brando647 In my 30+ years on this planet, I had never had the pleasure of discovering Starman. Then I bought a 50-movie collection of public domain films long-since lost in the sands of time and there it was buried on a disc amidst a handful of relatively forgettable cine-trash: EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE. This "movie" is a treasure. It is something special, and it deserves an audience. Originally airing on television in 1965, EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE is an amalgamation of three separate Japanese movies featuring the superhero Starman. Whether he is actually known as Starman in his own films (or if that's an American contribution) or if the plot of any of those three movies reflects in any way the disjointed through-line of EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE (I doubt it), I couldn't say for certain. All I know is that this confusing bundle of fun was an absolute blast. The plot, as best I can decipher it: an alien genius was assassinated but his brain survived. This brain now has revenge on its…um, mind. It focuses its vengeance on the planet Earth where it hopes to use its powers of mind control and manipulation to cause nuclear war. This nuclear war will then…pollute space? Wasn't the movie STAR PILOT worried about nuclear space pollution originating from Earth too? Anyway, a space council on the Emerald Planet decides to send their hero Starman to Earth to combat the brain and prevent it from accomplishing its demented, nonsensical goals.A quick introduction to Starman (Ken Utsui): he's a superhero from space that walks the Earth in disguise as a normal human and transforms into Starman through use of a space watch when danger rears its ugly head. I'm not sure of the reason for the disguise since he has no problem introducing himself in all its strange detail when questioned:"I was not born on your planet Earth. Instead, I was sent here to save you from the Zemarians. You will die if I fail to kill him. Starman is what I am called."This is his response to a simple "Who are you?" from a police officer that witnessed Starman (in his alter ego form) save a couple of school children from evil Zemarian henchmen. Rather than lock him up for sounding utterly nutty and having proved himself dangerous, the cop just accepts it. Starman has arrived on our planet to find a means of destroying the evil brain of Balazar in a race against time, but it doesn't mean he won't have time to save the odd citizen from danger. Who are Starman's allies in his battle against evil? Depends on which segment of the movie you're watching. There are three distinct segments to this movie and characters, good and evil, will come and go without much fanfare. Characters who appear in the first segment will disappear from the movie altogether or reappear at the end for a final appearance without explanation. We get two separate pairs of plucky children for Starman to comfort with promises of saving the world. The kids in the second segment are even key players for a while, stumbling across a secret alien base under a hospital to give Starman a reason to bust in and beat up some alien scum. Then the kids disappear from the movie and are later replaced with the original two children from the first segment who show up at the end of the movie inexplicably for the final few shots.There isn't enough room to shower praise on everything I love in EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE but here are some of the best bits:Starman's costume: he looks like Quailman (that's a "Doug" reference for those not in the know) joined a circus trapeze troupe. The evil Zemarians look like 1960's Batman at an EYES WIDE SHUT party: jumpsuits, capes, and cheap Halloween store domino masks. Also their salute is very Nazi-esque.The Zemarian mutants. Evil creatures created by the Zemarians that look like an Aztec carving of a monkey come to life and attack with solid cobalt claws (deadly to Starman).The fight scenes are phenomenal. The choreography is erratic and blows never seem to land. When Starman and the mutants use their powers to jump great distances, it's just a jump cut between locations. So, so wonderfully cheesy. Every so often, during a fight with a large group of baddies, Starman will throw one off screen; he then reaches off screen to retrieve a matching dummy for a super toss across the room.Literally EVERYONE has a secret passage leading to a secret Zemarian base.Sudden third act space witch! With nuclear fire attack action!The list goes on and on. Whoever edited these movies together couldn't care less about their job. They were really banking on the English language dubbing to keep the audience in the loop on the story but it often fails. Things happen for no reason. Entire sequences are completely irrelevant. But as long as you keep the premise lodged in your head…Starman is here to save us from the machinations of the evil brain of Balazar…you'll do fine. I'm not suggesting you watch EVIL BRAIN IN OUTER SPACE for the compelling screen writing. I'm suggesting it for literally everything else. This is a movie where you get together with a group of friends, say good-bye to sobriety, and just laugh. I wish I could run you through every delightful moment of this "movie" but, really, you should just do yourself a favor and watch it.

