The Brain from Planet Arous (1957) – Review

If 1950s sci-fi had a Hall of Fame for outlandishly campy classics, The Brain from Planet Arous would undoubtedly have its own exhibit—complete with a glowing prop brain, John Agar’s intense stare, and a dramatic voiceover declaring, “I am Gor, from the planet Arous!”

The 1950s were a time of burgeoning interest in outer space, fueled by Cold War anxieties, nuclear fears, and the dawning of the Space Age. Films like 1951’s The Day the Earth Stood Still and 1956’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers explored extraterrestrial contact through allegories of global conflict and societal paranoia. Then there are films like The Brain from Planet Arous, which takes a decidedly more pulp-fiction approach. This sci-fi classic dared to ask the question, “What if the real menace wasn’t flying saucers or bug-eyed monsters but a giant, floating brain with a penchant for world domination and, inexplicably, seduction?“

 

“Who’s up for some alien seduction?”

The movie opens with nuclear scientist Steve March (John Agar) and his colleague Dan Murphy (Robert Fuller) discovering an unusual radiation reading emanating from a remote desert mountain known as Mystery Mountain. What they uncover is far beyond the realm of science: an alien entity named Gor, a massive, glowing brain with telepathic powers. Gor explains that he hails from the planet Arous, and he seeks refuge after fleeing a political conflict on his home world. But Gor’s benevolent facade is quickly shattered as he reveals his true intentions—conquest of Earth, nuclear annihilation of any who resist, and personal gratification in the form of dominating human hosts.

 

“Bring me your women!”

In an instant, Gor takes possession of Steve’s body, transforming the mild-mannered scientist into a menacing, power-hungry tool of destruction and exhibiting bizarre and terrifying behaviour. His personality shifts dramatically—he becomes arrogant, aggressive, and power-hungry. At times, his eyes glow unnaturally as Gor unleashes his psychic powers to demonstrate his dominance, destroying aircraft and causing explosions. As Gor inhabits Steve, he begins wreaking havoc, displaying deadly capabilities such as heat ray eye blasts and superhuman strength. With Steve under Gor’s control, the alien brain turns its sights on the world’s leaders, issuing demands for submission while showcasing its deadly power.

 

He has the power over stock footage.

Meanwhile, Steve’s fiancée, Sally Fallon (Joyce Meadows), grows suspicious of Steve’s increasingly erratic and sinister behaviour. But her concerns deepen after discovering Steve’s connection to Gor, so she revisits Mystery Mountain and encounters Vol, another alien brain who has followed Gor to Earth. Vol is a law enforcement agent from Arous, tasked with capturing Gor and ending his reign of terror. However, Vol cannot act directly—he is physically weaker than Gor and requires human assistance to complete his mission. To spy on Steve/Gor, Vol inhabits her pet dog, George.

 

Man’s Best Spy.

Vol explains that Gor has a critical weakness: a fissure in his brain structure that can be exploited when he manifests outside Steve’s body. Sally, her father, and Vol devise a plan to lure Gor into revealing himself, but they must wait until Gor becomes overconfident and distracted by his conquest, which seems pretty easy, and then exits Steve’s body to recharge his energy. The climax is as gloriously ridiculous as you’d hope. With Gor distracted by his plans for interplanetary conquest and his creepy infatuation with Sally, our heroes spring into action. Armed with Vol’s intel and some serious resolve, they trap Gor and attack his vulnerable fissure using—wait for it—a good old-fashioned axe!

 

An axe can solve so many problems.

Stray Observations:

• If I were to discover that strange radiation was coming from the base of something called “Mystery Mountain,” I’d call the Scooby gang and then go back to bed.
• Steve and Dan are missing for a week, having gone to explore strange radiation in the middle of the desert, where the temperature reaches 120 degrees in the shade, but Sally never once thinks they could be in trouble. She’s not what I’d call good fiancée material.
• The voice of Gor, the brain, is that of uncredited actor Morris Ankrum, who starred in such sci-fi classics as Rocketship X-M, Earth vs. the Flying Saucers and The Giant Claw.
• Even after being occupied by Gor, Steve thinks Sally is imagining things when she tells him about Vol. Steve is your typical 1950s man from these types of films, thinking all women are hysterical and only good for getting coffee.
• The plot of an alien interstellar policeman pursuing a dangerous, space-faring criminal who must slip into and possess the bodies of Earth is very similar to the 1987 sci-fi classic The Hidden.
• After Steve defeats Gor, everything goes “back to normal” despite all the destruction he caused. I’d like to see how his defence of “I was mind-controlled by a brain from outer space” would fly in the courts.

 

“Do I look guilty to you?”

Directed by Nathan Juran (under the pseudonym Nathan Hertz), The Brain from Planet Arous leans fully into its absurd premise, but beneath the camp and cheese, there’s an accidental commentary on Cold War paranoia and the fear of power falling into the wrong hands. But let’s not kid ourselves—this movie isn’t here for deep thematic exploration. It’s here to entertain with nonsensical sci-fi antics, and it does so in spades. If your film is about large floating brains bent on world domination, the odds of it being taken seriously are fairly slim – even if the special effects manage to pull it off – and in this case, not much was pulled off either script-wise or effects-wise.

 

These are definitely special effects.

On the acting side of things, John Agar delivers a performance that vacillates between wooden and over-the-top, particularly when portraying Steve under Gor’s influence. His maniacal laughter and intense stares are both unsettling and unintentionally comedic, and it’s his crazed evil laughs and exaggerated facial expressions that solidify his status as a B-movie icon. Then there’s Joyce Meadows. the classic 1950s heroine who stands by her man, even when he’s possessed by a floating brain with a god complex. Her scenes with Vol the dog are unintentionally hilarious, as she earnestly treats the canine as a wise alien ally. She does manage to bring a blend of determination and damsel-in-distress energy, though her character is often reduced to reacting to the increasingly absurd events around her.

 

Putting up with a handsy-alien-possessed fiancé isn’t easy.

One of the film’s most memorable aspects is its use of those very special effects. The depiction of Gor as a glowing, floating brain is both iconic and laughable by modern standards. The double exposure technique used to animate Gor lends him an ethereal quality, but it also highlights the film’s budgetary constraints. Similarly, Gor’s eye-beam attacks, which cause objects to erupt into flames, are as charmingly primitive as they are entertaining. Gor is essentially a large, pulsating brain with glowing eyes, floating around on visible wires. Yet, there’s something endearingly ambitious about its design. The filmmakers clearly knew they were making something ridiculous, and they ran with it.

 

A classic tale of a boy and his brain.

What elevates this B-movie from forgettable schlock to cult classic is its gleeful absurdity. The dialogue alternates between technobabble and unintentionally hilarious melodrama (“Through me, you will have ruled the world. But I will rule the universe”), and Agar gives his all to embody Steve’s possession, complete with intense stares, maniacal laughter, and an almost Shakespearean level of ham. And despite its flaws, The Brain from Planet Arous has carved a niche for itself in the annals of science fiction cinema. The film’s influence can be seen in later works that parody or pay homage to the era’s science fiction, such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Tim Burton’s Mars Attacks! This film is a mix of camp, earnestness, and unintentional humour that has endeared it to fans of cult and B-movies over the years.

 

Who doesn’t love a good killer brain movie?

In conclusion, The Brain from Planet Arous is a gloriously silly relic of mid-century sci-fi, complete with hammy acting, absurd dialogue, and a plot so bizarre it borders on genius. It’s the kind of movie you watch with friends, laughing at the ridiculousness while secretly admiring its earnestness. If you’re a fan of kitschy classics, this brainy alien romp is a must-see.