The Electronic Monster (1958) User Reviews

a man investigates a "dream clinic"

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 24 December 2021]

Kind of fun sci fi thriller about a clinic that is supposed to lift people out of depression and unhappiness. It does that by frying their brains.

Actually, this all started out as a noble experiment. Dr. Philip Matthews (Meredith Evans) invented a device that gave people extended dream therapy. When they came out of it, they were more relaxed, happy, and ready to deal with the world.

The "dream sessions" are actually taped in a studio which is part of the clinic. There, we see people doing ballet, and, in one instance, a sexy dance. The fiancee, Ruth (Mary Murphy) of the head of the hospital Dr. Zakon (Peter Illing) sometimes acts in these films.

When a man dies suddenly after leaving the clinic, the insurance company sends Jeff Keenan (Rod Cameron) to investigate near Cannes, France. There he runs into Ruth, his old girlfriend. He also sees that there have been other sudden deaths. It seems Zakon, who has a concentration camp experimental doctor on his staff, has other ideas for using Dr. Maxwell's invention.

The music throughout is that screamy sci fi music in films through the '50s and even beyond. I can't say too much about the performances. One thing I don't get is how Ruth was going to marry Dr. Zakon, an obvious monster.

It's not long. It could have been better.

Seen on Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater in 1965

[kevinolzak · 4/10 · 9 April 2019]

1957's "The Electronic Monster" was a British programmer that didn't cross the Atlantic for three years (Columbia double billed it with either William Castle's "13 Ghosts" or Toho's "Battle in Outer Space"), its more accurate original title "Escapement" changed for something signifying more horror than science fiction (the shooting titles were "Zex, the Electronic Fiend," and "The Dream Machine"). It actually plays out as a murder mystery, from the pen of Charles Eric Maine (The Atomic Man"), under the direction of journeyman Montgomery Tully ("Invisible Creature," "Fog for A Killer," "The Terrornauts"), from the same Anglo Amalgamated company that would become infamous for color fright fests "Horrors of the Black Museum," Circus of Horrors," and "Peeping Tom." This black and white quickie can't help but pale in comparison to those three, using the typical format of importing Hollywood actors to play the leads, in this case Rod Cameron ("The Monster and the Girl") and Mary Murphy ("The Mad Magician"), not a surprise since both had already worked in England before (Cameron in "Passport to Treason," Murphy in "Finger of Guilt"). Cameron's rugged countenance (well suited to Westerns) seems out of place as a two fisted insurance investigator looking into the sudden death (suicide or murder) of a star actor who had just left a clinic near Cannes that specializes in relaxing patients with dream therapy as a form of 'escape from reality.' Once he starts making inquiries about the clinic we pretty much stay put, as the police surgeon supplies his own verdict on cause of death (cerebral thrombosis) as opposed to the actual cause, a short circuit of the brain due to a severe dose of brainwashing. The primary villain is quickly revealed to be the clinic owner (Peter Illing), his bizarre likeness shown in the electronically induced dreams (I could have done without the diaper-clad lads prancing about), apparently a former Nazi who is confident that the well paid local authorities won't bother him. A decent enough view if somewhat obvious, though some of the French accents render dialogue unintelligible.

Another one knocked out for the drive-in

[dsewizzrd-10906 · 4/10 · 18 August 2019]

Cheaply made and slow moving B movie, it even uses the sets from "Z cars", (which are supposed to be Scotland Yard - this is on the coast of France) twice, in two different locations, a police station and a morgue.

An American insurance agent investigates the death of a film star and suspects a psychiatric clinic in France. By a huge and unexplained coincidence he happens to find a well upholstered ex working there.

Interesting idea, but terrible execution.

[Alberto-7 · 3/10 · 10 April 2000]

Dull, dull, cliche ridden film . Brainwashing has been used as a topic for many interesting films(IPCRESS FILE for one). This 1950s British film is not one of them. Instead we get a very basic storyline with no punches whatsoever. Rod Cameron sleepwalks throughout, looking like he would much rather be in a Western. There is an annoying love angle thrown in and some two dimensional characters(mad scientist, caring scientist, power hungry industrialist, rock jawed hero,psycho etc.). The result is a very boring film with no delivery whatsoever. Only the poor viewer is brainwashed.

