Creature With the Atom Brain

Release date(s) 1955

Running time 	70min

Distributed by  Columbia Pictures

Directed by 	Edward L. Cahn

Produced by 	Sam Kkatzman

Written by 	Curt Siodmak

Starring        Richard Denning 	Dr Chet Walker
                Angela Stevens  	Joyce Walker
                S. John Launer  	Captain Dave Harris
                Michael Granger 	Frank Buchanan
                Gregory Gay 	        Professor Steig
                Linda Bennett 	        Penny Walker
                Tristram Coffin	        District Attorney MacGraw


A ex-Nazi scientist is able to transplant people's brains with atomic energy, turning them into superhuman zombies. He teams up with a gangster who uses the zombies to wield control over the city, until some "good" scientists and cops come to save the day. 

A vengeful mobster, an ex-Nazi scientist, atomic radiation and zombies. From the barest descriptions, Creature with the Atomic Brain (CAB) movie should be about as tacky as 50s B-films get. However, CAB has some talent behind it which keep it interesting. The key ingredient is the writing of Curt Siodmak. He gave us Magnetic Monster ('53), Donovan's Brain ('53) and Riders to the Stars ('54). He will go on to give us Earth vs Flying Saucers too. With Siodmak's above-B writing, and above-B acting (Richard Denning, mostly), CAB is a better than average B film.

The action begins immediately after the credits. A hulking zombie breaks into a mansion and kills a (presumed) mobster boss named Hennesy. The police are baffled. The fingerprints are of a man who died days before. The blood stains are radioactive. (back story) A mobster named Buchanan was forced out of the country, betrayed by some mob mates. While in Europe, Buchanan finds a German scientist who is trying to re-animate the dead -- to provide a menial labor pool. Buchanan funds his research and brings Steigg to America. His goal is to send zombies to kill off those who betrayed him. The police figure out the common Buchanan connection with those killed and try to put the last three into protective custody. Buchanan uses a dead policeman to get one of them, and a dead police captain to get the other two. When the zombie captain is captured, police doctor, Chet Walker (Denning) discovers the remote control brain implants and figures out the plot. Police and army troops converge on the lead-lined mansion. Buchanan sends out his platoon of unkillable zombies to fight them off. Walker gets into the mansion and smashes the electronic controls. The zombies all fall down. Buchanan is about to shoot Walker, but the zombie captain strangles Buchanan first.