Brain Damage

Rating:
Summary: A Head Game from Hell
Review: 1988's BRAIN DAMAGE is the second film from low-budget Grand Guignol writer/director Frank Henenlotter, his first being the grisly over-the-top cult favorite BASKET CASE (1982), and both films established him as the master auteur of bad-taste horror cinema in the 1980s. But despite of the excessive gore and crude sexual elements, Henenlotter's films are a cut above the average trash pics because his well-written scripts are weaved around a daedal subtext that offers wry comments and observations on certain elements or aspects of modern society. With the visceral horror comedy BRAIN DAMAGE, Henenlotter is satirizing the Western propensity for addiction.

BRAIN DAMAGE relates the "mind-blowing" tale of the Faustian bargain made between a young man named Brian and an enigmatic, snake-like parasite named Aylmer (pronounced like the name ELMER). Aylmer dispenses an addictive pleasure-inducing drug directly into Brian's brain, but as payment for each "fix," Brian must transport Aylmer around the city so the parasitic pusher can obtain his favorite food--human brains. Though Brian is generally a nice young man who wouldn't hurt a flea, he finds it impossible to resist the demands of the deceptively cute parasite because of his need and desire for the psychedelic "juice," and he ultimately becomes Aylmer's accomplice in murder.

With a meager budget of circa $600,000, Henenlotter and crew have nonetheless succeeded in crafting BRAIN DAMAGE as a polished, professional-looking film. Yes, the violence is graphic, sophomorically comic, and often over the top, and yes, the film has a crude, puerile sexual element (snake-like Aylmer is obviously a phallic symbol). But these elements actually enhance the film's earnest anti-addiction subtext, as they vociferously underscore the negative effect that addiction has on an addict's personality, his personal life, and the lives of others with whom he has contact.

The acting in the film is rather a mixed bag. As Brian, future soap-opera regular Rick Hearst--then billed under his birth surname of Herbst--does a great job of portraying a boy-next-door type whose life is spiraling out of control due to his addiction. And in an uncredited role, actor John Zacherle--better known to some horror fans as Zacherley, the Cool Ghoul host of New York TV's SHOCK! THEATER--does an outstanding job voicing the smarmy Aylmer. Gordon MacDonald plays Brain's brother, Mike, and Jennifer Lowry his girlfriend, Barbara, and both do an adequate job. Most of the other performances are a bit wooden, but they don't detract too much from the film's overall production quality.

Being a Juvenalian satire of sorts, the often biting humor in BRAIN DAMAGE is dark, off-color & often bawdy, and outrageously offbeat. Much of little Aylmer's dialogue is sarcastically witty, and in one eerie but funny scene, Brian lies writhing on the floor hurting for a "fix" while Elmer sits by and jovially belts out the Glenn Miller standard "Elmer's Tune." Also, in a hilarious homage to Henenlotter's previous film, BASKET CASE, the star of that film, Kevin VanHentenryck, gets on the subway with a familiar wicker basket in hand and takes the seat opposite Brian.

The Special Edition "Limited Availability" DVD from Synapse presents a high-definition transfer of BRAIN DAMAGE in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, and the transfer appears vibrant, clean, and relatively free of digital artifacts. This is the unrated restored version, so all of the gore and innuendo that was cut for the U.S. theatrical release has been put back where it belongs. There are also some cool extras, including a very witty feature commentary featuring writer/director Henenlotter, former FANGORIA editor Robert Martin, and filmmaker Scooter McCrae (who has worked with Henenlotter). Also included is the theatrical trailer (in 1.85:1 aspect ratio), a "hidden" trailer for BASKET CASE, and an isolated-musical-score audio option.

To sum up, BRAIN DAMAGE is a movie with a somber subtext, but writer/director Frank Henenlotter doesn't let that get in the way of all the cheesy fun. Sure, the anti-addiction allegory can't be missed, but Henenlotter also knows that the monkey on his antihero's back is an ideal springboard for lots of offbeat and bawdy gallows humor, and he milks it for all it's worth. Admittedly, BRAIN DAMAGE will not appeal to every viewer's tastes, but those seeking a Family Film or a Chick Flick probably shouldn't be perusing the listings for the horror DVDs anyway.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best movies ever
Review: Brain damage noe of the most excellent movies i have ever seen. It has the best story and the most interesting characters ive seen in a while. The gore and special effects are a masterpiece. I highly recomend this movie to anyone who likes cult classics. If i had to compare it i would say its kind of like a troma movie but not funny. Everyone needs to see this movie. the first scene will send chills down your backside.

