Brainstorm (1983)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Douglas Trumbull

Writers:

Bruce Joel Rubin (story)
Robert Stitzel (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

30 September 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

...The Ultimate Experience

Plot:

Brilliant researchers Lillian Reynolds and Michael Brace have developed a system of recording and playing back actual experiences of people...

Plot Keywords:

Technology | Military | Memory | Chimpanzee | Peanut Butter

Awards:

2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Christopher Walken	...	Michael Brace
Natalie Wood	...	Karen Brace
Louise Fletcher	...	Lillian Reynolds
Cliff Robertson	...	Alex Terson
Jordan Christopher	...	Gordy Forbes
Donald Hotton	...	Landan Marks
Alan Fudge	...	Robert Jenkins
Joe Dorsey	...	Hal Abramson
Bill Morey	...	James Zimbach
Jason Lively	...	Chris Brace
Darrell Larson	...	Security Technician
Lou Walker	...	Chef
Stacey Kuhne-Adams	...	Andrea
John Hugh	...	Animal Lab Technician
Ira David Wood III	...	Barry (as David Wood)
Keith Colbert	...	Dr. Ted Harris
Jerry Bennett	...	Dr. Janet Bock
Mary Fran Lyman	...	Realtor (as Mary-Fran Lyman)
Jack Harmon	...	Security Guard
Nina Axelrod	...	Simulator Technician
Kelly W. Brown	...	Race Car Man
Desiree Ayres	...	Bikini Girl #1
Debby Porter	...	Bikini Girl #2
Alan G. Butler	...	Man at Party #1
Robert Bloodworth	...	Man at Party #4
Georgianne Walken	...	Wendy Abramson
Jimmy Boyd	...	Col. Howe (as Jim Boyd)
Charlie Briggs	...	Col. Easterbrook
Ann Lincoln	...	Alex's Secretary
Robert Terry Young	...	Minister on Bell Tower (as Rev. Robert Terry Young)
Bill Willens	...	Emergency Room Doctor
Jim Burk	...	Lab Technician
Jimmy Casino	...	Tape Library Technician
Robert Hippard	...	Screaming Man
John Gladstein	...	Dr. Pederson
Herbert Hirschman	...	Dr. Graf
John Vidor	...	Bellhop
Bill Couch	...	Agent #1
Robert Gooden	...	Agent #2
Wallace Merck	...	Agent #3
Glen Lee	...	Agent #4
Ernest Robinson	...	Guard #1 (as Ernie Robinson)
Roger Black	...	Bob Burns
Tommy J. Huff	...	Guard #2
May Boss	...	Tape Library Woman (as May Raymond Boss)
Clay Boss	...	Tape Library Man
Peter Harrell	...	Doug
Susan Kampe	...	Angel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lana Clarkson	...	Food Fantasy Girl (uncredited)
Eric Lively	...	Baby (uncredited)

Directed by
Douglas Trumbull

Writing credits
Bruce Joel Rubin		(story)
Robert Stitzel		(screenplay) and
Philip Frank Messina		(screenplay)

Produced by
Joel L. Freedman	....	executive producer
Douglas Trumbull	....	producer
Richard Yuricich	....	associate producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Richard Yuricich		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Freeman A. Davies		(as Freeman Davies)
Edward Warschilka

Casting by
Toni Howard
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
John Vallone

Art Direction by
David L. Snyder

Set Decoration by
Linda DeScenna
Tom Pedigo

Costume Design by
Donfeld

Makeup Department
Edwin Butterworth	....	makeup artist: Ms. Wood
Bette Iverson	....	hair stylist (as Bette L. Iverson)
Robert Jiras	....	makeup artist
Kaye Pownall	....	hair stylist: Ms. Wood
Edward Ternes	....	makeup artist (as Edward C. Ternes)

Production Management
Jack Grossberg	....	executive in charge of production
Jack Grossberg	....	unit production manager
John G. Wilson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Patrick Cosgrove	....	second assistant director
Brian E. Frankish	....	first assistant director
Robert Jeffords	....	first assistant director
Eugene Mazzola	....	first assistant director
David McGiffert	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Jack E. Ackerman	....	property master
Philip Calhoun	....	assistant property (as Phil Calhoun)
Paul J. Campanella	....	stand-by painter (as Paul Campanella)
Stephen Dane	....	assistant art director
Joey De Rosa	....	leadman (as Joe DeRosa)
Michael Gibson	....	artistic consultant
Steve Kinyoun	....	construction coordinator (as Steven L. Kinyoun)
Thomas Meleck	....	assistant art director (as Tom Melleck)
Jerry Morawski	....	artistic consultant
Claude F. Powell	....	construction coordinator
Marjorie Stone	....	set designer
Ann Vidor	....	artistic consultant
Robert Van Dyke	....	propmaker gangboss (uncredited)

