During the 1950s there were certain go-to actors if you were going to produce a sci-fi or horror film. Richard Carlson, Peter Graves, Richard Denning and Jeff Morrow all had multiple starring roles in genre films of the period, but the one actor that had them all beat with nine starring roles in the 1950s was none other than John Agar.
This week’s spotlight from the Film Detective will be shinning on one Agar’s classic sci-films from the 1950s, a new 4K film restoration from the original archival film elements of director Nathan Juran’s 1957 Christmas holiday season release of The Brain from Planet Arous.
Blu-ray and DVD editions will be available for genre fans to enjoy on June 21.
This film production was a match made in cinematic heaven, John Agar, star of Tarantula, The Mole People, Revenge of the Creature … and more, working under the direction of filmmaker Nathan Juran, who delivered such classics as Highway Dragnet (1954), The Deadly Mantis (1957), 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957) and, perhaps, the giant of them all, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman — starring Allison Hayes — in 1958. A genre dream team!
Something mysterious is happening in the nearby mountains and the strategically placed monitoring devices placed there have picked it up. So nuclear research scientists Steve March (John Agar) and Dan Murphy (played by veteran Western star Robert Fuller — as Cooper Smith on Wagon Train, Jess Harper on Laramie … plus such films as What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?, Return of the Seven … and of course, as Dr. Kelly Brackett on the Emergency! television series) are off to investigate.
WOW, someone (or something … or is it some “thing”) has blasted a cave into the side of a remote location of the rugged terrain and the radiation levels are driving their Geiger counter mad … what could have caused this? It doesn’t take long for Steve and Dan to find the source of this chaos, a detached brain that seems to float through the air and it quickly uses its power to render the two men unconscious. Steve is “violated” by the brain.
Time passes and Steve returns to the lab, where he meets the lovely Sally (Joyce Meadows in one of her rare film roles), and explains that the trip to the mountains was a waste of their time. So where is Dan? He’s “vacationing” in Las Vegas!!
Well, it doesn’t take long for Sally to figure out that there is something very wrong with Steve and so she turns to dear old dad (played by veteran genre “character actor” Thomas Browne Henry — Earth vs the Flying Saucers, Beginning of the End, Blood of Dracula … it is a long and impressive list of credits) to go with her on a trip to the mountains to investigate.
They too find the mysterious cave. And once inside they make two fantastic discoveries … the crispy-fried corpse of Dan (apparently, he is not in Las Vegas having a good time after all) and another giant brain!! The earth is being invaded and just when you think that Sally and her father are doomed, we discover that this second giant brain is an intergalactic sheriff by the name of Vol, who has been dispatched to earth to bring Gor, the bad brain, to justice.
It will be a life-or-death struggle to save our planet, with Gor using his enormous powers to destroy any one who challenges him!!
Bonus goodies include two viewing options — the original theatrical aspect ratio (1.85:1) and a full frame view option (1.33:1).
There is commentary by film historians Tom Weaver (“Poverty Row Horrors!: Monogram, PRC and Republic Horror Films of the Forties,” “A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers” … and many more), David Schecter (co-author with Tom Weaver … “The Creature Chronicles: Exploring the Black Lagoon Trilogy,” “Universal Terrors, 1951-1955: Eight Classic Horror and Science Fiction Films”) and Larry Blamire (The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra), who are joined by The Brain from Planet Arous co-star Joyce Meadows (Sally).
There are also two Ballyhoo Motion Pictures productions included as well, The Man Before the Brain: Director Nathan Juran and The Man Behind the Brain: The World of Nathan Juran.
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