Wednesday, March 4, 2026

MONSTER MAYHEM COLLECTION - Four Iconic, ‘50s Monster Movies Restored & Together for the 1st Time


Film Masters Proudly Presents
Monster Mayhem Collection

Frankenstein’s Daughter, Giant From the Unknown,
The Brain From Planet Arous & Monster From Green Hell

Four Iconic, ‘50s Monster Movies Together for the 1st Time in a Thrilling,

Two-Disc, Special-Edition, Blu-ray Collectors Set, Available April 7th

Film Masters, with a mission of celebrating the preservation of classic film by releasing high-quality restorations on Blu-ray, proudly presents the special-edition Monster Mayhem Collection, available April 7th from Film Masters.

A two-disc collection of four iconic, all-expenses-spared, cult movies from the ‘50s, each film is a 4K scan from 35mm archival prints in their original, theatrical aspect ratios. Complete with new liner notes by Tom Weaver, archival special features and film commentaries, this a must-have for any Monster Kid.

Monster movie making at its most creative, this is the inaugural release from the Wade Williams Collection, part of a recent, exclusive distribution deal with the late filmmaker’s estate and distributor, Film Masters. With an array of coveted titles in the library—including Plan 9 from Outer Space, The Crawling Eye, Champagne for Caesar and The Day IT Came to Earth—the label looks to release high-quality restorations and the definitive Blu-ray editions of titles in the coming months, many for the first time.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Full-length archival commentaries by film historians Tom Weaver, Stephen R. Bissette and Gary Crutcher
- Four original mini-documentaries by Ballyhoo Motion Pictures, including Richard E. Cunha: Filmmaker, Missouri Born: Films of Jim Davis, The Man Before the Brain: Director Nathan Juran and The Man Behind the Brain: The World of Nathan Juran
- Collectible booklet insert featuring a new essay covering all four films by Tom Weaver; and subtitles.

TECH SPECS:
Films are presented in their original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Discs are region free and include English SDH. Audio is DTS-HD/Dolby AC3s.

INCLUDED IN THE COLLECTION:

Frankenstein’s Daughter (1958)

Hiding in modern-day, 1950s Los Angeles, the grandson of Victor Frankenstein secretly continues his family’s macabre experiments—creating a female monster while upending the life of an unsuspecting, young woman.

Featuring beatnik culture elements and blending mad science, teen drama and campy horror, its B-movie charm is a must-see for fans of vintage sci-fi schlock and those interested in the evolution of the Frankenstein narrative in popular culture.

Directed by Richard E. Cunha (Missile to the Moon, She Demons), starring John Ashley (later of “beach party” film fame), Sandra Knight (who also starred in The Terror opposite Boris Karloff, directed by a young Francis Ford Coppola, and who later married Jack Nicholson), Harold Lloyd Jr., Donald Murphy and Sally Todd (former Playboy Playmate of the Month, known for screen presence and glamour rather than starring roles).

Giant From the Unknown (1958)

An archaeological expedition in a small California town is seeking artifacts related to the legend of a 500-year-old, Spanish conquistador. But when a lightning storm resurrects the long-lost, armored giant—with a murderous rage and an axe to grind—the community is plagued by a series of mysterious killings and is gripped by fear as locals and scientists come together to search for the truth. Made during the late-1950s, drive-in, monster movie boom and beloved today by genre fans for its nostalgic B-movie charm, moody B&W visuals and monster makeup by Jack Pierce (Frankenstein, The Mummy).

Directed by Richard E. Cunha, starring Ed Kemmer (who also played Commander Buzz Dorry in Space Patrol), Sally Fraser (It! The Terror From Beyond Space, The Cosmic Man) and Buddy Baer (a former heavy-weight boxer, known for his imposing stature).

The Brain From Planet Arous (1957)

Gor, a criminal brain, escapes from his home planet of Arous and crash lands on Earth, where he possesses nuclear physicist Steve March, utilizing his body to impose his will and to threaten global destruction. Vol, a benevolent brain from the same planet, arrives to stop Gor and inhabits the body of March’s dog. Enlisting the help of March’s fiancé, Vol devises a plan to exploit Gor’s one vulnerability—he must leave March’s body periodically to absorb oxygen, exposing a weak point known as the Fissure of Rolando. An atomic-age, sci-fi film so gloriously pulpy—eye effects were achieved by using contact lenses lined with metal foil—this film is so bad, it’s good!

Directed by Nathan Juran (The Deadly Mantis, Attack of the 50-Foot Woman, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad), starring John Agar (who also starred in Revenge of the Creature and The Mole People and was later briefly married to Shirley Temple), Joyce Meadows (later of Perry Mason fame) and Robert Fuller (later a star of TV series Laramie and Emergency!). Meadows herself had no idea the film had developed a cult following until 1985 when asked about buying a lobby poster of the movie for $650 and exclaimed, “My God, the movie didn’t even cost that much to make!”

Monster From Green Hell (1957)

A U.S. space experiment sends wasps into orbit to test radiation exposure. When the capsule crashes, a rescue team travels into an area of the African jungle known as “Green Hell” and encounters the insects which have morphed into giant, man-eating monsters—leading to a fight for survival. From the era of giant bugs and anxiety over atomic testing, the monster effects in this low-budget howler—including blown-up footage of real insects and wasp props that sometimes look more like Halloween decorations than apex predators—is part of its low-budget charm.

Directed by Kenneth G. Crane (The Manster), starring Jim Davis (later of Dallas fame), Vladimir Sokoloff (The Life of Emile Zola, Mission to Moscow) and Robert Griffin (Raisin in the Sun). Co-written by Louis Vittes, who gave us the classic, I Married a Monster From Outer Space.

About Film Masters:
Film Masters is a consortium of historians and enthusiasts who seek to celebrate the preservation and restoration of films. We are archivists, committed to storing film elements for future generations and reviving films that have been sitting dormant for decades. By scanning in 2K and 4K, we give these lesser-known films the red-carpet treatment they deserve. Leveraging modern means of distribution to release forgotten films back into the world, we also produce original bonus materials, including feature-length documentaries, which aid audiences in contextualizing and celebrating these works of art as they were meant to be. Visit us online at: www.FilmMasters.com

Monster Mayhem Collection
Film Masters
Street Date: April 7, 2026
Genre: Cult/Horror
B+W
Not Rated
Running Time: Approx. 303 Minutes (Plus 379 Minutes Special Features)
Format: Blu-ray Only
Suggested Retail Price: $39.95
Catalog #: FMB095
UPC Code: 760137205531