Fiend Without a Face

Year: 1958

Director: Arthur Crabtree

Roku Channel: Sci-Fi Classics

The British film Fiend Without a Face based on the short story "The Thought Monster" by Amelia Reynolds follows a string of mysterious deaths. The local townspeople believe that radiation from the new airforce base is the cause of these unexplained deaths. The airforce has performed autopsies; however, and they have discovered that the victims are missing their brains and spinal cords! The only mark left on the body are 2 holes on the back of the neck. 

An investigation into the deaths is begun by Major Jeff Cummings. Through these investigations he becomes suspicious of Professor Walgate who is writing a book on how to manifest your thoughts. Major Cummings suspicions turn out to be correct as Professor Walgate explains that he made a machine and, using power diverted from the Airforce base, was able to manifest his thoughts into reality although invisible. When these new life forms escaped, the killings began. 

As Professor Walgate is speaking to Major Cummings and other key characters, these new life forms attack the base killing everyone in sight. They wanted to take over the base which they use for power. They crank up the juice and become visible with the new power surge, and what do they look like? Brains! Brains with spinal cords, tiny arm like structures, and antennae. 

Major Cummings leaves Professor Walgate's house to try and shut down the Airforce bases nuclear reactor. The elderly Professor Walgate leaves as well hoping that these beings of his own creation will listen to him. They do not. Professor Walgate is no more. Meanwhile, fiendish brains begin breaking into Professor Walgate's  house where the others are. Their ammo holds out luckily until Major Cummings blows up the nuclear reactor saving them all all the brains dissolve into piles of goo. 

This movie was worth watching even if only for the brains alone. When they finally materialized, I felt it was more than worth the wait.