The Atomic Brain (1964)

One of the staples of horror movies from the 1950's and 1960's was the use of atomic power. Whether it's the accidental creation of mutated animals through atomic tests, or the use of it in experiments by mad scientists, you will find a plethora of such movies during that time. "The Atomic Brain" is one of them.

The rich and elderly Mrs. March has hired Dr. Frank to perform an experimental medical procedure that that would extend her lifespan... by implanting her brain in the body of one of three beautiful women, she's hired as domestic servants...

"The Atomic Brain" had some real potential for genuine eerie and creepy moments- but failed to meet that potential. The concept was interesting, if not wholly original. The story moves at an unfortunately plodding pace, and lacks any real suspense or tension.

The characters were rather flat, and seemed to rely mostly on the beauty of the female leads. Mrs. March was suitably malevolent, but only marginally more interesting than the other characters. Even Dr. Frank was bland and lifeless.

The acting wasn't much better, either. Of the cast, only Marjorie Eaton displayed any real ability- but once again, only slightly more than the rest of the cast. Essentially, the acting was very stereotypical of the era. It offered very little in depth to the characters or a sense of any real tension to the story.

I can't say much about the camera, while there are a couple of interesting shots- mostly involving the naked women strapped to the table in the atomic chamber, it is pretty standard fare for a low budget horror movie like this. Nothing to make you go, "Cool."

The best part of this movie is the fact that the cat, Xerxes is the best actor. Which is saying something. I'm going to have to put "The Atomic Brain" into The Ugly.

Comments

Zombie Bikers From Detroit (2001)

Over the years, it has been shown that with very little money, a skillful director can put together a high quality horror movie (John Carpenter's " Halloween ", " The Blair Witch Project ", and " Paranormal Activity " being a few of them). So, when it comes to determining a movie's quality, budget is no longer a negative... Ken and his mother have moved from Hell, Michigan to Grosse Pointe near Detroit. Upon his arrival, he meets the lovely Courtney, and her jealous suitor Chad. While Ken and Chad square off, an evil is growing within Detroit and slowly spreading towards Grosse Point... where Ken will meet his destiny ... This week's " What Movie Wednesday " winner was " Zombie Bikers From Detroit "- a low budget horror movie that feels like it was put together as a school project. High School, or College... I can't really tell. The premise- as stated in my little synopsis is interesting- as was the title. ...

Meridian: Kiss of the Beast (1990)

Sometimes, a director/producer will surprise you- such was the case during " Terrorpolooza 2012 " when I watched Charles Band's " Meridian: Kiss of the Beast " Catherine Bomarzini has come home after her father's death. Needing company, she asks Gina to stay with her. Soon, the two meet a wondering troupe of performers that Catherine invites to dinner at her castle. Catherine find herself pulled into a love triangle and an ancient curse that only she can break. After watching movies like " Evil Bong ", and " Demonic Toys ", I really wasn't expecting too much from this Charles Band movie- but I was pleasantly surprised by it. The story is actually quite interesting with lots of potential for eerie scenes, and character development. It's a nice twist on the classic " Beauty and the Beast " story. It's a bit slower than most of Band's other works, but moves smoothly and draws you with it. I have to ad...

"Re-Animator" Herbert West Figure (Reel Toys)

Horror fans enjoy surrounding themselves with items connected to their passion. It can be Halloween masks, movie posters, prop replicas or collectible figures. This week, I'm going to show you one of the collectible figures I've recently acquired- Reel Toys' " Re-Animator " Herbert West! The "bubble box" for the figure is pretty simple, but effective. I like the balance between the figure and the illustration on the front. The packaging also gives you a clear look at all the bibs and bobs that come with the figure. The illustration is great in my opinion. It stretches across the whole of the packaging- providing a nice background for the figure. The art style is nicely atmospheric and moody without going over the top. In fact, the backing card illustration is suitable for collecting on its own. The artist- Justin Osbourn, did a great job with it. The reverse of the backing card is also pretty good. There's a nice harmony between the font, ...

Search This Blog