If you've ever visited this blog during my yearly marathons, you'll know that I have a few requirements (other than the obvious "never seen" aspect). There's stuff like watch one anthology, watch a Kaiju flick, and watch a foreign film to name a few. After finishing 1988's Brain Damage, which is the sophomore effort from Basket Case director Frank Henenlotter, I've started to believe that there's one additional requirement: view at least one motion picture that will just leave you feeling slightly unclean, yet will set the stakes rather high for other movies to follow during that October. In 2015, From Beyond took the cake. One year later, it was Street Trash. Last year, it was Brian Yuzna's Society. For my eighth year, this story of an average joe named Brian who wakes up one day to discover a talking parasite on his neck that can inject hallucinogenic liquids into his brain (but requires brains to satiate its own hunger) takes the cake. Because man oh man, while I'm certain that more technically proficient pictures will appear here on later dates, nothing can top this in terms of sheer weirdness and manic entertainment.
First and foremost, Brain Damage feels very dirty. While this depiction of New York City doesn't feel as gross as what was seen in Henenlotter's previous film, there is a very seedy underbelly on display, which is kind of perfect for a concept such as this. Everything feels slightly unconventional and off-kilter, so much so that things don't exactly unwrap the way that you may expect them to. It lends a very punk rock attitude to its running time, and that isn't just due to one sequence of a very high Brian heading to a rock club, or spotting posters for The Cramps, Bauhaus, and Slayer in his room. It's a very nice surprise and helps keep Brain Damage fresh for most of its running time. The obvious metaphors for drug usage and dependency are out there in the open, though there's nowhere near as much subtlety about it as there are in other major releases. Would people with problems such as heroin or cocaine addiction really even bat an eye at someone with a brain-eating parasite, or would they just wonder to themselves about how they can get one of their own?
On the human side of things, the cast makes the best of some admittedly cheesy dialogue. Lead performer Rick Hearst puts far more heart into his performance than most others in this field likely would. You feel for the guy, and even sympathize with him when he begins to go through withdrawal. But as one would hope, the real standout performance comes from the inhuman creature named "Aylmer," voiced to absolute perfection by beloved horror television host John Zacherle. Unlike most similar organisms, Aylmer is undeniably charming and quite well-spoken. He can hold a conversation without losing his cool, and even comes across as the best friend or "dealer" that you could ever hope for. Over time, those layers are peeled away and you see that despite his appearance, he is quite cruel and has earned his right to be called a "monster" by modern day fans. Through the use of good puppetry and camera trickery, he seems like something that you could legitimately encounter in the darkest parts of the city. He also takes part in what will EASILY be the top death of any flick featured in this year's Unseen Terror, but I won't spoil anything about that moment other than it made me clap my hands due to its pure insanity.
I don't know how much more I can sell Brain Damage to those of you who have yet to witness its magic. It's such an oddball picture, with wild death sequences, a wicked sense of humor, trippy visuals, and most surprisingly of all, a large amount of fascination that keeps your eyes glued to the screen. Perhaps my only complaint is that it is a tad bit too short, and that the ending feels abrupt, but hot damn those are SMALL gripes. If you're new to Henenlotter's filmography, this is just as good of a place to start (though if you skip Basket Case, you may not find as much amusement with a particular cameo that occurs in the third act). If you're still curious and haven't clicked the "x" button on your browser by now, there's a packed Blu-ray out there for purchase from Arrow Video. Much like their release of The Hills Have Eyes, this bad boy is CRAMMED with special features, including a great commentary track from the director himself, tons of "making of" and behind the scenes featurettes, and even an interview with arguably the biggest fan of the flick that you'll ever meet.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to have some wonderful dreams of my own that may or may not be courtesy of a tiny friend.
……..it's Nyquil in case you're wondering. I'm not crazy enough to seek out brains to consume (anymore).
Tomorrow, I feel the need to possibly come down off of my trip, so let's see what nighttime slashers are out there to help me kick this habit...
No comments:
Post a Comment