The Man with the Power

The Outer Limits (1963)

The Man with the Power, directed by László Benedek.

We jump right into the story: a meek little professor, wanting to help the space program, has implanted a new device in his brain that allows him to control vast energies. He eventually realizes that his subconscious is using it to attack and kill others who irritate or frustrate him. By the time he discovers the truth he can no longer control the power.

I didn't remember much about this one but with a rewatch it has several interesting features:

Our conflicted hero is Donald Pleasence who often got these interesting combinations of the meek and weird. Before this I remember him as the wicked Prince John in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955) TV series. This same year he would do The Great Escape (1963) for John Sturges, then Cul-De-Sac (1966) for Roman Polanski, Fantastic Voyage (1966) for Richard Fleischer and on and on. He became a regular for John Carpenter.

Notes:

No Blu-ray commentary track for this one.

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