The Brain That Wouldn't Die
The Brain That Wouldn't Die | |
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Directed by | Joseph Green |
Written by |
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Produced by |
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Starring | |
Cinematography | Stephen Hajnal |
Edited by |
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Music by |
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Production company | Rex Carlton Productions |
Distributed by | American International Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 71 minutes (theatrical) 82 minutes (uncut) |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $62,000 (estimated) |
The Brain That Wouldn't Die (also known as The Head That Wouldn't Die or The Brain That Couldn't Die) is a 1962 American science fiction horror film directed by Joseph Green and written by Green and Rex Carlton.[1] The film was completed in 1959 under the working title The Black Door but was not theatrically released until May 3, 1962, under its new title as a double feature with Invasion of the Star Creatures.[2][3]
The film focuses upon a mad doctor who develops a means of keeping human body parts alive. He keeps his fiancée's severed head alive for days, along with a lumbering, malformed brute (one of his earlier failed experiments) imprisoned in a closet.
The specific plot device of a mad doctor who discovers a way to keep a human head alive had been used in fiction earlier (such as Professor Dowell's Head from 1925), as well as other variants on this theme. It shares several key plot devices with the West German horror film The Head (1959).
The film was in the public domain in the United States from the day of its release due to a flawed copyright notice.[4]
Plot
Dr. Bill Cortner saves a patient who had been pronounced dead, but the senior surgeon, Bill's father, condemns his son's unorthodox methods and theories of transplanting.
While driving to his family's country house, Bill and his beautiful fiancée Jan Compton become involved in a car accident that decapitates her. Bill recovers her severed head and rushes to his country house basement laboratory. He and his crippled assistant Kurt revive the head in a liquid-filled tray. But Jan's new existence is agony, and she begs Bill to let her die. He ignores her pleas, and she grows to resent him.
Bill decides to commit murder to obtain a body for Jan. He hunts for a suitable specimen at a burlesque nightclub, on the streets, and at a beauty-contest. Jan begins communicating telepathically with a hideous mutant, an experiment gone wrong, locked in a laboratory cell. When Kurt leaves a hatch in the cell door unlocked, the monster grabs and tears off Kurt's arm. Kurt dies from his injuries.
Bill lures an old girlfriend, figure-model Doris Powell, to his house, promising to study her scarred face for plastic surgery. He drugs her and carries her to the laboratory. Jan protests Bill's plan to transplant her head onto Doris's body. He tapes Jan's mouth shut.
When Bill goes to quiet the monster, it grabs Bill through the hatch and breaks the door from its hinges. Their struggles set the laboratory ablaze. The monster, a seven-foot giant with a horribly deformed head, bites a chunk from Bill's neck. Bill dies, and the monster carries the unconscious Doris to safety. As the lab goes up in flames, Jan says "I told you to let me die". The screen goes black, followed by Jan's maniacal cackle, welcoming her long-awaited death.
Cast
- Jason Evers – Dr. Bill Cortner
- Virginia Leith – Jan Compton
- Bruce Brighton – Dr. Cortner senior (Bill's father)
- Anthony La Penna – Kurt (Cortner's assistant) (credited as Leslie Daniel)
- Adele Lamont – Doris Powell
- Bonnie Sharie – Blonde stripper
- Paula Maurice – Brunette stripper
- Marilyn Hanold – Peggy Howard
- Arny Freeman – Photographer
- Fred Martin – Medical assistant
- Lola Mason – Donna Williams
- Doris Brent – Nurse
- Bruce Kerr – Beauty-contest M.C.
- Audrey Devereau – Jeannie Reynolds
- Eddie Carmel – Monster
- Sammy Petrillo – Art (uncredited)
Production
The film was shot independently around Tarrytown, New York, in 1959 under the working title The Black Door.[2] Producer Rex Carlton suggested calling the film I Was a Teenage Brain Surgeon in the style of the similar titles of the time.[5] The title was later changed to The Head That Wouldn't Die.[6] Some prints of the film use both the opening title The Brain That Wouldn't Die and the closing title The Head That Wouldn't Die.