"You'll Wake Up Into An Entirely Different World!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 3 November 2020]

After a film star is killed in a car crash, insurance investigator Jeff Keenan (Rod Cameron) is dispatched to get to the bottom of the death. Upon arrival in the south of France, Keenan discovers that others have died, and may be linked to his company's client. This might have something to do with a certain psychiatric clinic.

THE ELECTRONIC MONSTER has no "monsters" in the literal sense. Instead, it has psychiatrists / scientists messing around with the human brain in order to relieve patients of their anxiety. Oddly, this has something to do with implanting images of semi-erotic, modern dance routines!

Of course, this isn't a good idea, and leads to horrific results. In addition, a nefarious cabal is at work behind the scenes with an unsavory agenda.

This isn't a bad movie, and it's a shame it's been almost totally forgotten. The plot is interesting, and the movie could be remade. It's the sort of raw material that would make for a tremendous David Cronenberg film. Until then, it's enjoyable enough...

Worst ever adaptation

[Shuggy · 1/10 · 27 February 2006]

In Charles Eric Maine's excellent (for its day) novel, a scientist invents a mind-tape-recorder (helmet on the head, bazillion-track tape), hoping to use it for Good, like studying mental disorders. A movie mogul gets hold of it and soon billions of people waste their lives and their savings in tanks "experiencing" recorded porn or schmaltz (ultraslow replay intensifies the sensations). The scientist decides to take drastic measures, batters the mogul to death and plays the recording to the billions, hoping to scare them back to reality. Instead they die and the book ends as he's about to be sentenced for the death of the mogul, raising the ethical question of the collateral damage.

Bear in mind that when Maine wrote this, brain waves were novel, magnetic sound recording was only about a decade old and video recording was still in the future.

In the Z-grade film, the WHOLE story is ripped out (daren't offend Hollywood) and we're left with an ordinary quarter-inch reel-to-reel recorder and a squawking electronic soundtrack that has nothing to do with the action on screen. I've completely forgotten the new plot, but vaguely remember people in leotards writhing around some cheesy gauzes to hint at forbidden pleasures.

I'd give it an award for Worst Adaptation ever.

Extremely corny B-Film yet somehow gripping.

[saints-47173 · 3/10 · 7 November 2018]

British made - with scarcely a British accent evident, Escapement is an extremely corny B-Film yet somehow gripping. Rod Cameron's wooden all-american hero chews the scenery while Mary Murphy's natural beauty makes that scenery glow. This film would certainly not have won any awards for sound design as the soundtrack of primitive electronic 'music' is overdone and jarring, at times competing with the dialogue.

Wheres the Monster?

[gpeltz · 4/10 · 11 September 2016]

Ballet, Mien Fuhrer ? 1958 " Electronic Monster" that sounds a heck of a lot scarier then the original title, "Escapement". Directed by Montgomery Tully, and David Paltenghi. and written by Charles Erick Maine. The quirky film could also have been titled, "the Adventures of Jeff Keenen", played by the rugged guys guy, Rod Cameron, "Insurance inspector" a hard boiled investigator, who use to be in love with a sweet dame, that he walked away from, Ruth Vance, played by the sexy Mary Murphy. Now she got herself hitched up to the Megalomaniac Paul Zacon, played by Peter Illing. Some spoiler alert ahead, Actually "Escapement" is a much better title. It would seem to imply the term "addiction". That is the goofy basis of Mad scientist number one, Dr Phillip Maxwell, played by Merideth Edwards. His brainstorm? Cure depression, neurosis, and anti social tenancies, by stimulating the brain with electronic pleasure sensations. A collection of specially recorded sensory stimulation. An electronic "fix" to curb their behavior. All done with tube technology.

