The Brain That Wouldn't Die

[Foxbat]

This DVD is a bit of 1962 SciFi hokum in Black&White (4:3) and mono sound.The story is about a surgeon who is looking to find a way to flawlessy transplant limbs and organs and….guess what? He comes up with a serum to do just that! Surprise surprise!

Meanwhile, his girlfriend is decapitated in a car crash – so our hero does what any normal guy would do – he makes off with the head with the intention of finding a new body for it (the old one being hideously burned in aforementioned car crash).

Slight problem though. To find a new body means he will have to steal it from another head – so he goes touring sleazy strip joints looking for an attractive body for his girlfriend’s napper (cue really bad music).

Back in the lab, the girlfriend finds the serum she is fed to keep her alive puts her in telepathic communication with a monster made from the surgeon’s failed experiments and brought to life with his magic serum (shades of ReAnimator??).

All things are brought to a brutal and gory climax (by 1962 standards). This is the uncut version. Apparently it was deemed too gory when it was shown on TV.

And there you have it: a fine piece of shlock with which to while away 82minutes.

Here’s the good bit: If you like this sort of stuff then get yourself over to www.oldies.com where you can pick this film up as part of a 6 DVD box set for just under $25. I imported this into the UK (total price approx. $40) and the post office didn’t even hit me for extra tax!

I love a bargain!

[I, Brian]

Heh, ReAnimator was a thought I had, too!

[McMurphy]

Good recap, Foxbat. I love the craziness of when he reaches through the shattered car window to wrap her decapitated head in his jacket. If one is willing to remove disbelief that early in the film, he/she is in for a fantastical treat.

The film has also spawned some rather odd parodies, hasn't it? I believe Steve Martin's The Man with Two Brains is a parody piece and the '90s limited release film Frankenhooker warps the ideas behind The Brain That Wouldn't Die even further.

Instead of a car accident, the young scientist of Frankenhooker loses his girlfriend to a freak lawnmower accident and collects body parts from prostitutes by killing them with "super crack." Mind you, I don't recommend this film beyond its relationship with the source material...