Shatterbrain (1991)
"The Resurrected" (original title)

Charles Dexter Ward's wife enlists the help of a private detective to find out what her husband is up to in a remote cabin owned by his family for centuries. The husband is a chemical ... See full summary »

Director:

Dan O'Bannon

Writers:

H.P. Lovecraft (story), Brent V. Friedman (screenplay)

Stars:

John Terry, Jane Sibbett, Chris Sarandon

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Terry	...	John March
Jane Sibbett	...	Claire Ward
Chris Sarandon	...	Charles Dexter Ward / Joseph Curwen
Robert Romanus	...	Lonnie Peck
Laurie Briscoe	...	Holly Tender
Ken Camroux	...	Captain Ben Szandor
Patrick P. Pon	...	Raymond (as Patrick Pon)
Bernard Cuffling	...	Dr. Waite
J.B. Bivens	...	Station Orderly 1
Robert Sidley	...	Third Orderly
Des Smiley	...	Janitor
Eric Newton	...	Lucius Fenner
Tom Shorthouse	...	Gas Man
Jim Smith	...	Butcher
Philip Maurice Hayes	...	Uniform Cop (as Philip Hayes)

Storyline

Charles Dexter Ward's wife enlists the help of a private detective to find out what her husband is up to in a remote cabin owned by his family for centuries. The husband is a chemical engineer, and the smells from his experiments (and the delivery of what appear to be human remains at all hours) are beginning to arouse the attention of neighbors and local law enforcement officials. When the detective and wife find a diary of the husband's ancestor from 1771, and reports of gruesome murders in the area begin to surface, they begin to suspect that some very unnatural experiments are being conducted in the old house. Based on an H.P. Lovecraft story.

---

Plot Keywords:

h.p. lovecraft | resurrection | spontaneous human combustion | spontaneous combustion | independent film

---

Genres:

Horror

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 April 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Shatterbrain

Filming Locations:

British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Scotti Brothers Pictures (I), Borde/Raich

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Final film to be released by Scotti Brothers Pictures.

---

Goofs

When Claire Ward first visits John March, she sits in his office, and we can see Holly the receptionist's desk behind Claire through the glass wall. The first time we see this shot, there is someone who is not Holly behind the desk. The next time we see the shot, Holly is at her desk, but talking to someone, although as far as we know, no one else is there.

---

Quotes

Joseph Curwen: I should strip thy flesh from thy bones like a suckling pig, but because I am a madman, they would do nothing to me. Such are the customs of this enlightened century.

---

Connections

Referenced in Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown (2008)

User Reviews

Best adaptation of the Case of Charles Dexter Ward

This movie is a must see, IF you've read the story and like it, and IF you've seen the other adaptation, "The Haunted Palace" with Vincent Price. Sure, this story is a bit different than the book. It's set in the modern day, and Charles Ward is a well-paid chemist at Belmar Cosmetics, not a young antiquarian débutante. And instead of Doctor Willet being the principle investigator, John Marsh P.I. is (nice nod to the Innsmouth stories with that last name).

Aside from those differences necessary to bring this into the modern day, and aside from a very slight difference in how Joseph Curwen is ultimately dealt with, this follows the story in the book. It's all there: the portrait, the neighbor Fenner, the house in Pawtucket, and of course the underground labs of J.C. Curwen. There are story sequences set in Colonial times to build the story as well, and they are nicely done. But the real crowning glory of this movie is the sets they built for Curwens underground lab. They are MARVELOUS. Everything is there: the sanity blasting carvings, the "mistakes and screw-ups" raised from Imperfect salts, and the jars of Materia.

I highly recommend this movie. I'm still treasuring my copy on Laser Disk and hoping that it someday comes out on DVD. Production is top notch, as is the music and of course the story.