How alien it must be to today's generation, to see a scene that opens with a guy at a typewriter, talking on a dial telephone. The wacky electronic effects are immensely irritating, they portend some "evil" about to take place, I can feel the pain of the producer, asking the director to try to make it more scary. Where is the monster? 1954's movie GOG had a real Robot monster. Here the monster is more subtle. and stupid. Well you see, the actor thought he was in a noir cover-up conspiracy film, not really a horror film at all. At ten years old when the film was released, especially under the name Electronic Monster, I would have been bored by the whole talky film. The Brits would tackle the electronic mind control theme again, in the much better, "The Mind Benders" (1963)

The "dream" sequences are an interesting insert, into the whole dull affair, time for the kids to hit the bathroom. Sexy little vignettes, choreographed like a "Moulon Rouge" dance routine. Teddy Catsford is given credit for the special cinematography. Sexy numbers, un-sexy music. We cut to the grand finale, The clichéd Scientist burns down the Lab scene. OK, it delivers, as Mad scientist turns good, and zaps the bad guy before going down with the ship. Throw in the keystone kops, and a demented killer following the bosses orders, and you still have one dull presentation. Movies like this kept the popcorn flying at the matinees. For historic value, I upped the Stars, I give it Four out of Ten "Check out whats happening in the lobby" Stars. 

The dream merchant

[bkoganbing · 2/10 · 26 May 2017]

I remember seeing The Electronic Monster as a lad way back when I was 11 years old and it was the second feature of a double bill. It had an interesting concept, but it was poorly executed.

Rod Cameron and Mary Murphy are a pair of Americans in the leads of this British production which is set in France. An American film star dies in a car crash and the autopsy showed he was dead before his car went out of control. Too much electric shock of the brain. Cameron is an insurance investigator employed by the film star's studio.

He discovers some other deaths of prominent people all had known the same femme fatale and all had extended stays at a 'resort'. Roberta Huby is our Mata Hari.

The resort is run by a rather cold and bloodless Peter Illing and the people are there for some kind of new psychotherapy. Dr. Meredith Edwards has investigated a kind of electric shock therapy which feeds certain erotic images into the brain and records. Kind of a Krell brain test. But Illing has seen the possibilities of mind control.

Illing is also engaged to another film star Mary Murphy who was once an item with Cameron. That's one major weakness of the movie there. He's so cold and bloodless, sinister but also a drip. What she saw in him I'll never know.

Interesting concept, but the execution was so lifeless and dull. Both the leads got a European vacation out of it so that might have been the reason they signed for The Electronic Monster.

Good a reason as any.

Interesting concept let down by plodding direction and indifferent acting.

[jamesraeburn2003 · 5/10 · 5 May 2023]

An American insurance investigator called Jeff Keenan (played by Rod Cameron) is sent to investigate the death of film star Clark Denver (played by John McCarthy) who crashed his car on the South of France. Keenan's enquires lead him to an exclusive private clinic that specialises in "deep relaxation therapy". It caters for the rich and famous who want to cure their personal problems such as alcoholism, drug addiction and depression. They are hypnotised and a device implants imagery into their brains whilst they are left in mortuary-style drawers to dream for weeks at a time. Keenan discovers that there have been several suspicious deaths connected to the clinic and it transpires that the owner, Paul Zakon (played by Peter Illing), has been using the inventor, Dr Philip Maxwell's (played by Meredith Edwards), invention to make his wealthy patients dependent on him and subservient to his will...

A British co feature with a more ambitious concept than most. A so called "exclusive" clinic that tempts the wealthy with rather dubious treatments and therapies to con them seems less than absurd. It succeeds in creating a dreamlike atmosphere with the aid of some excellent electronic music, set design and classy b/w photography by Bert Mason who would go on to shoot several of Anglo Amalgamated's Edgar Wallace 'B'-pics. The dream sequences involving mildly exotic dancing are reasonably persuasive too. It's let down by plodding direction and indifferent performances by an unremarkable cast, although Illing is noteworthy as the arch villain who goes about his control freakery in a calm and rational way. The emotional element of Cameron who makes a rather bland hero, saving a former actress girlfriend (played by Mary Murphy) with whom he reconciles his relationship doesn't quite come off.

Truly trashy

[Leofwine_draca · 3/10 · 20 September 2020]

THE ELECTRONIC MONSTER is a truly trashy Z-grade flick forgotten by even the most ardent of British B-movie lovers. The director is none other than Montgomery Tully, at his most workmanlike, while the American import lead is the indescribably dull Rod Cameron. The story is about a clinic for experimental electronic therapy, so expect lots of scientific apparatus and electronic noises on the soundtrack. The muddled plot draws in a little romance, a little peril, mysterious death and the ubiquitous criminal gang, but it's all entirely by rote.

