Brain Damage (1988)

 

Genre: Horror/ Comedy

Time: 1h 26mins

Director: Frank Henenlotter

Quick Summary: One morning, a young man wakes to find that a small, disgusting creature has attached itself to the base of his brain stem. The creature gives him a euphoric state of happiness but demands human victims in return.

This feels like a PSA for drugs or something.

I wasn't sure about this film to start with as it starts with a goofy, almost slapstick energy as an old couple goes absolutely nuts destroying their apartment looking for something; I was glad to have no idea what this was about, because as soon as I knew. I hated the thing. Admittedly I found it funny occasionally, but aside from that it really put me off the film. To make it worse the film gets more and more boring and sluggish the longer it goes on.

As for the beginning, I enjoyed the start of this guys "addiction" to the fluid the creature produces as we are shown multiple essentially drug trips in visual format, though the first one is the one that stuck with me the most. We watch as this guy literally is sinking into a blue liquid from his bed as he stares up at his ceiling which looks like an eyeball staring back at him. These are also usually scored with a really eerie synth wave tune that actually ends up playing throughout. Shame we didn't get many of these drug trips, they were honestly really fun to watch.

The second half really starts drag with sluggishly paced scenes, leading to a stab at emotional payoff with the guy's girlfriend that's too undeveloped to register that she was even there. I was so bored by the middle of this. My interest was picked up when we got to the detox scene because that was actually really maxed out on the gross factor with puke, gorey flesh stuff being pulled from ears and general gritty photography. Another moment was when the guy mistakes meatballs for pulsating brains. Really that is all this film is build on for me, cool effects and silly moments, like when the worm thing starts singing or firing back with some witty lines, though half the time it felt like he was talking to himself. 

I mainly had a problem with the worm thing that drugged the guy, which is mostly to how he looked. Sure, horror films aren't supposed to have pleasing creatures to look at but this was just hideous and looked more similar to a turd than anything else. Plus, while he had his funny moments, mostly he wasn't funny and I groaned every time he was on screen.

It's a shame I disliked this mostly as it had a cool concept. At least it was a little bit funny. I awarded a bonus point purely for the basket case cameo. 

5/10

"This is the start of your new life Brian, a life full of colors, music,light and euphoria. A life without pain, or hurt or suffering."

"Elmer? You fucking named him Elmer?"