EDITOR’S NOTE: The Brain Eaters was on Chiller Theater on Saturday, September 26, 1964 at 1:00 a.m., Saturday, June 12, 1965 at 1:00 a.m., Saturday, January 7, 1967 at 11:20 p.m. and Saturday, January 6, 1968 at 11:20 p.m.
An American International Pictures double feature with Earth vs. the Spider in some cities and Terror from the Year 5000 in alternate towns, this movie has prehistoric neck-leeches trying to force mankind into a peaceful, strife-free utopia from inside an indestructible metallic rocket nose cone. Produced by Ed Nelson and the ultimate low-budget maestro Roger Corman and directed by Bruno VeSota, this six-day, $26,000 black-and-white wonder proves that you don’t need a budget to spark a sci-fi lawsuit. I’ll get to that soon.
Set in Riverdale, Illinois, the plot kicks off when a glowing metallic cone drops from parts unknown, bringing along a swarm of Carboniferous-era parasites. These little beasties latch onto the necks of local pillars of society—including the mayor and the sheriff—turning them into emotionless drones who want nothing more than to spread the love via a high-voltage electrical grid. Enter our heroes, Dr. Paul Kettering (Ed Nelson billed as Edwin Nelson) and Glenn Cameron (Alan Jay Factor), who figure out that the best way to handle an alien mind-control invasion is with a harpoon gun and some heavy-duty wiring.
What really elevates The Brain Eaters into the upper echelon of drive-in mythology isn’t just the cardboard-and-chicken-wire aesthetic or the fact that a young Leonard Nimoy shows up as Professor Cole (with his name delightfully misspelled in the credits as “Leonard Nemoy”). No, it’s the behind-the-scenes drama!
Sci-fi legend Robert A. Heinlein eventually sued the production for $150,000, arguing that the whole thing lifted heavily from The Puppet Masters. Corman, playing it cool as always, claimed he’d never even read the book before making the movie. Once he finally did, he realized Heinlein had a point and quietly settled out of court for $5,000, agreeing to strip the author of any screen credit because Heinlein found the final product thoroughly wanting.
Sure, the pacing drags in spots, and the zombies look like regular guys who forgot where they parked their cars, but it’s fine drive-in fodder to get drunk or, well, laid to.
You can watch this on Tubi.
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