This is a bad movie.

[fwdixon · 1/10 · 30 October 2016]

This is an abominably bad movie, far worse than anything Ed Wood ever did. Wood's oeuvre is at least watchable, if only for camp humor. And Wood's films had a certain loony integrity, a virtue lacking in "The Electronic Monster".

"The Electronic Monster" has none of that, offering only an excruciatingly dull mishmash of a confusing script, dreadful acting, a totally misused electronic music background and grade-Z production values.

Professional lox, Rod Cameron, never any threat the Lawrence Olivier anyway, is egregiously bad and his somewhat fickle paramour, Mary Murphy demonstrates why she was seldom heard from again

Watching this movie makes one wish the dream machine really worked so that they may erase the memory of ever seeing this completely valueless waste of film.

Cars redeem it

[Zephaniah · 3/10 · 25 July 2018]

Well, it wasn't the worst film I've seen but it was pretty awful. Nonetheless, there were redeeming features and it wasn't a bad storyline, but just as others have noted, poorly executed. Lots of dials and switches probably courtesy of the Battersea power station, interesting electronic music (which the subtitles dubbed "creepy"), an idealistic inventor, an ex Nazi concentration camp experimental doctor, a psychopathic assistant, a megalomaniac clinic owner and best of all 1950's European cars - Peugeot, Messerschmitt, VW, Renault 750, with a Buick among period others. Pity about Rod Cameron - he should have stayed in Westerns. Its an interesting parallel to Total Recall in a low tech way.

stinker?

[dougerooo · 1/10 · 20 April 2017]

Glad I missed it. Sounds like the earlier version of BRAINSTORM,,, Natalie Woods last film. I guess they can't all be blockbusters, but I always liked Mary Murphy. She seemed more "real" in Beach Head, and I will have to go back and look at When Worlds Collide again. Too bad about Dale Robertson; he should have treated her better.

"We can't afford to take any risks"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 5/10 · 2 November 2022]

A Welsh psychiatrist Dr. Phillip Maxwell on the Riviera in France has discovered a way of electronically helping people with their problems by inducing soporific visions into their minds but some of his patients die from the process. An insurance investigator from the USA Jeff Keenan goes out to Cannes as one of his clients went to Dr. Maxwell' clinic and the insurance company aren't satisfied with his death, a lot of money being involved. Also the owner of the clinic Paul Zakon wants to use Dr. Maxwell's therapy treatment for more nefarious purposes. That is for brainwashing purposes. Zakon is supported by Dr. Hoff, a sinister neo-Nazi scientist.

It has all the ingredients for a real thriller but doesn't quite summon up much excitement. The induced dream sequences are yawn worthy if not laughable. Imported American actor Rod Cameron as Keenan is dull as is Mary Murphy as the female lead. Much better are Meredith Edwards as Maxwell, Peter Illing as Zakon and Carl Jaffe as Dr Hoff. Also mention must be made of the under rated Kay Callard as Maxwell's clear headed wife Laura. It all ends with explosions and fires but that's about all the fizz there is.

Saw this movie in DC when it first came out.

[jjgrah-90137 · 4/10 · 29 June 2022]

Saw this movie in DC when it first came out. It Was called The dream Machine. Now the name has changed and the DVD of it has a Large amount a footage edited out.

Poor Rod Cameron.....

[searchanddestroy-1 · 13 September 2023]

The Rod Cameron's fans will probably be deceived by this ridiculous movie which can only bring boredom at the worst and laugh at the best. I was bored, and not that amused. This is an awful film from a Monty Tully who has used us to better stuff. Monty Tully was a British B pictures provider, as were Vernon Sewell, Lance Comfort, all them made all kinds of plots, all kinds of genre, except westerns of course; mostly crime and dramas, some horror. No, really, this film is ridiculous, but because I am kind with movies, I will not say it is an insult to viewer's intelligence. You may try after all. It won't kill you.