Evil Brain from Outer Space (1964)

User Rating:

2.2/10   

Directors:

Koreyoshi Akasaka
Teruo Ishii

Writer:

Ichirô Miyagawa (writer)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A monstrous evil brain from outer space leads his minions on a crusade to conquer the universe, and...

Plot Keywords:

Brain | Monster | Starman | Superhero | Plague

Cast

Ken Utsui	...	Starman / Super Giant
Junko Ikeuchi
Minoru Takada
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kami Ashita
Chisako Hara		(as Chisako Tahara)
Kan Hayashi
Terumi Hoshi
Shinsuke Mikimoto
Utako Mitsuya
Fumiko Miyata
Shoji Najayama
Johji Ohhara
Sachihiro Ohsawa
Tomohiko Ohtani
Reiko Seto
Akira Tamura
Minako Yamada

Also Known As:

Super Giant 7, 8 & 9 (Japan) (alternative title)

Runtime:

USA:78 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Company:

Fuji Eiga Company

Movie Connections:

Edited into "Muchachada nui: (#3.1)" (2009)

Starman is back....not that anyone cares

In 1964, three films were released that actually were all re-edited from a 1958 Japanese series called "Super Giant". I've never seen these in their original form but have seen two of the three films that were created "cleverly" from this series. ATTACK FROM SPACE was pretty bad, though EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE was even worse--most of which is because the film's action was so incredibly limp.

Just like the other Starman film, the movie begins with an incredibly bizarre set that is supposed to be on another planet. A group of "advanced beings" are supposedly sitting around discussing the fate of the galaxy, but they are so bizarre and silly looking you have to see this scene for yourself! These "things" decide to send Starman to Earth to help us and I assume the third film (which I have yet to see) also has this setup scene.

Starman turns out to look almost exactly like a Japanese version of Duck Dodgers of the 25th 1/2 century (you know, the Daffy Duck character). His body suit with an antennae sticking out the top is priceless. Unfortunately, although he's supposed to be practically indestructible and an amazing fighter, he's incredibly lame. He never seems to be able to kill anyone--just beat them up--and even then, he's not exactly "the man of steel". In fact, the fighting looks more like ballet and no one ever seems to be seriously hurt. I assume this is because "Super Giant" is supposed to be a kids' movie and they didn't want the little ones seeing blood and guts and stuff--but it also made for some incredibly limp fighting scenes--which make up about half the movie.

As for the bad guys, they too, have bad costumes--much like Starman but (naturally) in black. But my favorite of the bad guys was the monster--with a rubber suit and fangs....and claws of Cobalt(?). He was quite silly and again and again kept escaping--way to go, Starman! The main problem with the film isn't the fighting, though it is pretty bad. The problem is that much of the film you don't actually see. A narrator periodically does an exposition to tell you what is missing from the film! At one point, Starman is in one location, the next he instantly has discovered the baddies hideout and is kicking butt (gently, mind you)--and the narrator goes on a lengthy explanation as to how this happened! Cheap, stupid, a bit dull and shoddy from top to bottom. Why is this film rated as highly as it is??? Any score above 1.2 seems excessively high! Also please remember that my review is specifically for this hacked apart and highly bastardized film--not the original Japanese film, which couldn't help but be better than this mess.