One morning a young man wakes to find a small, disgusting creature has attached itself to the base of his brain stem. The creature gives him a euphoric state of happiness but in return demands human victims.
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Title: Brain Damage (1988)
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Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Rick Hearst | ... |
Brian
(as Rick Herbst)
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Gordon MacDonald | ... |
Mike
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Jennifer Lowry | ... |
Barbara
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Theo Barnes | ... |
Morris
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Lucille Saint-Peter | ... |
Martha
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Vicki Darnell | ... |
Blonde in Hell
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Joseph Gonzalez | ... |
Guy in shower
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Bradlee Rhodes | ... |
Night watchman
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Michael Bishop | ... |
Toilet victim
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Beverly Bonner | ... |
Neighbor
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Ari M. Roussimoff | ... |
Biker
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Kevin Van Hentenryck | ... | |
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Michael Rubenstein | ... |
Bum in alley
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Angel Figueroa | ... |
Junkie
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John Reichert | ... |
Policeman
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Edit
Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
A normal, average guy who lives in New York City becomes dependent on an evil, disembodied brain. The brain feeds the guy a narcotic substance in exchange for his unwilling assistance in obtaining the brains of innocent victims for sustenance. This turns into a tour of circa-1980s underground NYC clubs, backlots, and other seedy locations. One scene features the band Swimming Pool Cues playing the song "Corruption." Written by Mark Logan <marklo@west.sun.com>
Taglines:
Hang onto your hats... Elmer's here! See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
15 December 1988 (West Germany) See more »Also Known As:
Brain Damage (La maledizione di Elmer) See more »Box Office
Budget:
$900,000 (estimated)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (uncut)Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
Brian: No way! It's not gonna happen again!
Aylmer: What isn't?
Brian: Killing people!
Aylmer: Oh.
[laughs]
Aylmer: I thought you meant getting high!
Brian: We can't keep killing people every time you're hungry!
Aylmer: Oh yes we can. We'll do anything I want us to do. You're mine now, Brian. I *own* you...
See more »
by J. Calder, A. Boston, J.E. Garnett, B. Elsey, & B. Burton
Performed by The Swimming Pool Q's
Courtesy of Irving Music, Inc.
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The theatrical and original home-video releases of his film deleted the most gruesome scenes, such as the "fellatio" gag. See more »Goofs
In the scene where Brian confronts Mark and Barbara after they've had sex, he is looking in the wrong direction See more »Quotes
Aylmer: You're a wreck, Brian. You've got to relax. Why don't you put me on your neck and 'calm down?'Brian: No way! It's not gonna happen again!
Aylmer: What isn't?
Brian: Killing people!
Aylmer: Oh.
[laughs]
Aylmer: I thought you meant getting high!
Brian: We can't keep killing people every time you're hungry!
Aylmer: Oh yes we can. We'll do anything I want us to do. You're mine now, Brian. I *own* you...
See more »
Crazy Credits
In the end titles, listed under "Historical Research" is BABE WOZENTHAL. According Frank Henenlotter on the DVD's commentary, this was a joke about Jerry Lewis in "The Errand Boy." See more »Soundtracks
Corruptionby J. Calder, A. Boston, J.E. Garnett, B. Elsey, & B. Burton
Performed by The Swimming Pool Q's
Courtesy of Irving Music, Inc.
See more »
From the director of BASKET CASE comes his second feature, and this one's his best. And we also get a Collector's Edition DVD from Synapse with a couple of extra goodies.
There's a parasite loose in an apartment building named 'Elmer' who infects a guy named Brian (Rick Herbst) and addicts him to his blue 'juice'. In order to get more juice, Brian has to bring Elmer some more brains to eat. Elmer even smiles and sings in the bathroom sink. What a cute little turd. (laughs) He's so detestably obnoxious that I can't help but like the little b***ard.
It's kinda neat that when Brian brings Elmer out, he attacks people by latching onto their foreheads and burrowing into his victims skulls and eating out their brains with what looks like a long straw. Most of the jerks Elmer does this to, deserve it anyway.
This collector's edition DVD restores the long censored fellatio scene where Elmer pops out of Brian's pants and goes down the prostitute's mouth. And when Elmer's done eating, big hunks of gray matter come popping out of the hooker's mouth. It's a riot!
And there's also the scene where Brian hallucinates during his withdrawal from Elmer's blue 'juice' and imagines pulling a string of tissue out his ear until his ear pops out and the side of his head gushes blood. Cool gore scene.
The Synapse DVD uses an excellent wide-screen print with a great 80s synth soundtrack that includes the song, "Corruption" by The Swimming Pool Qs. Not at all like the crummy, muddy-looking censored VHS tape from a few years back. The only drawback is that there aren't many extras beyond a very interesting separate audio track commentary by director Henenlotter, and a movie trailer for the film.
It's an all out classic in my book. Watch it! Get it!
8 out of 10