brain damage

Despite the lurid titles and campy artwork adorning VHS classics like Basket Case and Frankenhooker, the films of Frank Henenlotter were always a cut above the usual home video cash-ins. There was obvious affection for the genre, of course, but matched with an ambition to do something more than compete with the typical slashers and creature features. Henelotter's work had wit and panache (at least as much as he could afford) along with the practical gore effects '80s fans demanded. Brain Damage (1988) is all that and more, unraveling like a hallucinatory blend of David Cronenberg and Jim Henson as it introduces the world to Elmer, a brain-eating parasite who provides his host with a heroine-like "juice" in exchange for a regular supply of his favorite food.

The film opens with an elderly couple frantically searching their New York apartment for (what we assume to be) their missing pet. But when they wind up on the floor foaming at the mouth from withdrawal symptoms, it's clear all is not as it seems. Indeed, Elmer has found a new home...on the back of someone else's neck.

Brian (Rick Hearst) is an average guy. But his life quickly spirals out of the control once Elmer (voiced by horror host John Zacherley) has him hooked on the drug injected directly into his brain. Euphoric, Brian ditches his family and girlfriend to do Elmer's bidding, which involves luring unsuspecting victims to a gruesome death. Once Rick figures out he's responsible for a string of murders, he tries to go cold turkey. But as Elmer's previous owners can attest, getting that parasite off your back is easier said than done.

Henelotter doesn't play coy with his metaphorical intentions. As a commentary on the perils of addiction, Brain Damage is just as powerful as those egg-frying commercials of the day. Only this time the message is delivered by a turd-sized talking phallus brought to life with rudimentary, but still convincing, animatronics. If you're still on board after that synopsis, then the film offers a series of show stopping practical effects (cranial chomping, medulla yanking and one sickening simulation of deadly oral sex) fit for a double-spread in Fangoria. The acting, as with most Henelotter films, is amateurishly endearing. It's the ideas that get most of the attention.

This time around, the opening scenes of Brain Damage are the most interesting. The longer Henenlotter withholds information, the more we want to know. And when Elmer's back-story is finally spelled out in a fascinating mid-film soliloquy, there's enough potential for a prequel about this all-powerful organism that's been passed down throughout history! Unfortunately, Brian holds less interest. His physical and mental decline make for a rather depressing character arc, interrupted by moments of Muppet-like levity. Brain Damage can't help but feel like it's under the influence of its serious subject matter, culminating in a bummer ending that leaves the audience suffering some withdrawal of their own.

Arrow Video's Blu-ray / DVD combo is a whopper of a special edition, starting with a sweet-looking hi-def transfer packaged with new artwork and a collector's booklet illustrated with still and posters. The extras are a bit effects heavy, including the brand-new documentary Listen To The Light: The Making of Brain Damage, which focuses on the crew recruited by Henelotter to bring Elmer to life. There's even more detail to come from featurettes Animating Elmer and The Effects of Brain Damage. Henelotter himself provides a more general production overview in his audio commentary. But there's also a good amount of crew reflection and fan adulation to go with the usual image galleries and theatrical trailers. The synth heavy score is given an isolated track as well.