Mutant Reviewers from Hell do
"I sucked out her brains"

1988 R / Horror Comedy Directed by: Frank Henenlotter Starring: Rick Hearst, Gordon MacDonald, John Zacherle

Tagline

It's A Headache From Hell!

Summary Capsule

Brain leech makes pals with jonesin' joe

Mutant Meter

Movie Store [proceeds go toward monthly MRFH upkeep]

DVD

Justin's Rating: Now with colored marshmallows!
Justin's Review: One of the great mistakes of the 1980's was the national impression that bright, vibrant colors (protected by Snuggle fabric softener) spoke more than words for our society. Neon, strobe lights, and cheesy animation talked, of course, and they said, "We're too damn bright. Buy sunglasses." The problem of hideously intense colors plagues our current review, Brain Damage.

"In fact, this film is so horribly redundant that all I came away with was a vow never to eat or drink anything blue ever again."

Sort of a horror/comedy that doesn't really have enough of both, Brain Damage can best be understood as a remnant of old 60's acid flicks. There's this parasite named Aylmer ("You're named Elmer?" one of the main characters says) who escapes from its former owners and latches on to this 80's Goofy Generic Teenager (GGT). Aylmer looks a bit like those nasty flukeworms from the early seasons of The X-Files. He's on the rampage for brains... BRAINS!... and GGT must help him accomplish this task.

Aylmer feeds GGT a steady supply of blue brain juice that sends GGT into the realm of pyschadelic bliss. In the process of seeing this film, the following proceedure us shown about a dozen times: Aylmer inserts his mouth straw into GGT's neck, squirts radiator fluid or something into his brain, which then starts to get these cute electric bolts on it like a Die Hard battery commercial. After the third or fourth time I sat through this sequence, I started to think how much this reminded me of those fuel tankers that dock with jet fighters in mid-air.

I can't give away the plot, since there really isn't any. Aylmer docks with GGT, GGT goes out dancing or something, Aylmer sucks out someone's brains. In fact, this film is so horribly redundant that all I came away with was a vow never to eat or drink anything blue ever again. The only salvation, if you want to call it that, was that Aylmer is blessed with the only fun personality in the flick. He talks like a mellow Muppet, wise and witty, utterly unlike what you might think a foot-long parasite would sound like (assuming I can make that assumption). So there were a few good chuckles that interrupted my snoring.

I suppose the only good use a film like Brain Damage is for is to show classroom kids that drugs are bad for you, especially when offered and delivered by a big slug that hooks itself on the back of one's neck.

"Thank you! Thank you! I'm here all night!" To many people, this is what calculus finals feel like Peek-a-boo!

Didja Notice? [some sources: IMDb]

• How many times the docking procedure is shown
• On the subway, Brian sees a man carrying a big basket with a lock on it. The character is from Frank Henenlotter's previous film, Basket Case
• Aylmer is, at times, an animated drawing (particularly on the subway)
• As Brian wakes up for the first time in his bed, his head covered in blood, an album poster is spotted on the wall, Slayer's "Reign In Blood".
• When Brian wakes up bloody, the blood on his left hand disappears and reappears between shots.

Is It Worth Staying Through End Credits?

No.

Intermission! [some sources: IMDb]

The theatrical and original home-video releases of his film deleted the most gruesome scenes, such as the "fellatio" gag.

Groovy Quotes

Aylmer: I sucked out her brains!
Teen: Is she dead?
Aylmer: What, are you kidding?

If you liked this movie, try these:

• Basket Case
• Alien
• Gremlins