[miketardis]

CREATURE WITH THE ATOM BRAIN (1955)--Directed by Edward L. Cahn. Stars Richard Denning, S. John Launer, Michael Granger, Gregory Gaye. One of the all-time great titles adorns this Columbia science fiction movie, which doesn’t quite live up to its name, but what could? It’s pretty entertaining nonetheless, and clips right along at a just-right 69-minute pace. Denning is perfectly cast as a police scientist investigating a series of murders that appear to have been committed by a bulletproof assailant with super-strength. Revenge is the motive, as exiled gangster Granger returns to Los Angeles to kill those responsible for his imprisonment. He recruits a former Nazi scientist (Gaye), who electronically returns corpses to life as obedient radio-controlled zombies, which are then sent by Granger to crush his enemies. Of course it’s silly, but also quite fun, and even manages to be poignant when Denning’s best pal, detective Launer, becomes one of Gaye’s creatures. By the way, there are actually several “creatures” in the film, and one highlight is their fight with cops on the front lawn of Granger’s estate. Also with Angela Stevens, Tris Coffin, Pierre Watkin and Linda Bennett. Watch for a blooper when Denning sends the little girl playing his daughter upstairs to her room. In the background, you can see her stop and sit at the top of the stairs, probably because that was the edge of the set!