Sound Department
Teri E. Dorman	....	sound editor
Jay Engel	....	adr editor
Don Hall	....	sound editor
Joseph A. Ippolito	....	sound editor (as Joe Ippolito)
John A. Larsen	....	sound editor (as John Larsen)
Don MacDougall	....	supervising re-recording mixer
John L. Mack	....	re-recording mixer
Jack Manning	....	special synthesizer effects
Pete Martinez	....	cable man
Art Rochester	....	sound mixer
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	sound editor
William A. Sawyer	....	sound editor (as Bill Sawyer)
Frank Serafine	....	special synthesizer effects
Richard Thornton	....	boom man
Richard Tyler	....	re-recording mixer
Ian Underwood	....	special synthesizer effects
Eric Whitfield	....	assistant sound editor
George E. Marshall Jr.	....	boom operator: second unit (uncredited)
Philip Rogers	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Curt Schulkey	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Eric Allard	....	special effects
Martin Bresin	....	special effects
Paul Curley	....	miniatures and action props
Leslie Ekker	....	miniatures and action props
Kento Gebo	....	miniatures and action props
Ron Gress	....	miniatures and action props (as Ronald Gress)
Robert L. Johnston	....	miniatures and action props (as Robert Johnston)
Michael McMillen	....	miniatures and action props (as Mike McMillen)
Tom Pahk	....	miniatures and action props (as Thomas Pahk)
John Piner	....	projectionist
Robin Reilly	....	miniatures and action props
Christopher S. Ross	....	miniatures and action props (as Christopher Ross)
Dennis Schultz	....	miniatures and action props
David Shwartz	....	miniatures and action props
Robert Spurlock	....	special effects
Rick Thompson	....	miniatures and action props (as Richard Thompson)

Visual Effects by
Michael Backauskas	....	optical line-up: Entertainment Effects Group
Don Baker	....	compsy effects supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group
Charles Cowles	....	optical camera operator (as Chuck Cowles)
Tom Cranham	....	illustrator
James R. Dickson	....	additional photography: Entertainment Effects Group
Stephen Fog	....	mechanical technician (as Stephen C. Fog)
Ernest Garza	....	still lab technician
William Goddard	....	electronics technician
Robert Hall	....	optical effects supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group
Alan Harding	....	lead camera technician
Robert Hickson	....	effects artistic consultant
Jack Hinkle	....	assistant editor: Entertainment Effects Group
Robert Hippard	....	post-production coordinator: Entertainment Effects Group
Richard E. Hollander	....	compsy technical supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group (as Richard Hollander)
Dick Lasley	....	illustrator
Robin Dean Leyden	....	electronics technician (as Robin Leyden)
Gary Lynn Love	....	electronics technician
Virgil Mirano	....	visual consultant
Paul Olsen	....	effects artistic consultant
Beth Parker	....	film technician
George Polkinghorne	....	cine technician
Adolf Schaller	....	effects artistic consultant
Mark Stetson	....	action props and miniatures supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group
David K. Stewart	....	director of photography: Entertainment Effects Group (as Dave Stewart)
Patrick Van Auken	....	grip: effects (as Pat Van Auken)
Paul Van Camp	....	electronics technician
John C. Wash	....	animation and graphics: Entertainment Effects Group
Peggy Weil	....	effects artistic consultant
Mark West	....	mechanical technician (as Mark J. West)
Alison Yerxa	....	visual effects supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group
Dana Yuricich	....	assistant matte artist
Matthew Yuricich	....	matte artist: Entertainment Effects Group

Stunts
Bill Couch	....	stunt coordinator
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunt performer: guard #2 (as Tommy Huff)
Ernest Robinson	....	stunt performer: guard #1 (as Ernie Robinson)
Mags Kavanaugh	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
William L. Asman	....	camera operator (as William Asman)
Albert Bettcher	....	camera operator (as Al Bettcher)
Leonardo Chavez	....	second grip
Ralph Gerling	....	camera operator
Michael Gershman	....	camera operator
Carl R. Gibson Jr.	....	best boy grip
Dennis Greene	....	dolly grip (as Dennis W. Greene)
Rhonda C. Gunner	....	video technician (as Rhonda Gunner)
Bob Haagensen	....	director of photography: second unit
Craig Haagensen	....	first assistant camera
David R. Hardberger	....	camera technician (as David Hardberger)
Thomas E. Hayes	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Len Hekel	....	still photographer
Ted Holt	....	chief lighting technician (as Theodore Porter Holt)
Dan Lerner	....	camera operator (as Daniel Lerner)
Christine M. Loss	....	still photographer (as Christine Loss)
Bruce MacCallum	....	second assistant camera (as Bruce McCallum)
Gregory L. McMurry	....	video engineer (as Greg McMurry)
Joshua Morton	....	camera technician
Jim Rose	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Tim Ryan	....	key grip
Steven H. Smith	....	first assistant camera (as Steve Smith)
Tama Takahashi	....	camera technician
Joseph F. Valentine	....	camera operator (as Joe Valentine)
Ronald Vidor	....	camera operator
Josh Weiner	....	still photographer
Jim Wuertemburg	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as James T. Wuertenburg)
Thomas Baker	....	motion-control camera (uncredited)
Albert Hood	....	electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Deedee Burch	....	costumer
Richard Butz	....	costumer: men (as Dick Butz)
John George	....	costumer
Aida Swinson	....	costumer: women

