Saturday, July 5, 2008

THE BRAIN - Kenneth V. Jones - "Song And Dance" (1962)

"The Brain" is a 1962 German remake of the 1953 film "Donovan's Brain" which was a remake of the 1944 film, "The Lady And The Monster. They are all based on the same original Curt Siodmak story. The awesome original music is by Kenneth V. Jones! 
 
This is a portrait of The Boss, Mr. Holt done by his son Martin! 
 
"The Brain" is directed by Freddie Francis, so that automatically makes it the best version. I'm sure they're out there, but I've yet to see a Freddie Francis film I didn't like! I just like the man's style!! This film is no exception!! Oh, yeah, this is all that's left of The Boss! 
 
"The Brain" has a trio of beauties that includes Ellen Schwiers who plays the Doc's assistant! 
 
The stunning Anne Heywood as Anna Holt, The Boss's daughter! Five years later, she would pose in Playboy! 
 
And Maxine Audley as Marion Fane, The Boss's lover!! 
 
Stupid blackmailer should have known better than to sneak into the lab!! 
 
Is this a great still or what?? Martin's style combines what appears to be a cross between 50's pulp covers and Hieronymus Bosch or Francisco Goya!! Neat stuff!! 
 
Martin became a painter just to make his Dad mad!! Using his father as monstrous subject matter probably did the trick!! 
 
Bryan Pringle on the left as the MC, had a long and sterling career as actor and singer himself, but right here the swingin' side of Kenneth V. Jones stands out, and is used to perfection when Peter van Eyck as Dr. Peter Corrie is running all over the place trying to find out what's going on and avoid being killed, and ends up at this dance, where he grabs the first girl he sees so he can get out on the dance floor and blend in. Well, of course, it's a spotlight dance, and he and his partner are chosen, and he has to go up and get their prize! 
 
That's all fine, until these two girls walking behind his partner..... 
 
.....see the bloody fingerprints all over her back!!!! AAAaaahhhh!!!!! Wow, what a mug!! As you can see, "The Brain" is a great little movie on more than one level, and if you've got half of one yourself, you'll locate yourself a copy!!!

3 comments:

  1. I love ALL movies directed by Freddie Francis with the exception of "Trog." Joan Crawford in that one -- in the words of Quentin Crisp -- resembles a "praying mantis that forgot how to pray."

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  2. Anne Heywood is delicious! My thanks to you, too!

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  3. Then see the fabulous Anne Heywood in "I Want What I Want," a delirious transsexual melodrama where she plays the first part of the movie as a man!!!!

    -- Greg Goodsell

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