The Brain From Planet Arous (Blu-Ray)
**The Film Detective’s Special Edition of “The Brain From Planet Arous” comes out Tuesday, June 21. This is a review of not just the film, but the Blu-Ray as well.
I watched a handful of John Agar films back in the days of “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” and I’m kind of shocked that “The Brain From Planet Arous” was not one of them. At 71 minutes, maybe it was too short for Joel and Mike and the ‘Bots to feature, but also, maybe it’s too good? Don’t get me wrong, “Planet Arous” has a lot of the same cheesy effects and stilted dialogue that “The Brain The Couldn’t Die” or “The Mole People” or director Nathan Juran’s “The Deadly Mantis” does, but this 1957 nuclear sci-fi film actually has a bit more of a brain to it than some of its brethren. And given that The Film Detective is restoring and releasing it, that automatically makes it worth checking out.
The film begins with scientist Steve March (John Agar) and his assistant, Dan Murphy (Robert Fuller), noticing some higher-than-usual radiation signals by them. A nuclear physicist, he’s curious, and they go to a cave in the desert, but not before seeing Steve’s girlfriend, Sally Fallon (Joyce Meadows) and her father. When they go, however, only Steve comes back, but he’s different, hornier for Sally. Might be because of the giant brain that was in the cave, who is very interested in upcoming nuclear tests. What will happen to Steve and Sally? Will Sally be able to save Steve?
Ray Buffum’s screenplay is based on an idea by cinematographer Jacques R. Marquette, a camera operator who decided to try his hand as a producer to get his chance as a DP. Whether his work in that department is better or worse than anything else we’ve seen in the genre from that era is hard to determine, but his ideas make for an interesting switch-up from the standard “nuclear scare” tropes of the genre from the 1950s. In a way, this is more “The Day the Earth Stood Still” than “Godzilla” or “Them!”. Like the Robert Wise masterpiece, a visitor has come to warn humanity of the power they have created; two, in fact. This really should be “The Brains From Planet Arous.” Yes, the brains look hilariously goofy, but that’s part of the allure of a film like this.
The lead performances are part of why this film is better than the average B-movie from the ‘50s. Agar has some charisma as a lead in stuff like this or “Revenge of the Creature,” but he also comes off as smug easily. That’s well utilized in this film, as he’s possessed by one of the brains, and the aura of villainy and conflict he conveys is effective in the film. As Sally, Meadows is not just a simple “damsel in distress.” She knows that something is off, and she isn’t content to be on the sidelines. I’m not going to say it’s great acting, but Agar and Meadows make this a very good entry in the genre of ‘50s sci-fi.
Blu-Ray Presentation
Once again, The Film Detective delivers a sterling presentation. Their 4K restoration is a beauty, with its black-and-white cinematography looking wonderful in both its widescreen and full frame presentation. The soundtrack is well-mastered, whether it’s the cheesy sound effects, sometimes stilted dialogue and the good score. It may be low-budget, but it looks and sound great.
First up in the extras department is an introduction by Meadows, who takes us through the history of the film, and the story of the film. She still has a lovely charisma and theatricality to her that is engaging. Next up is an audio commentary hosted by historians Tom Weaver, David Schecter and Larry Blamire that includes interview clips from several people involved in the film, including Meadows. It’s a great listen, and I was particularly engaged by the discussion of the score; as a composer, and film score buff, I was riveted. The final two extras on the disc are video essays on director Nathan Juran, ”The Man Before the Brain” and “The Man Behind the Brain: The World of Nathan Juran”, and they give you a good glimpse at how Juran was important to the genre at the time. We also get a typical color booklet with an essay by Weaver, where he talks about this film’s cinematographer and producer, Jacques Marquette.
Film Grade: A-
Audio & Video: A
Bonus Features: A
This is one of my favorite Film Detective releases. The film may feel like a MST3K programmer, but there’s more to it than meets the eye.
