AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks

Bereamic Awesome Movie

Rio Hayward All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Quiet Muffin This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

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.

Red-Barracuda This Japanese sci-fi movie was seemingly edited together from a TV serial. There appear to have been others of the same ilk such as Invaders from Space (1965). In this one a man of steel from a distant planet called Starman is sent to Earth by an intergalactic council to save it from a series of monsters and villains under the control of the being known as the evil brain from outer space.This film is quite poor overall but with aspects that elevate it somewhat. While Starman is a somewhat dull hero, luckily there are some decidedly interesting monsters and minions. There is a sprite-like demon that makes weird jarring sounds and an ominous silent witch-like woman with long nails and a beak-like nose. These characters appear from out of nowhere throughout the story and always enliven events when they do. In addition, the space council is populated by an assortment of very odd looking alien creatures and a large planet seen in the background clearly appears to be swinging on a bit of string. For the most part though, the events in the story are not terribly engaging or interesting and it's only the aforementioned weird aspects that keep it from being a snooze-fest. Certainly okay for a watch though if you like the particular strangely specific forms of sci-fi that came out of Japan in the 60's.

MartinHafer In 1964, three films were released that actually were all re-edited from a 1958 Japanese series called "Super Giant". I've never seen these in their original form but have seen two of the three films that were created "cleverly" from this series. ATTACK FROM SPACE was pretty bad, though EVIL BRAIN FROM OUTER SPACE was even worse--most of which is because the film's action was so incredibly limp.Just like the other Starman film, the movie begins with an incredibly bizarre set that is supposed to be on another planet. A group of "advanced beings" are supposedly sitting around discussing the fate of the galaxy, but they are so bizarre and silly looking you have to see this scene for yourself! These "things" decide to send Starman to Earth to help us and I assume the third film (which I have yet to see) also has this setup scene.Starman turns out to look almost exactly like a Japanese version of Duck Dodgers of the 25th 1/2 century (you know, the Daffy Duck character). His body suit with an antennae sticking out the top is priceless. Unfortunately, although he's supposed to be practically indestructible and an amazing fighter, he's incredibly lame. He never seems to be able to kill anyone--just beat them up--and even then, he's not exactly "the man of steel". In fact, the fighting looks more like ballet and no one ever seems to be seriously hurt. I assume this is because "Super Giant" is supposed to be a kids' movie and they didn't want the little ones seeing blood and guts and stuff--but it also made for some incredibly limp fighting scenes--which make up about half the movie.As for the bad guys, they too, have bad costumes--much like Starman but (naturally) in black. But my favorite of the bad guys was the monster--with a rubber suit and fangs....and claws of Cobalt(?). He was quite silly and again and again kept escaping--way to go, Starman! The main problem with the film isn't the fighting, though it is pretty bad. The problem is that much of the film you don't actually see. A narrator periodically does an exposition to tell you what is missing from the film! At one point, Starman is in one location, the next he instantly has discovered the baddies hideout and is kicking butt (gently, mind you)--and the narrator goes on a lengthy explanation as to how this happened! Cheap, stupid, a bit dull and shoddy from top to bottom. Why is this film rated as highly as it is??? Any score above 1.2 seems excessively high! Also please remember that my review is specifically for this hacked apart and highly bastardized film--not the original Japanese film, which couldn't help but be better than this mess.UPDATE: I just saw the third film in the trilogy and, surprise, it also was terrible.

Kenneth Eagle Spirit A bird! Its a ... Wait a minute! Its a Japanese super hero! Yes, its Starman! The Japanese equivalent of Superman, Starman has gone through various incarnations over the decades. Ken Utusi was the original. Think of this movie this way ... Godzilla meets Buck Rogers. Kind of. This is, if you're the type of person that enjoys the old Godzilla movies and stuff like Gene Autry's Radio Ranch, camp. Given when this movie was made it is good, clean sci-fi fun. And the aliens and their costumes? Hilarious. Special effects? Not found wanting here. There is that old stand by, the one I never could figure out and that always fascinated me as a child ... Words go one way, mouths go another. How did they DO that?