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Fiend Without a Face
 
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Fiend Without a Face

Marshall Thompson (Actor), Terry Kilburn (Actor), Arthur Crabtree (Director) | Rated: Unrated | Format: DVD
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
List Price: CDN$ 66.99
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Fiend Without a Face contains one of the most indelible images to emerge from sci-fi/horror movies of the atomic age: malevolent human brains, creeping like caterpillars on spinal-cord tails, choking the life out of their helpless victims! If that weren't enough to make any genre enthusiast drool with sick delight, the movie's also got an above-average plot (as B-movies go) and made genre history as an international success, independently produced in England, set in Canada, starring an American (Marshall Thompson), with magnificently grotesque special effects created in Germany!

The mystery begins near an American Air Force base in Manitoba, where unexplainable deaths are somehow connected to the base's atomic reactor, which is being used to power an experiment in advanced long-distance radar. Thompson (who later starred in the TV series Daktari) plays Major Cummings, who discovers that the lethal monsters--slurping, unseen "mental vampires"--are actually the horrific byproduct of thought-control experiments conducted by hapless, retired professor (echoes of Forbidden Planet's "monster from the Id"). Once visible, the fiendish brains are everywhere, attacking our heroes from every angle (in a scene that may have inspired Night of the Living Dead), and sputtering puddles of blood when riddled by bullets. This climactic scene--a triumph of latex rubber fiends, eerie sound effects, and stop-motion animation--was a gory breakthrough in 1958, and it's still a worthy precursor to every gross-out monster movie that followed in its trendsetting wake. Beware the faceless fiends! --Jeff Shannon

Video Details

A scientist's thoughts materialize as an army of invisible brain-shaped monsters (complete with spinal-cord tails!) who terrorize an American military base in this nightmarish chiller, directed by Arthur Crabtree (Horrors of the Black Museum). This outstanding sci-fi/horror hybrid is a special effects bonanza, and a high-water mark in British genre filmmaking.

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Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
a cool film, original plot, good effects Jun 10 2004
By Ted
Format:DVD
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

In this film, invisible monsters (which later become visible) shaped like human brains, are attacking people on and near an American military base in a rural area of Manitoba, Canada. The deaths are initially blamed on radition from the power reactor on the base but when an autopsy reveals the brain and spinal cords are missing from the victims, they look elsewhere.

The film, made entirely in the UK, looks convincingly like North America. The special effects, made with stop-motion photography are well done and the acting is also typical on 50's B horror flicks.

The Criterion DVD has plenty of special features. There is a theatrical trailer for the film plus four other films. "First Man into Space" "Haunted Strangler" "Corridors of Blood" and "Atomic Submarine." There are also images of lobby cards and newspaper ads for the film, an essay by Bruce Eder prodution photos, and a feature length conversation/commentary by Tom Weaver and the film's executive producer Richard Gordon.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
I created a fiend! Jan 2 2004
By boleil
Format:DVD
oh boy, is this one priceless! A christmas present from my dear old ma, i SHook my head in disbelief upon opening. This was not the lord of the rings-two towers extended version I had requested. "give it a chance" she said.
So i put it on and to my suprise, i loved it! this isn't going to scare you. But thats ok, In fact, when the fiends became visible and attacked, i laughed myself silly! But the ideas were there. This could be re-made into a real chiller nowadays with the new technology. But it just wouldnt be the same.
So what happens? Invisible fiends attack citizens of a small town. The bodies are found missing their brain and spinal cord. What creatures could do such a thing! Whos responsible, dammit!
Lo, i shan't tell.
Gore-we get old school ketchup in this one. Back in the days, i can see this could have caused some controversy. Brains get shot, brains implode. Brains melt.
T&A- naked brains everywhere.
So how bout the transfer? Well i never saw this on Tv or vhs so i can't say for sure how good it was but for an old black and white film, it looked unusualy clear. Some specks and film lines from time to time but overall, the print looks good.
We even have special features on this one! someone was actualyl proud of this ditty and rightly so! We get a commentary from the producer. We also get some old ad pics and posters and some stills.
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MY FAVORITE FIEND!!!!!! Feb 20 2003
By A Customer
Format:DVD
This movie scared the hell out of me when I was at home one day watching tv by myself as a young boy! At the same time, I was too compelled to see the outcome to change the channel. Could have sworn the fiends were in the house with me! At any rate, Criterion done a fine job, as always, on the release. The price is a little steep, but the picture is a whole lot cleaner than the old VHS copy I owned, and the sound is really clear. There are some real nice extras, also.
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Most recent customer reviews
Shaky B-film from the 50s...
Fiend Without a Face was made in the 50s when the threat of nuclear war was high and the fear of radio activity peaked. Read more
Published on July 19 2002 by Kim Anehall
"Magnificently Grotesque"
Jeff Shannon sums up my feelings with those 2 words, but if you enjoy reading shameless praise and rantings feel free to continue:

This film, which I first saw when I was about 8... Read more

Published on Dec 18 2001 by John D. Knox
Fiendish 50's Fun !!
Here's a 50's creature feature that still packs an effective punch. It's one of my favorite creature features of the era and holds up surprisingly well. Read more
Published on Sep 28 2001 by Christopher J. Jarmick
Fifties SCI-FI at its very best
What a trully fantastic little movie this is, a real SPFX shocker in its day, and a great story with some fantastic character acting. Read more
Published on April 24 2001 by mr_inferno
Excellent transfer - mediocre film
I had never heard of this film and seeing it as an adult mayhave taken away some of the fun of it but I fail to see the fuss orthe reason that Criterion spent their time on this. Read more
Published on April 5 2001 by W. Oliver
...... never sounded so good
What really gets me about Fiend without a Face is the sound. The sound of the titular fiends sucking out the brains and spinal cords of their victims is delightfully disgusting. Read more
Published on April 1 2001 by A. Gammill
Criterion Does it Again
This movie caused severe damage to me as a child. I had nightmares for days afterwards; I still have some residual terror because of it. Read more
Published on Mar 26 2001 by Wil-n-Tally
Essential horror film viewing
This starts as a solid little b-movie programmer, with crisp direction, plotting and acting (especially by the fine Marshall Thompson), and ends with one of the most shocking... Read more
Published on Mar 7 2001 by William Kersten
Only Criterion does them THIS well
Is there ANY fan of science fiction or horror movies who grew up in the 60's and *doesn't* remember this midnight snack? Read more
Published on Mar 6 2001 by Mark Shanks
FIEND OR FOE
Following on the heels of THE BLOB, CRITERION steps up once again and delivers. And again, like THE BLOB before it, FIEND WITHOUT A FACE, a surprising, inventive and effective... Read more
Published on Mar 1 2001 by Thomas E. O'Sullivan
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