The Thing with Two Heads (1972)

Doctors are forced to transplant the head of a dying, racist surgeon onto the body of a black death row inmate.

Director:

Lee Frost

Writers:

Lee Frost (screenplay), Wes Bishop (screenplay)

Stars:

Roosevelt Grier, Ray Milland, Don Marshall

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ray Milland	...	Maxwell Kirshner
Roosevelt Grier	...	Jack Moss (as 'Rosey' Grier)
Don Marshall	...	Dr. Fred Williams
Roger Perry	...	Dr. Philip Desmond
Chelsea Brown	...	Lila
Kathrine Baumann	...	Patricia (as Kathy Baumann)
John Dullaghan	...	Thomas
John Bliss	...	Donald
Bruce Kimball	...	Police Lieutenant
Jane Kellem	...	Miss Mullen
Lee Frost	...	Sergeant Hacker
Wes Bishop	...	Dr. Smith
Roger Gentry	...	Police Sergeant
Britt Nilsson	...	Nurse
Rick Baker	...	Gorilla

Storyline

A rich but racist man is dying and hatches an elaborate scheme for transplanting his head onto another man's body. His health deteriorates rapidly, and doctors are forced to transplant his head onto the only available candidate: a black man from death row.

---

Plot Keywords:

racism | prejudice | motorcycle | african american | head transplant | 

---

Taglines:

And now with the fights, the Fuzz, the chicks and the choppers...Man, they're really in deeeeep trouble!

---

Genres:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

---

Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Goofs

During the big police-car/motorcycle chase, in a POV shot from the motorcycle, the stunt driver is on the right side of the screen, with the camera shooting over his left shoulder.

---

Quotes

Dr. Fred Williams: You actually feel I could take credit for something with which I had very little to do?
Dr. Maxwell Kirshner: I don't understand you.
Dr. Fred Williams: The reason you don't understand, Doctor, is because you're a *bigot*. A bigot of the highest caliber. And because of that, you have underestimated me and my intelligence.

---

Connections

Spoofed in The Venture Bros.: A Very Venture Halloween (2012)

---

Soundtracks

The Thing Theme Police Chase
Composed and Performed by Porter Jordan

User Reviews

All things '70s merged into one!

"The Thing with Two Heads" is a masterpiece of 1970's explotiation. Everything is here: a no-talent Football star actor (Rosey Grier), Pre-"Smokey and the Bandit" car chases, motorcycles, blaxploitation cliches galore, cheap monsters, no budget, beyond-bad dialogue, a director who thought he was moving up and out of the porno industry, and, of course, the great Ray Milland, star of the incomparable 1970's classic "Frogs". Classic scenes: Convicted convict Grier comes out of anesthesia and expresses suprise and dismay at finding Ray Milland's head attached to his body. Grier: "What did you guys do to me?" Milland, sounding petulent: "We transplanted my head onto your body--now shut up!"

Grier and Milland (the two heads on Rosey's body, remember) show up at Grier's girlfriend's apartment in search of refuge from the cops: Grier: (noticing his gal's shock at seeing his 2-headed condition) "Don't worry baby, I won't hurt you." Girlfriend (looking unsure): "You get into more s***."

The whole film is like this. HIGH-larious. No one could do this on purpose, and that's what makes this 1970's classic such a fantastic find.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 July 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Beast with Two Heads

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

American International Pictures (AIP), Saber Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (Ryder Sound Services)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1