[psycho d]

Fiend Without a Face (1958). This 50s B movie sci-fi classic somehow made the grade with Criterion, and at first glance this seems an inexplicable maneuver. The story goofy, the acting fun but not stellar, of what importance could such a little flick find discharge? First and foremost, for the time, the stop-action effects must have been remarkable. But more than that, this is one of the first gore-fests ever produced, at least in its day. Coupled with the terrifying sounds of the monsters, this new imagery could not but terrify any child whose eyes were glued to the set, afterward found to be clogging up their windows with Legos or Lincoln logs. Lastly, Criterion's import can be elicited in the message, this time with man forging blindly forward in imaginative technology without proper consideration of the consequences, a time-honored and important practice of movies since the first director decided to foist his dispatch upon the world. Even without all of the cerebral ruminations, Fiend Without a Face is truly an entertaining piece of work, a classic whose horribly fresh animation might frighten adult and child alike. As such, it is the perfect way to spend a lightening-filled afternoon in the glory of 50 sci-fi fun.
d