HEADER: The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
The Good, the Bad, & the Absurd Part 2
Having started with a film that was good, bad, and absurd we now move to the good in this installment of Sci-Fi 1950’s. All three films were released in 1953, two of which are based on Ray Bradbury stories and one on a Curt Siodmak tale. The first is the Siodmak story from his novel of the same name, Donovan’s Brain. It is a mad scientist film with a well intentioned scientist (aren’t they all) who tries to salvage the brain of a maniacal business man (what could go wrong?) who’s dying and cannot be saved.
Donovan’s Brain (1953) United Artists
Directed by Felix Feist
Screenplay by Felix Feist based on the Adaptation by Hugh Brooke based on the Novel by Curt Siodmak
1hr 24min / Not Rated
CAST: Lew Ayres (Dr. Patrick J. Cory), Gene Evans (Dr. Frank Schratt), Nancy Reagan (Janice Cory / billed as Nancy Davis), Steve Brodie (Herbie Yocum), Tom Powers (Donovan’s Washington Advisor), Lisa Howard (Chloe Donovan), James Anderson (Chief Tuttle /billed as Kyle James)
Allow me to qualify including this somewhat dubious entry under ‘good’ as it should really be ‘bad/absurd’ but there are reasons. The first is the current state of the world as well as Nancy Davis’ appearance in the film. Dr. Patrick J. Corey is trying to save the brain of a less than admirable but powerful business man. In the process of doing this, the scientist’s own will is usurped by the will of the evil brain. The only time the scientist is free from the control of the brain–is when the brain sleeps. This is the horror of the story, but Dr. Cory outsmarts the brain by pulling off a reverse Dr. Frankenstein. The most ironically hilarious part of the film (of course unintended at the time) is when the doctor’s wife, Janice Cory (Nancy Davis aka: Nancy Reagan) bemoans the fact that a rich businessman could be so mean spirited that he could reduce his own tax payments at the cost of the poor.
It is a typical 50’s low budget film, but in the end an effort that does make an impression. And due to my love of irony, there’s no better time to take a look at this unusual take on Sci-Fi, or is it just plain horror? It is one of three adaptations of Siodmak’s novel. The first was The Lady and the Monster (1944) and the last and worst of all was the Freddie Francis directed, The Brain (1962).
The novel was also parodied by Steve Martin in 1983’s The Man with Two Brains. It was not only one of Martin’s best efforts (although not given the recognition it deserved on its release), but was arguably the best film to come out of the spate of versions inspired by Siodmak’s novel.
Steve Martin & Kathleen Turner in The Man with Two Brains (1983)
Facts, Rumors, & Hearsay
Orson Welles played the part of Dr. Corey in Donovan’s Brain in a two part broadcast of radio’s Suspense, 18 May and 25 May 1944.
In Child’s Play (1988) Maggie (Dinah Manoff) is watching Donovan’s Brain after she puts Andy (Alex Vincent) to bed.
Siodmak was slated to direct, but was replaced by screenwriter Felix Feist. Possibly not the best decision made on the film.
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It Came from Outer Space (1953)
Directed by Jack Arnold
Screenplay by Harry Essex based on the Story by Ray Bradbury
CAST: Richard Carlson (John Putnam), Barbara Rush (Ellen Fields), Charles Drake (Sheriff Matt Warren), Joe Sawyer (Frank Daylon), Russell Johnson (George), Kathleen Hughes (Jane)
It Came from Outer Space was the first 3D film from director Jack Arnold who went on to direct the 3D classics, Creature from the Black Lagoon and Revenge of the Creature. Ricard Carlson was also the lead in the first Creature film opposite Julia Adams, where he once again played the level headed scientist trying to head off disaster. The main thrust of the film is the same basic conceit that powered, The Day the Earth Stood Still, but like most Ray Bradbury tales it is told on a smaller stage. Instead of an intentional landing in Washington D.C., the aliens crash land in a remote desert setting near a small town. It also foreshadows Invasion of the Body Snatchers with its diabolically misleading use of alien doubles of some of the townspeople, including an interesting performance by Russell Johnson (most remembered as The Professor in Gilligan’s Island).
An exceptional film with qualities beyond what most would expect looking back on this ill titled and misleadingly simplistic Sci-Fi entry. Good cast and script combine to create a memorable if somewhat troubling picture of the paranoia of the Cold War era. Once again, there’s no better time to revisit this classic than the present.
Facts, Rumors, & Hearsay
The screenplay is mostly based on Ray Bradbury’s treatments of his story, especially the dialogue even though it is credited to Harry Essex.
IT was the first 3-D film to be released by Universal Studios.
Steven Spielberg has cited this film as the inspiration for his film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).
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The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
Directed by Eugene Lourie
Screenplay by Lou Morheim and Fred Freiberger
Based on the story, The Fog Horn by Ray Bradbury
Visual Effects by Ray Harryhausen
CAST: Paul Hubschmid (Professor Tom Nesbitt), Paula Raymond (Lee Hunter), Cecil Kellaway (Professor Thurgood Elson), Kenneth Tobey (Col. Jack Evans), Donald Woods (Capt. Phil Jackson), Lee Van Cleef (Corp. Stone), Steve Brodie (Sgt. Loomis), Ross Elliott (George Ritchie), Frank Ferguson (Dr. Morton), King Donovan (Dr. Ingersoll)
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms was based loosely on a wonderful Ray Bradbury story called, The Fog Horn, that is among the writer’s best. The film kicks it up a few notches beginning with the creature being freed from an arctic ice prison due to a nuclear test. Less poetic than in the original story (where the Beast is answering the call of the Fog Horn), but it makes sense and touches on the Cold War fears of the day without dwelling on them. Everyone is hesitant to believe that the creature that is being described could actually exist.
Paul Hubschmid & King Donovan, Paul Hubschmid & Paula Raymond, Paula Raymond, Cecil Kellaway, & King Donovan in The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms
Eventually brought to their senses by one violent attack after another, the government takes action. The creature is cornered in an amusement park, and the action reaches a crescendo. Ray Harryhausen’s animation is the real star of the production. Seen now and judged against today’s CGI Harryhausen’s work may appear primitive to some, but he laid the groundwork with a painstaking process that is still admired by both fans and film industry professionals.
The filming of Harryhausen’s stop-action sequences would often take one or two years. Harryhausen worked alone performing every facet of the filming himself. His most mythic sequence is the dueling skeletons in Jason and the Argonauts (1963). Harryhausen reportedly filmed about 13 frames of film a day which equates one half second of time, per day. Harryhausen began his career working with Willis O’Brien on The Mighty Joe Young (1949). It was a good apprenticeship, but he wasn’t getting credit for his work. His star rose quickly when he was brought on by Warner’s to do the animation/special effects on The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms.
Facts, Rumors, & Hearsay
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms was one of the highest grossing films of 1953, and is believed to be one of the inspirations for Tomoyuki Tanaka’s release of Godzilla (1954)
In the original 1953 version the shot where the cop is swallowed whole is cut, but is restored in the video version of the film.
The Beast was the first giant creature awakened by an atomic bomb.