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The Colossus of New York
Brains transplanted, speaking brains, brains planning the destruction
of enemies or world. An infinite number of works on the theme and
stories about this still mysterious and fascinating organ. The world of
cinema certainly couldn’t miss the opportunity to offer the theme
in a myriad of interesting and sometimes really bad movies.
In midst of 50’s sci-fi period Eugène Lourié the
director of "The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" proposes and updated and
mixed to robotics the story of Frankenstein. Shelley’s monster
(from which Lourié copies characters and even some moments) is
not the only one inspiration, because. "The Colossus of New York"
Takes vaguely from several other works including "Donovan's Brain" by Curt Siodomak, inspiration to several other films.
Who knows if Mary Shelley would have appreciated this sort of
"exercises de style" with the reference to her creature who besides
being the most interesting thing, move the center of the film, from the
classic canvas of "sci-fi" of fifties (the evil aliens) to a mixture of
science fiction, horror and thriller.
The idea is certainly interesting, in contrast with the drive-in films
of the same period and the sign of Willis Goldbeck, experienced writer,
director and screenwriter, who wrote the story, should be a guarantee.
But apart from these things "The Colossus of New York" is above all a
very boring movie. The basic idea doesn’t work, perhaps because
given the references, we can imagine soon, where it ends. Perhaps
it’s the fault of the "Colossus" little Colossus but only a bit
'higher than usual and terribly ugly. Or it’s because a bad
acting, an east direction, with a huge series of easy scenes and a
production devoted to the most absolute savings.
And it’s definitely a waste. Because Lourié works with two
set designers, Grace Gregory and Sam Comer, award-winning and famous
who manage with two things (literally) available to create beautiful
environments and beautifully underlined by the score (minimalist) by
Nathan Van Cleave, another popular artist. And there's a cast made of
famous actors at the time and who continued with good results the
career: John Baragrey, Otto Kruger and Ross Martin. To which is added
the comet Charles Herbert of which we have already talked for "13
Ghosts" and Mala Powers. The only woman among the main roles is in the
early fifties an actress strongly increasing. But during a series of
shows for the troops in Korea (where there was the eponymous War) she
contracted a severe blood ill that takes her out of circulation for
several months. A slow recovery and a return to form only after several
years that (re) open to a career in television and cinema, and several
B movies.
This result is a less interesting film that tells the story of Jeremy
Spensser, a popular world-renowned scientist. His uncle Henry instead
is a popular surgeon who when the nephew dies hit by a car decides to
keep alive the brilliant brain. It find square for some reason in a
"huge" Robot. The operation works and the result look great. Jeremy
lives, studying but gradually tormented by memories and by his
conditions becomes an implacable monster. Probably being inside a robot
he enjoys special powers, such as laser beams and divining faculty, and
with these kills his brother and makes a killing inside the UN building
(in the most beautiful scene of the entire film). Only his son Billy
manages to change his ideas.
From this already not exciting work comes a few years later by the
hands of Umberto Scarpelli "Il gigante di Metropolis" a movie lost
between science fiction and peplum
