THE EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE (1964)
Article #787 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 5-11-2003
Posting Date: 10-8-2003
Directed by Chogi Akasaka
Featuring Ken Utsui, Junko Ikeuchi, Reiko Seto

An Evil Brain from outer space threatens to take over the Earth, but not if Starman can prevent it.

Some thoughts on this one.

1. This movie has given me the brainstorm to include a new feature to my MOTD; the Title Check, where I check to see if the movie actually delivers what the title promises. In this case, yes, it does; the plot does include an Evil Brain from Outer Space.

2. The main character is called Starman. There is also a 1984 movie called STARMAN. That movie has a coherent plot; this one has an atomic mime.

3. This movie was culled from a Japanese TV series (I think) called “Super Giant.” Since Starman is approximately the size of all the other cast members, I’m led to believe one of the following, either 1) it doesn’t take much to be a giant in Japan, or 2) he’s only a giant in the metaphorical sense, or 3) something was horribly lost in translation.

4. Starman has a costume. He also wears a three piece suit. He changes costumes by cleverly ducking out of the frame and reappearing in his other garb.

5. Starman’s costume features tights, and I mean that in both the literal and descriptive sense; in other words, there isn’t a whole lot left to the imagination.

6. One of Starman’s foes is a really skinny guy with long teeth, long fingernails, a lacrosse racket around his head, and an eye in his stomach. The costume may seem overdone, but it does manage to upstage both Starman and the atomic mime.

7. The evil scientist in the wheelchair has a pet falcon who lives on his shoulder. I hope he changes his clothes often.

8. There’s lots of rotating masonry in this movie.

9. The fight scenes in this movie may appeal to humanitarians; you can watch them with real confidence that no one is getting hurt.

10. There is a point in this movie where we are supposed to be startled and amazed by the identity of an Arab leader. It was only long after seeing the movie that I realized this was supposed to be a plot twist. Unfortunately, in order for a plot twist to work, you need one special ingredient; a plot.

All in all, I enjoyed it much more than INVASION OF THE NEPTUNE MEN.