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Immortals
"... a thundering example of style over substance."
Midnight In Paris
“...a delightful tribute to nostalgia and romance.”
The Illusionist
“...a film that generally brings warm smiles rather than belly laughs...”
Treasure Guards
"A willing suspension of disbelief should get most viewers across the line."
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Brain Damage (DVD)
Year: 1988
Rating: R
Director: Frank Henenlotter
Cast: Rick Hearst, Jennifer Lowry, Gordon MacDonald
Release Date: January 12, 2011
Distributor: Shock
The Film: 4.0
FILMINK rates DVDs and Blu-rays out of 5"...a fantastic piece of ‘80s horror kitsch..."
Here comes a fantastic piece of ‘80s horror kitsch from Frank Henenlotter, director of Basket Case (1982), the film about a chap who carried around his homicidal malformed twin in a basket (watch for the cameo in Brain Damage).
Though Brain Damage isn't quite as twisted as that film, it's a valiant effort. Protagonist Brian (Rick Hearst) finds himself drawn into a symbiotic relationship with a jovial wormlike parasite known as Aylmer. Aylmer releases a blue liquid into Brian's spinal cord which creates a state of psychedelic euphoria. While Brian is tripping on Aylmer's brain juice, Aylmer takes the opportunity to feed on human brains. Given Aylmer's size and shape, this occurs in a variety of amusingly horrible ways (the blow job scene was inevitable).
A great synth soundtrack enhances the whole hallucinogenic experience. This is gloriously awful.
