Brain Dead (1990)

I wanted to but couldn't!

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Nearly thirty years after its release, I've only just come across 'Brain Dead' (no, not the early Peter Jackson movie) - a film starring two of my favourite Bills (Pullman and Paxton). Despite them possibly being the ONLY Bills I know in the acting industry, I was surprised that I'd never heard of this film before. However, now I've watched it, I can see why it's been forgotten. I really wanted to like it, but I just couldn't really get behind it fully.I checked out some of the other reviews online and it gets a hell of a lot of 1 star ratings and people use phrases like 'You have to be brain dead to like Brain Dead.' I don't agree that it's quite that bad, but it's probably not worth the watch. It's about here in a review that I try and do a brief plot synopsis, however I'm not entirely sure what the film was about even after watching it. I figured that Bill Pullman played a scientist who experiments on people's brains after they've been removed from someone's body after their death. However, there are also times when he experiments on people's brains while they're still in people's heads! Paxton, on the other hand, plays a (delightfully!) slimy corporate executive.I think it's fair to say that there are definite elements of the 'horror' genre in here, however I've seen it listed as 'science fiction' in some places, too. Despite its minimal budget (it really is no blockbuster!) there are actually a couple of rather disgusting scenes involving probes entering a sort of sensitive organ (clue as to which on in the film's title!). Although, rather than being an outright horror movie, it leans more towards what I always consider to be 'Lynchian' horror (i.e. a David 'Twin Peaks/Mullholland Drive/Lost Highway' Lynch film or TV show). Weird things start happening and the lines between what's real and what's imaginary become blurred.Lynch does this really well and, even if you don't understand what he's getting at, you can enjoy one hell of a stylish experience. However, 'Brain Dead' is not directed by David Lynch. Therefore, what you're left with is a bit of a messy tale that whats to be really deep and thought-provoking and just ends up being... well, a mess. It's not helped that, even though it was released in 1990, it feels like they used the cheapest video camera ever to shoot it on. The film itself just looks incredibly cheap and the most of the soundtrack and incidental music feels like elevator music and probably public domain to begin with.The actors do their best with what they're given and, if you really enjoy total mind-bending tales where you don't know what's real or imaginary, you could get something out of this. However, if you do like those sorts of films, then you've definitely seen better (probably from David Lynch, but also Cronenberg has done similar mainstream/cult offerings), so I'd probably stick to those. Ironically, only seven years later Bill Pullman went on to star in Lynch's 'Lost Highway.' Although that divided audiences and was also hard to follow, it was a visual joy to watch and the sheer brilliance of direction gave it that creepy, menacing vibe which 'Brain Dead' tries for, but fails. It's not a one star movie, but it's probably best to gloss over in the scale of things.

Bill Pullman and Bill Paxton star in this ambitious sci-fi thriller from director Adam Simon ("Carnosaur") and the late, great writer Charles Beaumont (known for his work on 'The Twilight Zone' and Roger Corman films). Pullman stars as Rex Martin, a brilliant young scientist who becomes involved in a plan to pry vital information from the mind of Jack Halsey (Bud Cort), an equally brilliant mathematician. Also worked into the plot is the idea of erasing unpleasant memories from peoples' brains, or otherwise changing their personalities.It's all quite an intriguing set-up by Beaumont, although the film doesn't really reach its full potential due to ultimately telling a rather routine story. And it's a story that falls back on the time-honoured theme of forcing the lead character and audience to figure out what is fantasy and what is reality. As this tale progresses, Rex suffers from visions and hallucinations that may well be the product of a deteriorating mind. Eventually, it resolves itself in a way that isn't exactly unpredictable.Still, the ride taken here is interesting. "Brain Dead" is certainly a notch above most product created by Concorde, the company formed by Corman after his departure from New World. It's played as well as it can be played by a top cast, with Pullman and Paxton in fine form. (One of the questions posed is whether or not Paxton, as Pullmans' friend, is a smarmy, self-serving jerk just out for himself.) George Kennedy does not get to do much as a corporation head, but sexy Patricia Charbonneau is easy to watch as Pullmans' wife, and character actor Nicholas Pryor has a field day in a trio of inter-related roles. Other familiar faces include Lee Arenberg, Willie Garson, Brent Hinkley, and Kyle Gass. Paxtons' father John has a bit as a board member. But it's Cort, a longtime specialist in quirky and offbeat parts, who tends to steal the show much of the time."Brain Dead" is, overall, adequately filmed, and it shows its audience a pretty good time. Some gore here and there, decent makeup effects (especially the "experimental face"), and a fine score by Peter Rotter help to keep it watchable.Produced by Cormans' wife Julie.Seven out of 10.

Dr. Rex Martin (Pullman) is a brain specialist who is asked by his good friend Jim (Paxton) to help him with a matter at his corporate job. A man named John Halsey (Cort) who at one time worked for the company may have murdered his entire family and it is Dr. Martin's job to get some key figures from the man. Dr. Martin gets pulled in and is soon sharing the same paranoid and delusional visions Halsey is suffering from. Some of these bizarre visions include a creepy looking man who is splattered in blood who is following them around. Is this weird state of reality really happening, or not? No doubt Director Adam Simon wants to keep the audience off balance, but the film shifts reality so often it gets too confusing. Simon's direction is sharp, and all though it is confusing as hell, it remains interesting and entertaining for the audience. This movie features two future big stars in Bill Pullman and Bill Paxton who are early in their careers and provide strong acting in this well made and original chiller. The gore is minimal minus a few shots of some heads being cut open for brain examinations. This film isn't designed for jump scares but the bloody stranger haunting the two characters delivers some chills. 'Brain Dead's' biggest problem is its confusing narrative and ends up being a little too weird for its own good.

Dr. Rex Martin (Bill Pullman) is a leading neurosurgeon specializing in the cerebral malfunctions that cause mental illnesses, whose expertise is called up by an old school chum, Jim Reston (Bill Paxton), who is now part of the mega-corporation Eunice.If you happen to be one of those people who cannot tell Pullman and Paxton apart, this might not be the film for you... they spend a fair amount of time on screen together. If you happen to be a fan of H. P. Lovecraft, this might be the film for you. While the writer is known for his work with "The Twilight Zone", there are at least two Lovecraft references in this story. Can you catch them? I was already intrigued from the beginning with the wall of brains in jars and the face that could be remote-controlled. But I was in hook, line and sinker when Jack Halsey (Bud Cort) showed up -- he is the epitome of insane genius. The phrases, the mannerisms... even his appearance. Thank you, casting director. You aced a hole in one. The homeless guy is a nice touch, too.Bonus: Kyle Gass of Tenacious D appears as an anesthesiologist.