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STARS...
John Agar, Joyce Meadows, Robert Fuller, Henry
Travis.
PLOT SUMMARY...
An oversize, alien brain takes over a human scientist, its goal:
domination of Earth.
QUICK SCAN...
This film could be compared to "Strange Invaders". John
Agar (Miracle Mile) is quite good as an all-American guy who becomes
an alien controlled zombie. Fans of the TV series "Emergency"
will appreciate an early screen appearance by Robert Fuller. The FX,
including a large, floating alien brain with glowing "eyes",
are pretty neat.
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Review:
Director Nathan Juran's, THE BRAIN FROM THE PLANET AROUS, is one of
the better "aliens invade your body" movies, from the 50's.
Some of the dialogue in Ray Buffum's Screenplay is quite silly. After
finding a cave that's been recently blasted out of the rock, and establishing
that there are no footprints leading in or out of it, John Agar ("Miracle
Mile"), says, "Let's take a look inside." Robert Fuller
("Emergency"), remarks, "It's probably full of beer cans."
This is either a very stupid remark on Fuller's part, or simply a bad
joke. This is the sound of no one laughing.
Inside the cave, Fuller is soon killed and Agar's body is taken over
by a large, floating, alien brain. When the alien possessed Agar returns
home, he grabs his fiancé, Joyce Meadows, kisses her passionately
and tears her blouse. Hey, they could have called this "The Brain
from the Planet Aroused".
The film's strong suit is John Agar's performance. Young, handsome,
and clean cut, Agar clearly represents a 50's ideal of rugged masculinity.
That this all-American type can be taken over and perverted to an evil
purpose, is all the more disturbing, as it implies that none of us is
safe from the corrupting influences of outside, alien forces.
The film's chief Special Effect, a large floating brain with glowing
"eyes", is pretty neat, in a 50's kind of way. The Optical
Effects are courtesy of Consolidated Film Industries.
Director of Photography Jacques Marquette's work, though mostly routine,
is occasionally inspired. At one point, he gives us a great shot of
Agar's face, large and distorted, as viewed through a water cooler.
The Music, Composed and Conducted by Walter Greene, is your basic spooky
Score. It brings to mind the "Outer Limits", classic TV series
as does the story line and the special effects.
Interestingly, the film "The Hidden" (1987), with its tale
of good and bad aliens inhabiting human and canine bodies, bears more
than a passing resemblance to THE BRAIN FROM THE PLANET AROUS. These
two films together might make for an interesting double feature.
THE BRAIN FROM THE PLANET AROUS should be fairly watchable for most
Sci-Fi viewers. Those who don't favor "aliens invade your body"
movies may be turned off.
MovieMonday.com
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