Mikel3 Just one question....how come there aren't ever any nice disembodied brains even when not from outer space? We watched this one last night on DVD. It might be a re-edited serial or TV show, I'm not sure. I had avoided those Japanese Starman movies over the years. He seemed a lesser version of Superman. Maybe I was wrong to avoid them. This story was obviously geared for children and gave two of them important roles in saving the earth. Yet, a few of the creatures seemed to be a bit too scary for younger kids.The film had silly overly staged fight scenes, hokey costumes and corny dubbed dialog. In other words we really enjoyed it! Actually, to be fair, there were a few strange looking creatures in it that did freak out my wife when they were on screen. Sometimes they would flash on unexpectedly in closeup. Especially the demon like one with the weird ears and long nails. And the one that looked like a witch.This film is worth seeing if you have an open mind.

nowlang I rate this movie 7 for its theme, purpose, country & time it was produced.This movie is a compilation/compression of the last three one hour features of the "Sūpā Jaiantsu" (Supergiant) series. "Starman" for us or "Spaceman" for European audiences, was Japan's first film superhero and lead the way to future stars such as Ultraman and several animated heroes my own children enjoyed. I highly recommend these movies for people able to look at them with objectiveness and respect for the time-frame they were produced 1957~59. They are also inoffensive for children for parents caring about their youngster's innocent minds. Despite some "ugly" if not "goofy" monsters by today's standards, there is no gratuitous violence or gory scenes and the fight scenes are "gentle" if not dance-like. Special effects match what was available with similar resources like "The Outer Limits" of the mid sixties. Dubbing is average for a production that old which was post-synch in the US –It is also difficult to dub Japanese with English language because of the marked difference in phonetics (sound generation by mouth motion). The original music was replaced with dubbing studio file soundtrack in the US. One has to be cautious criticizing older features especially of foreign origin and not compare them verbatim to our modern computer-graphic FX-loaded violent features of American TV fame. Back in the mid fifties, Japan was still recovering from the ravages of a horrible war that had devastated all of their major cities. Under US occupation, Japanese elders felt threatened of loosing their ancestral identities and traditions. The recent and too-close-for-comfort Korean War had barely missed Japan and ended in a stalemate at a time when fear of another nuclear holocaust was very fresh and real in their minds. Shortly after, Japanese "baby boomers" (yes, Japan had their very own boomers too!) rejected their parent's post-war humiliation and needed to believe in something along Japanese customs, fairy tales, and mythology... so Sūpā Jaiantsu or Supergiant was born. Several Supergiant movies feature Starman protecting or defending children from dangers especially from space (i.e. threats for "above"). According to some natives, this theme had roots in the memory and horror of WWII's firebombing campaign over Japan. I saw these movies in their dubbed and chopped version back in 1964 in Grammar School on our monthly "Midnight Theater" actually shown at 0600 PM midweek. We (kids) were very impressed if not "terrified" by the space creatures but we were all happy that Starman did save the day and the movie ended "like a fairy tale". Forty years later, I was actually touched to relive these same scenes that had fascinated me so much as a kid and impressed me for years to come. I recommended these if you are interested in foreign cinema history or as relatively "clean" thrillers for our younger generation.

barugon This movie seems to be edited together from episodes of a serial -- it jumps from sub-plot to sub-plot, and introduces a whole raft of new characters without developing any of them. It's Shin-Toho Studio's entry in the Superheroes from Space genre, which puts it side-by-side with those MST3K staples, "Invasion of the Neptune Men" and "Prince of Space".Like those other movies, this one is frequently laughable. Jump cuts are used to make it seem as though the hero, Starman, and his monster opponent are jumping great distances... but the effect only works if you're under the age of ten and in a very forgiving mood. The meandering plot is juvenile; and the opening scene features an interplanetary council of some of the most hilariously unlikely aliens you'll ever see. Worst of all, I find Starman an uncharismatic and slightly stuffy hero.What distinguishes "Evil Brain", though, is its monsters, which are genuinely disturbing: one is a swift, chattering beast, with glaring eyes (one of which is on its stomach), huge fangs and long "cobalt nails". It also has two filigreed crests on its head (like bizarre Mickey Mouse ears), breathes smoky radioactive fumes, and has the ability to turn invisible... The other mutant is a silent woman whose face resembles a beaked bird of prey. She also has special skills: she can turn invisible, and she kills with one touch from her fingertips. In fact, she kills a young mother while her two small daughters are playing (a scene which probably explains why this movie doesn't turn up on TV any more!).Finally, as I write this, I note that IMDB recommends I might also enjoy "Tanin no Kao/The Face of Another". Hmmm... I'm afraid if I followed "Evil Brain" with Kobo Abe's intense, disturbing, and very mature fantasy, my head would explode.