The Happiness Cage (1972)

A German scientist works on a way of quelling overly aggressive soldiers by developing implants that directly stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain.

Director:

Bernard Girard

Writers:

Dennis Reardon (play), Ron Whyte

Stars:

Christopher Walken, Joss Ackland, Ralph Meeker

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Walken	...	Privatz James H. Reese
Joss Ackland	...	Dr. Frederick
Ralph Meeker	...	The Major
Ronny Cox	...	Sergeant Boford Miles
Marco St. John	...	Lawrence Shannon - orderly
Bette Henritze	...	Anna Kraus
Susan Travers	...	Nurse Schroeder
Tom Aldredge	...	Medic
Birthe Neumann	...	Lisa (as Birthe Newmann)
Claus Nissen	...	Army Psychiatrist
Vibeke Juul Bengtsson	...	(as Vibeke Bengtsson)
Katherine Argo
Norman Mackie
Leslie Ogle
Torben Hundal

Storyline

A German scientist works on a way of quelling overly aggressive soldiers by developing implants that directly stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain.

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Plot Keywords:

brain experiment | mental illness | brain surgery | pain | remote control | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes the cure is deadlier than the disease.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 June 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mind Snatchers

Filming Locations:

Denmark

Company Credits

Production Co:

International Film Ventures Ltd., Latema Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

The Major: Frankly, who would miss him?
Dr. Frederick: Who would miss him? Who, indeed. God help lonely people.

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Crazy Credits

After the end credits have rolled, over a freeze-frame of Private Reese, a Newseek magazine cover picturing a monkey titled "Probind the Brain" is displayed, along with the text "In 1954, two Canadian scientists discovered that the brain contained areas of please and of pain. Since the, in research institutes, hospitals, and sanitariums all over the world, electrical wires have beem placed into the brains of guinea pigs, rabbits, monkeys......and humans."

User Reviews

"One flew over the cuckoo's nest" meets "A clockwork orange"

I saw this movie under the "Demon Within" title. I believe the movie was based on a play and at times, it shows. The movie is slow in some parts, but overall is good. The character of Ronny Cox is often annoying. However, he does a good job in portraying the pity of a man losing his mind. Walken gives an non-typical performance of a comparatively straight-laced man who never really loses his mind but instead has it robbed from him. It is not really worth a long search. But if you do come across it, check it out.