Rating:
Summary: Poor Elmer, He Shouldn't Have Died, But Still, This Is Great
Review: Brain Damage Was Excellently Funny & Gruesome. One Of The Funniest Movie I Ever Seen. Sadly, Elmer Bit The Dust At The End, He Was Great.

Rating:
Summary: Poor Elmer, He Shouldn't Have Died, But Still, This Is Great
Review: Brain Damage Was Excellently Funny & Gruesome. One Of The Funniest Movie I Ever Seen. Sadly, Elmer Bit The Dust At The End, He Was Great.

Rating:
Summary: Brain Damage (1987) d: Henenlotter, Frank
Review: Frank Henenlotter's second low-budget feature about a boy and his pet monster, is an anti drug horror comedy that is almost as good as his first film Basket Case (1981) [Watch for the Basket Case related in joke when actor Kevin VanHentenryck appears in a subway scene]. The non-human star, is a worm-like critter named Aylmer. The slimy penis shaped parasite comes in the possession of young Brian [Rick Herbst], and begins to gain control of him. The singing, and joke telling Aylmer sinks hooks into Brian's neck, secreting a strange blue liquid that gives his brain a jolt of psychedelic goodies, 'color, music and euphoria'. In exchange for injecting this marvelous hallucinogen into Brian's brain, the Aylmer incites its host to find it victims, from whom it sucks brains. Aylmer argues that it's all right to kill people, as long as Brian isn't directly involved. Kicking his wisecracking pain in the neck, is the only way for Brian to survive. When originally released, the film slipped onto video shelves virtually unnoticed. Thankfully Synapse Films have re-released this cult classic on DVD, and have restored this print to include the much talked about ...................... that Paramount didn't have the guts to include. The strong sexual footage is played up, mostly for laughs. Very funny 42nd street humor is contained on the commentary track. Review by: Fringe Video.

Rating:
Summary: feed your head
Review: Frank Hennenlotter has created a twisted, freakish masterpiece with this offbeat little comic chiller. Brian (Rick Herbst) is plunged headfirst into hell after a pleasant-seeming parasite named Aylmer hooks him on a strange hallucinogen he excretes from a needle in his mouth. While Brian is tripping, Aylmer gets him to walk him around the city so he can munch on the brains of unfortunate passersby. The scene in which a physically exhausted Brian tries to kick the drug cold turkey while Aylmer taunts him from a sink is one of the most chilling sequences ever filmed, and is apparantly even more brutal on the uncut DVD. Screwy, alternately hilarious and horrifying, and an effective allegory for drug addiction. Oh, and keep an eye out for the star of Henenlotter's first film Basket Case in a subway scene.

Rating:
Summary: Worst movie EVAR!
Review: I love bad cheesy movies (see 'The Stuff'), but this has got to be one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Mind you, I *did* make it through the whole thing so I guess something made me keep watching. Maybe it was hope that it would get better.

Rating:
Summary: DownRok
Review: i think that everyone here is already familiar with the plot,so im not gonna write a summmary of it..this movie is great.excellent dvd.in the commentary part,Frank Henelotter says that this film is sort of a warning to drug users.remeber the overdose at the end of the film?not that many people have ever heard of this film so i think that it shoould be released in theaters again because it is sort of a drug warning.and know that there is alot of stuff about drugs,alot of people might get of smoking and stuff after viewing this film( i know i would)and because i was born in 1986 so i was only in 2 in 1988(when this film came out)and i want to see this film in the theaters.

Rating:
Summary: KISS OF DEATH
Review: If you're a Peter Jackson's DEAD ALIVE fan, you'll love Frank Henenlotter's BRAIN DAMAGE. 50 % horror, 50% comic : that's the secret. Add an above average screenplay (OK ! that's not the difficulty for an 1988 movie...) and a dozen actors who seem at least semi-professional and you obtain a B-movie that deserves to stay in your library.

Brian's horrible friend is a vague cousin of E.T. but a little bit more symbolical ; Frank Henenlotter, during the commentary of BRAIN DAMAGE, doesn't deny that he was thinking of the most valuable attribute of the male when designing IT.

Remember the sci-fi novel of Brian Aldiss THE GREEN WORLD ? Well, the animal sticking on the hero's head in this book is the grandfather of Elmer. It loves you but you have to obey it, it will make you happy but you have to feed him first.

A terrific transfer in the DVD standard, a commentary of the director and the trailers of the movie and BASKET CASE as bonus features. Wow!

A DVD dedicated to the vegetarian ones.