Spidersecu Don't Believe the Hype

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Derrick Gibbons An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

unbrokenmetal Steve (John Agar) and Dan (Robert Fuller) make important scientific discoveries and dangerous expeditions into the desert, because they are male, while Sally (Joyce Meadows), Steve's fiancée, just stays home in the kitchen and worries they may not be in time for dinner – that's the 1950s for you. When their Geiger counter shows strange radioactive readings which suddenly appear and disappear again, Steve and Dan go to Mystery Mountain where a cave has recently been blasted into the rocks. Soon they find traces of an alien, the brain from planet Arous, which looks like a painted balloon and is greeted by the Earthlings in the traditional way (with gunshots). When Steve returns later to Sally, he seems to remember nothing and acts strange. The big brain has an evil influence over him, obviously. Even Steve's kisses become threatening. Sally now goes to the cave with her father, where they find the body of Dan and another brain which politely explains it is chasing the first one because that brain is a dangerous criminal with plans to conquer the world...Typical B movie silliness, mostly good fun. The painted balloon aliens (superimposed, so you can see through them) are something to remember. Since the story is not simply men vs invaders, but also involves a helpful alien, the flick is more interesting than most of its kind.

Bloodwank A vintage entry in the realms of megalomaniac alien brain cinema ( I can only think of one other example but I like to think there are more out there), The Brain from Planet Arous mixes fear and bizarre amusement and makes a fair, if not quite successful effort of pulling it off. The story sees nuclear researchers Steve and Dan investigate the mysterious (and therefore aptly named) Mystery Mountain, only to discover a disembodied, ill intentioned brain. Quick as a flash it possesses Steve, then its back to civilisation to get some world conquering in motion... This all sounds like classic demented stuff and sadly it isn't, that is to say it is fairly demented but no classic. Events are mostly too restrained until the last 20 minutes and the idea of having a floating brain as an antagonist is highly amusing at first but a novelty that can ill sustain an entire film. Recognising this the film is splashed with oddball humour, the aforementioned Mystery Mountain (surely this can't have been intended seriously?), the evil brain conversing with Steve and openly mentioning its carnal desires on his wife and a couple of other touches I won't go into. Veteran director Nathan Juran keeps the slightly thin shenanigans bustling along, a jolt here, some well deployed stock footage there and best of all committed acting. Sometimes films like this suffer from wafer thin characters and instantly forgettable actors, but here this isn't the case. John Agar oozes maniac intensity as the possessed Steve, playing up with gusto, he also pulls off convincing desperation at his plight. Joyce Meadows makes for a compelling heroine as his frightened but resourceful and canny fiancée, while women in a lot of these films counted for little more than eye candy her character actually has some backbone and the film is better for it. Thomas B. Henry pulls of a good job as her father as well, smartly grasping the situation and doing his best. There seems to be a trend in these films of people near instantly credulous of the other worldly menaces they face, perhaps a comment on the fears of the time and perhaps over simple writing, it sure is fun to see straight talking military types barely bat an eyelid at having to face all kinds of strange creations. By and large this is quite watchable and entertaining stuff, but it doesn't often sparkle and its final confrontation is a bit disappointing. Tension only really flares for a little while and the hoped for heights of lunacy aren't maintained, nor are there any surprises. It just about does the trick though, worth a watch for the devotees but others can safely pass it by I think.

ebiros2 I saw this movie as a child, and couldn't remember its title for ages, until I found it on the internet, so my comment contains influences from the impression of the film from my childhood years. Seeing the film after 30 or so years, I'm impressed how much story they can get out of a sci-fi film that has hardly any special effects. I kind of like this format as the main character is not the special effect, but things happening around what seems like an ordinary life situation. Although this film is a low budget '50s sci-fi, there's something about it that's more entertaining than going to sci-fi channel and watching shows loaded with CGs. There's some good story telling, and actors that really looks like ordinary people who've found themselves in the most bizarre situation. I find this kind of refreshing. There's real lack of intrigue in more contemporary mass produced sci-fi flicks, which drives me back looking for these classics from time to time.

gnosticmanna This is yet another underrated John Agar Schlocko-Sci-Fi Movie from the Fifties and Sixties. Its pacing appears immediately as a problem(far too SLOW in building towards the film's plot points and overall plot), but, to paraphrase past video/movie reviews from "Video Review" magazine, of the no less SCHLOCKO and Rather-Reaganesque, uber-CONFORMIST 80's, ... if you're looking for some "Vegematic movie" Laughs, "The Brain From Planet Arous" will NOT let you down!"The EVIL Brain" of course, steals the cinematic show, even from the flick's star, Mr. Agar, whose body this "Salacious, and Sex-Starved, Fiend from The Deepest Fathoms of Space" has tragically, ... overtaken.Will leave the rest of the story of this again, underrated John Agar flick, to You, The Viewer, to decide IF this really is an underrated work by Agar, and this film's also, often too underrated Director, NATHAN H. JURAN.Mind you, Dear Viewer, this movie is not as effective as Agar's starring roles in such SCHLOCKO Masterpieces as "Tarantula," or "The Revenge Of The CREATURE," ... but still on my "Schlocko-B-Movie Scale," it's gotta rate, a well-earned 8 out of 10! Alright, so I have far less TASTE and "Culture" than that-there LEONARD MALTIN Lad! So what! I still appreciate the STRONG acting PERFORMANCES, in this Fifties Sci-Fi movie, as well as in many other such flicks, wherein the actors, the entire CAST is challenged by the truly cheesy "Special Effects"(well by our now, 21st Century Standards, of course they're cheesy!), to truly convince "We the viewers," that there IS indeed a real existential threat coming "right at us," from this "Womanizer-Wanna-Be' of a "Brain," ah-hem, from indeed, HIS{and it IS surely a MALE Brain, Folks!) Planet, of "AROUS"! Wonderful performances are turned in as well by JOYCE MEADOWS as the attractive source of the Ever-Loving Lustfulness, from this disgustingly, sexually AGGRESSIVE, from this "Interstellar SEX-ADDICT," really, from this Stinkin' Space CADET, ah-hem, I mean, from the "Space Brain," and yes, I do believe that IS, the notable B-Movie Actor Thomas B. Henry, who plays Ms. Meadows' Dad.Enjoy it! And it's NOT only for kids and CHRONICALLY-WACKY, Emotionally IMMATURE "Adults," like me, either, folks, believe me, ... it is not.