's brain and hooks it up to a machine in his lab so that his genius mind won't be wasted. His kind of jealous brother Henry (TV actor John Baragrey who is top billed) helps Pop built an over-sized robot to house Jerry's brain. It's big and bald and has glowing eyes, mechanical hands and feet and for some reason wears a cloak. Needless to say Jerry's not to pleased with his new bod and promptly faints. Although once conscious Jerry pleads with his stupid dad to "destroy me", Pop Spensser convinces his brain revived son to continue his experiments. He also develops  ESP, mind control and laser beam eyes and puts dad under his control. Later when he decides to visit his own grave, Jerry meets his son Billy (Charles Herbert also in THE DAY THE WORLD STOOD STILL the same year). He gets very angry because he's not made of flesh and blood. He blows a circuit when he sees Henry put the moves on Anne. She faints and Henry runs away! Mala Powers plays Jerry's widow Anne who seems to favor another doctor John Carrington (Robert Hutton) but he thinks Anne is just hallucinating when she says she's seen a giant robot. After Jerry-bot does in his younger brother, the climax takes place at The United Nations where an out of control Jerry lasers many spectators until Billy stops his wanton destruction ala THE GOLEM.

I've seen many negative reviews with this (at one time) seldom seen Science Fiction movie but around the time there was much more junkier stuff being made. The story is pre-posterous and kind of rushed but the metallic "colossus" is impressive. 

Director Eugene Lourie (THE BEST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS) provides some nice eerie night scenes which are given an extra jolt from Van Cleave's staccato piano soundtrack (although it's a little overbearing in a few scenes). The Ukrainian born Lourie  would later get back into the giant monster genre with THE GIANT BEHEMOTH and GORGO and also edited several Sam Fuller films.

Though she had given good performances as Roxanne in CYRANO de BERGERAC and a rape victim in Ida Lupino's OUTRAGE, Mala Powers was doing mostly TV at this time. Otto Kruger's long flim career (begun in 1915) was coming to a close but he would act 5 more years. As the obsessed analytical father he's very unlikable but after being basically responsible for all of the robot's mayhem in the end he just admits he's wrong and walks away. Robert Hutton is all but wasted as the good guy scientist friend. And I'm at a loss to understand why TV actor John Baragrey is top billed. It would have seemed more logical to have Hutton in that role!

This was one of over two dozen films produced by former actor William Alland. He also produced the Jack Arnold directed THE SPACE CHILDREN  the same year.

Thanks for reading!

It's Really His Granddaughter

JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER-1966-A Mexican village lives in fear of the notorious experiments being carried out in a mysterious mansion. It seems Maria (Narda Onyx), the stuck up, power mad, grand-daughter of Dr. Frankenstein is continuing his legacy of monster making, assisted by her cowardly brother (familiar TV actor Steven Geray). 

Meanwhile a bare knuckles fighter named Hank (Cal Boulder) and his partner the famous outlaw Jesse James (James Lupton) team up with “The Wild Bunch” to steal $500,000 from a bank. For some reason the gang leader's drunken brother betrays them to the Marshall (Jim Davis) forcing Hank and Jesse to seek refuge in the Castle of Frankenstein's offspring. Maria decides Hank would be a great subject for her experiments. They want to give him some kind of brain transplant and the tri-color army helmets Maria and Hank wear during part of the process are hysterical! While this goes on Jesse takes time to romance Juanita (Estelita Rodriguez), a local who helps at the lab. 

Hank becomes a hulking zombie with stitch marks around his forehead who is re-named Igor! For a short time he does Maria's bidding but he turns against her in the end. The acting in this one (especially by Onyx as Maria) is far more campy than in BTKVD.

This was the last film made by veteran director William Beaudine who's career started in silent films! He's no stranger to this blog. I figure he deserves his own entry so I'll do that next time! 

Some interesting bits about some of the players: 

Estelita Rodriguez began her career at age 14 in Republic Pictures westerns including several with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. She also had a role in Howard Hawks' RIO BRAVO and was married and divorced from actor Grant Withers. JJMF'sD was her last film. She died at 37 in 1966 of undisclosed causes. (Some say it was influenza..)

Narda Onyx was born in Estonia and was appearing on many TV shows (including a re-occurring role on THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES)  prior to JJM'sFD which is one of her few movies roles. She's also in 1962's HITLER with Richard Basehart in the lead, playing Eva Braun's sister. She died in 1991 at 59.

Cal Bolder was an ex-patrolman who was in some other TV shows and later retired and wrote books. He died at 75 in 2005.

John Lupton was a successful stage actor and star of the TV western BROKEN ARROW. He died at 65 in 1993 of an undisclosed disease...

As for the title..well..Abbott & Costello didn't go to Mars either...

Thanks for reading!

Master Minds

MASTER MINDS-1949-In this entry into the Monogram Bowery Boys series, every time Sach (Huntz Hall) eats candy and gets a toothache he goes into a trance and can predict the future! Slip (Leo Gorcey) and Gabe (Gabriel Dell) exploit his dumb power at a carnival. Meanwhile a mad scientist (Alan Napier) wants Sach's brain for a giant hairy man called Atlas (Glen Strange in Jack Pierce make-up) he's experimenting on! Shades of Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein!

 Creepy Skelton Knaggs is one of Napier's assistants and Jane Adams (who was Vicki Vale in the serial BATMAN AND ROBIN the same year) plays the scientist's nurse who tries to help Sach. The weird part occurs when the two patients have their brains switched and Sach winds up a snarling wild man, while Atlas takes on Sach's stupid mannerisms and (dubbed) voice! The rest of "the boys' return too (Billy Benedict, Benny Bartlett and David Gorcey). Also with Bernard Gorcey as Louie and Minerva Urecal. Jean Yarbrough once again directs. 

Thanks for reading!

HenenHorror

BRAIN DAMAGE-1988-This is the kind of "forgotten" Frank Henenlotter film made between his first two BASKET CASE movies and the incredible FRANKENHOOKER.

It tells the story of "Aylmer", an ancient symbiotic slug like parasite that eats brains to survive. It also secretes a euphoric drug into it's host body that creates an LSD like high. It latches on to Brian (Rick Hearst), an anemic dullard who lives with his brother (Gordon MacDonald). An old couple had been keeping Alymer prisoner in their apartment by feeding him only animal brains to keep him weak but he escapes to find more tasty human grey matter. He talks too! One highlight is him in a sink singing "Aylmer's Song" while Brian rolls on the floor in agony. Aylmer's voice is provided (un-credited) by the one and only Zacherley, the NYC based TV horror host of the '60's (He recently turned 90!).

BD is well made despite it's low budget and there's lots of bloody deaths (in a junkyard, a toilet stall, a club called Hell) and clever dialogue. The funniest scene though takes place in a subway car where BASKETCASE's Kevin Van Hentenryck makes an appearance!

In addition to writing and directing Henenlotter (who should have made more films) co-produced and co-edited this wonderful insanity!

Thanks for reading!

Strangely, lead actor Hearst went on to become a soap opera star......