Editorial Department
Barbara Dunning	....	assistant film editor
Terry Ladin	....	post-production office coordinator
William Pine	....	color timer
Nora Jeanne Smith	....	negative cutter (as Jeanne Smith)
Edward A. Warschilka	....	assistant film editor (as Edward Warschilka Jr.)

Music Department
Bill Crofut	....	consultant: source music
Harry V. Lojewski	....	music supervisor
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
Shawn Murphy	....	music recording supervisor
Douglas Neslund	....	conductor: California Boys Choir
William Saracino	....	music editor
J. Benjamin Smith	....	conductor: The Duke University Choir
James Horner	....	conductor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Frank Mielcarek	....	transportation captain (as Frank Meilcarek)
Randy Peters	....	transportation coordinator
Don Pierce	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Joyce Goldberg	....	assistant: Mr. Yuricich
Christina Grof	....	consultant: experimental sequence
Stanislav Grof	....	consultant: experimental sequence
Vic Heutschy	....	unit publicist
Jessi Katz	....	post-production aide
Michael Knutsen	....	craft service (as Michael P. Knutsen)
Don Levy	....	unit publicist
Paul Pav	....	location manager
Durk Pearson	....	scientific consultant
George Pryor	....	post-production aide
Ana Maria Quintana	....	script supervisor
Sandy Shaw	....	scientific consultant
Barbara Spitz	....	production office coordinator
Daniel R. Suhart	....	post-production aide (as Dan Suhart)
Evans Wetmore	....	consulting engineer
Bob Wilson	....	post-production aide (as Robert Wilson)
Allen Yamashita	....	assistant: Mr. Trumbull
Carolyn Bates	....	effects assistant (uncredited)
Dixie Fusillo	....	production accountant (uncredited)

Thanks
James B. Hunt Jr.	....	through the assistance of (as Governor James B. Hunt Jr.)
Natalie Wood	....	dedicatee (as Natalie)

Production Companies

• JF Productions
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• MGM/UA Entertainment Company (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1984) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Vídeo Arte (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M (original rating | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1984) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA

Company:

JF Productions

Trivia:

Several more shots of "Hell" were created but cut from the final print for pacing. One of these was termed "Condo Hell" and featured many rapidly changing faces drifting slowly towards the viewer against an austere, high-tech looking background. Some of this can be seen in the trailer for the film. ("Cancer Hell" was the crew term for the gory-looking shots of tormented souls)

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Michael gets home from work at the beginning, he walks into his bedroom and turns on the light. Before the light comes on, the wall where the switch is, is illuminated by outside light. This light disappears an instant before the room light comes on.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dr. Lillian Reynolds: Can you see better if I move it a little closer?
Dr. Michael Anthony Brace: I can see something. It's parts of the grid, but it's still rotating. It's not locking up.
Hal Abramson: Maybe we all need a little break, Lillian.
Dr. Lillian Reynolds: Hal, you take a break.

Movie Connections:

Features Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

Knock my socks off

Brainstorm had a rocky road to completion. After Natalie Wood died before completion of shooting, the studio wanted to shut it down and cash in the completion bond. Trumbull had fought tooth and nail to get the film made to begin with, and when it looked like it would be snatched from the jaws of victory, he hunkered down and dramatically altered sequences to prove it could indeed be finished without Wood's unshot scenes.

The "recorded memory" sequences were even more vivid for us in Indianapolis who saw it at the Eastwood theatre. The Eastwood had one of the few curved Cinerama roadshow screens outside of New York and Hollywood's Cinerama Dome. Think of it as a smaller version of an Omnimax screen. Sitting in the front row, you were completely enveloped by the film, and the visual and audio effect when the "memory" sequences lit up were quite attention grabbing. Trumbull was at this time working on his ill-fated Showscan process for amusement park rides, and was very interested in audience perceptions of diffrent lenses and frame rates. Some of this is used in Brainstorm. It's just not the same on a TV set of any size.

The central core of the story - the recording of the death of Lillian and Michael's obsession to experience it - is a disturbing one, because it explores the very nature of life and death. It can satisfy or dissappoint, because Trumbull has put his vision of memory, experience, death and afterlife on film for everyone to take pot shots at. And they did. It's a shame, because the film is beautiful, thought provoking, and ingenious. Yeah, I know, it has all of that evil government plot boilerplate. Look past it.

(It even revels in the quirks of the researchers, showing the second thing everybody does with new technology is use it for porn.)