Sigh.
Whether Science Fiction and Fantasy fans admit it or not, there's an awful lot of schlock in our history. From men in rubber suits to floating brains that menace men and women, we've seen an awful lot of -- erm -- crapulence. It's out there. We can't deny it. And for better or for worse we keep watching it, almost like we can't help ourselves.
Still, I think it's great -- honestly, I do -- that there are companies around committed to giving us some of this muck from yesteryear in even better definition than we've experienced it before ... and such will be the case when The Film Detective delivers an all-new Blu-ray restoration of 1957's The Brain From Planet Arous from general consumption.
What a time to be alive, eh?
For those unaware, Arous is really Ground Zero for the oversized floating brain memes of legend. It's some really good schlock.
Here's the film's plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"An evil alien brain from the planet Arous hijacks the body of an Earth scientist in order to control the Earth."
By God, that's damn near some Shakespeare right there, people.
Written by Ray Buffum (who also wrote 1958's Teenage Monster), the feature was directed by Nathan Juran, an Academy Award caliber set decorator for 1941's family drama How Green Was My Valley. No slouch, Juran also shared the 1959 Hugo Award for 'Best Dramatic Presentation' with Ken Kolb and Ray Harryhausen for the Fantasy epic The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad. Furthermore, Juran was awarded a Saturn Award in 1999 for his life's work from the Academy Of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films. His resume as a director includes work on such projects as The Deadly Mantis (1957), 20 Million Miles To Earth (1957), Attack Of The 50 Foot Woman (1958), TV's World Of Giants, Jack The Giant Killer (1962), and First Men In The Moon (1964). Furthermore, the later years of his career involved a lot of work in television directing episodes of shows like Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea, The Time Tunnel, Lost In Space, and Land Of The Giants. His last IMDB.com credit shows him serving as a director of 1973's The Boy Who Cried Werewolf.
Given Juran's pedigree, maybe it's entirely appropriate to revisit the giant floating brains; and audiences will be free to do so this June. Details are copied and pasted below, and the trailer will be there for your delight.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
Whether Science Fiction and Fantasy fans admit it or not, there's an awful lot of schlock in our history. From men in rubber suits to floating brains that menace men and women, we've seen an awful lot of -- erm -- crapulence. It's out there. We can't deny it. And for better or for worse we keep watching it, almost like we can't help ourselves.
Still, I think it's great -- honestly, I do -- that there are companies around committed to giving us some of this muck from yesteryear in even better definition than we've experienced it before ... and such will be the case when The Film Detective delivers an all-new Blu-ray restoration of 1957's The Brain From Planet Arous from general consumption.
What a time to be alive, eh?
For those unaware, Arous is really Ground Zero for the oversized floating brain memes of legend. It's some really good schlock.
Here's the film's plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:
"An evil alien brain from the planet Arous hijacks the body of an Earth scientist in order to control the Earth."
By God, that's damn near some Shakespeare right there, people.
Written by Ray Buffum (who also wrote 1958's Teenage Monster), the feature was directed by Nathan Juran, an Academy Award caliber set decorator for 1941's family drama How Green Was My Valley. No slouch, Juran also shared the 1959 Hugo Award for 'Best Dramatic Presentation' with Ken Kolb and Ray Harryhausen for the Fantasy epic The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad. Furthermore, Juran was awarded a Saturn Award in 1999 for his life's work from the Academy Of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films. His resume as a director includes work on such projects as The Deadly Mantis (1957), 20 Million Miles To Earth (1957), Attack Of The 50 Foot Woman (1958), TV's World Of Giants, Jack The Giant Killer (1962), and First Men In The Moon (1964). Furthermore, the later years of his career involved a lot of work in television directing episodes of shows like Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea, The Time Tunnel, Lost In Space, and Land Of The Giants. His last IMDB.com credit shows him serving as a director of 1973's The Boy Who Cried Werewolf.
Given Juran's pedigree, maybe it's entirely appropriate to revisit the giant floating brains; and audiences will be free to do so this June. Details are copied and pasted below, and the trailer will be there for your delight.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
The Film Detective is preparing a Blu-ray release of Nathan Juran's The Brain From Planet Arous (1957), starring John Agar, Joyce Meadows, Robert Fuller, Thomas Browne Henry, and Ken Terrell. Currently, the release is scheduled to arrive on the market on June 21.
Description: Get ready for planet Earth to be overtaken by a criminal brain from outer space! When Gor, an evil brain from planet Arous, inhabits the body of scientist Steve March, his intention is nothing less than world domination. Lucky for Earth, another intergalactic brain, Val, offers to assist March's wife, Sally, in stopping the madness. How does Val intend to help? By inhabiting Sally's dog! A great example of cut-rate sci-fi from the 1950s, this independently produced feature stars B movie favorite John Agar (The Mole People, Revenge of the Creature), and was directed by Nathan Juran, a master of the genre who helmed such classics as The Deadly Mantis, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
Description: Get ready for planet Earth to be overtaken by a criminal brain from outer space! When Gor, an evil brain from planet Arous, inhabits the body of scientist Steve March, his intention is nothing less than world domination. Lucky for Earth, another intergalactic brain, Val, offers to assist March's wife, Sally, in stopping the madness. How does Val intend to help? By inhabiting Sally's dog! A great example of cut-rate sci-fi from the 1950s, this independently produced feature stars B movie favorite John Agar (The Mole People, Revenge of the Creature), and was directed by Nathan Juran, a master of the genre who helmed such classics as The Deadly Mantis, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
- NEW RESTORATION OF THE FILM
- NEW Audio commentary by author and film historian Tom Weaver
- An original Ballyhoo Motion Pictures documentary
- Full color booklet with original essay by Tom Weaver
- Optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles for the main feature
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