The Man with Two Brains (1983)

Thanks for the memories!

Absolutely Brilliant!

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Apparently, it deals with most of the clichés in film noir and sci-fi, yet smashing them into tiny bits of zaniness and many cartoon-like jokes. The first viewing of this film was a riot, but then, knowing the jokes, it's not that wild anymore (for me, at least). Still, it's a fine, entertaining comedy, which is a rare thing nowadays. How could it be possible back in the 80s to make quality zaniness, if I may put it that way? Today's spoofs are so trivial and not funny... The twists in TMWTB are so surreal (a mild word), the characters' motivation and evolution (such big words) are mere caricature, the pace is so quick, and all of that is so in your face and silly that it works! It's a special kind of humor, continuing the half-absurd style of the Marx Bros. and perhaps it wouldn't have been that effective without very good comedic actors such as Mr. Martin (so innocent and, well, self confident) and Mrs. Turner (so stunning and funny at the same time). It looks as they have had a great time doing this film and I can see clearly why.

The Man with 2 Brains is a science fiction comedy produced in 1983 starring Steve Martin as Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr, a brain surgeon who saves lives with his "cranial screw-top" type of brain surgery. One of the victims he saves is Dolores Benedict (Kathleen Turner), who gets run over by a vehicle in her attempt to escape from her previous husband's coronary which is fatal and caused by Dolores. Dolores is a conniving, scheming woman whom Hfuhruhurr unknowingly falls in love with and marries. On their honeymoon as well as business trip to Vienna, Hfuhruhurr refuses to consummate the marriage and a strange twist happens in the movie. Hfuhruhur runs across Dr. Alfred Necessiter played by David Warner, who is a mad scientist that has discovered how to preserve live brains in jars. It is here that Hfuhruhur meets Annie, a woman's brains that have been kept alive and he falls in love with. The only problem is he now needs to find a body for Annie and fate provides him an opportunity. There has been a series of elevator murders, and his wife gets murdered by the elevator killer so opportunity arises to transplant Annie's brains into his wife's corpse.Cast includes Martin, Turner, Warner, Paul Benedict as the butler of Dr. Necessiter, George Furth as Timon and Peter Hobbs as Dr. Brandon. This sci-fi is just too funny and if you're in for a good laugh with a bit of a twist, then The Man with 2 Brains is for you.

Steve Martin is an interesting individual. There are times when he is absolutely dreadful, embarrassingly bad. But when it works, it works.The Man With Two Brains is one of the latter. It is filled with jokes from start to finish, ranging from the daft (the running gag of Martin's character's name, for instance) to the situational, from slapstick to character. Not all work, but enough do so that I laughed nearly all the way through.David Warner plays Dr Necessiter absolutely straight(thank you!) and Kathleen Turner plays both her characters beautifully. And Martin is probably at his best ever.

You either love or hate Man with Two Brains. Personally I love it and consider it one of Steve Martin's best. Speaking of Martin, he also gives one of his best performances in Man with Two Brains as Doctor Hfuruhurr as he gets to read his favourite poem, conduct a citizen's divorce and endure the world's toughest drink-driving test. Sissy Spacek is believable as the brain Martin falls in love with and Kathaleen Turner hilariously sends up her femme fatale persona, something she established in Body Heat. Man with Two Brains is well filmed, well directed and has a funny script and engaging story. Overall, sublime all round. 10/10 Bethany Cox