Heinlein Sues!

 

 (imdb)

THE BRAIN EATERS-1958-In the town of Riverdale, IL., a huge cone shaped object is discovered. Hick senator Powers (Cornelius Keefe) takes charge of the investigation and meets the mayor's son Glen Cameron (Alan Frost aka Alan J. Factor) who informs Powers there have been 3 murders since the discovery of the cone and his dad is missing. Dr. Kettering (co-producer Ed Nelson), Dr. Wyler (David Hughes) and Alice Summers (Joanna Lee) are studying the cone. After Kettering goes into the cone and finds nothing, the mayor (Orville Sherman) shows up, goes crazy and is shot to death. He seemed to have some kind of parasite on his neck that destroyed his nervous system. And there are more! While one guy roams around recruiting victims, Kettering tries to come up with a solution. He hardly has time to mourn when Alice is taken over and just as suddenly a missing scientist emerges from the cone. Later Kettering and Cameron go into the cone and meet another missing scientist (Leonard Nimoy). 

This is a nice low budget sci-fi film with some unusual camera angles by Bruno VeSota. Co-star Joanna Lee was in Ed Woods' PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE the next year. Author Robert Heinlein sued the film company saying the script was based on his novel “The Puppet Masters”. Uncredited executive producer Roger Corman settled out of court with Heinlein.

Thanks for reading!

Nimoy

 

BAFFLED!-1973-American race car driver Tom Kovack (Leonard Nimoy) has strange visions of Wyndam Castle in Devon and a woman and child in danger. An English woman Michelle Brent (Susan Hampshire) tells him he has a special power. Meanwhile actress Andrea Glenn (Vera Miles) and her daughter Jen (Jewell Blanch) move into the castle Kovack saw in his vision (they were also there). Mrs. Farraday (Rachel Roberts) sees to their needs. After Kovac has another vision where he falls out a window, he goes with Michelle to stay at the castle (which takes guests). It seems someone is hiding out in the castle grounds and only Jen knows it.

 Jen gets a medallion with a wolf on it that seems to possess her but it all has to do with an old woman who wants to use Jen's psychic powers (but not really). 

Nimoy is good in the lead role with some nice touches of humor but the story isn't much. It was a pilot for a proposed TV series directed by Phillip Leacock who was doing a lot of American TV episodes at the time.

Happy Memorial Day! Love long and Prosper!