The monster in the closet was played, in his first cinematic role, by
The main theme, titled "The Web", was composed by
Release
The movie was picked up for release by AIP and released in 1962 on a double bill with Invasion of the Star Creatures. AIP cut it for theatrical release.[6]
Home media
An uncut,
In December 2015,
Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode
The film was featured in episode 513 of
In a poll of Bring Back MST3K Kickstarter backers, which raised money for an eleventh season of the show, The Brain that Wouldn't Die was ranked #23.[11] Writer Jim Vorel ranked the episode considerably lower, at #125 in his ranking of MST3K's 191 episodes,[12] saying, "It’s a dark, fairly ugly movie with extremely cheap sets, but Mike’s presence puts the crew into an upbeat, energetic state that contrasts nicely with it."
The MST3K episode was released on VHS by
Reception and legacy
On
Brian J. Dillard from AllMovie said of the film: "Hokey, overwrought, and poorly paced, this venerable creature feature still commands a sizable following on the basis of its campy, low-grade special effects, its T&A exploitation, and its many pseudo-philosophical soliloquies".[18] TV Guide awarded the film two out of four stars, calling it "one of the most genuinely bizarre 'brain' movies".[19]
Adaptations
The movie also inspired the musical stage production The Brain That Wouldn't Die! In 3D!!! by Tom Sivak and Elizabeth Gelman, that premiered at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in October 2011.[20]
In 2015, Pug Bujeaud's musical theatrical production The HEAD! That Wouldn't Die was mounted in Olympia, Washington by Theater Artists Olympia. Lyrics and music were written by the ensemble cast and the TAO collective.[21]
Soon thereafter, Hollywood screenwriter Bruce Bernhard adapted the script as a staged musical comedy, creating a completely new score for it with songwriter Chris Cassone. The official world premiere for The Brain That Wouldn’t Die!…the Musical was at the Footlight Players Theatre in Charleston, South Carolina on October 13, 2016.[22]
A satirical feature film adaptation of the same title was filmed on location in Portland, Oregon. The film premiered on June 21, 2020, as part of the Portland Horror Film Festival.[23][24]
In popular culture
- The film was featured on the nationally syndicated television show Cinema Insomnia, hosted by Mr. Lobo.[25]
- The film inspired the title and premise of the stage play The Head that Wouldn't Die by Rand Higbee.[citation needed]
See also
- Isolated brain
- The Lady and the Monster, a 1944 film about a living brain kept inside a jar.
- Eyes Without a Face, a 1960 horror film about organ transplantation.
- The Brain, another film released in 1962 featuring an isolated brain.
- Donovan's Brain, a 1953 black-and-white science fiction horror film featuring Nancy Davis (later Nancy Reagan).
- Re-Animator (1985 film), another take on the subject, loosely based on a Lovecraft novelette, spawning two sequels and a cult status.
- The Man with Two Brains
- Frankenhooker (1990 film), also about a mad scientist bringing his decapitated wife back to life with stolen body parts.
References
- ISBN 1-557-83269-2.
- ^ ISBN 0-520-20970-2.
- ^ ISBN 0-899-50091-9.
- ^ "Turner Classic Movies". Archived from the original on June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
- ^ p. 207 Senn, Bryan "Twice the Thrills! Twice the Chills!": Horror and Science Fiction Double Features, 1955-1974 McFarland 28 February 2019
- ^ a b Gary A. Smith, The American International Pictures Video Guide, McFarland, 2009. p. 33.
- ^ "The Jewish Giant". SoundPortraits.org. Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved October 26, 2007.
- ^ "Brain That Wouldn't Die, The [Special Edition DVD] - Synapse Films". October 1, 2002. Archived from the original on June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
- ^ "The Brain That Wouldn't Die". Shout!Factory. Archived from the original on January 11, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
- ^ "The Brain That Wouldn't Die Blu-ray". Archived from the original on June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021 – via www.blu-ray.com.
- ^ "The Top 100 Best MST3K Episodes". Den of Geek. April 15, 2017. Archived from the original on November 15, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
- ^ Ranking Every MST3K Episode, From Worst to Best. Archived October 25, 2017, at the Wayback Machine Vorel, Jim. Paste Magazine. April 13, 2017. Retrieved on October 25, 2017.
- ^ MST3K FAQ. Archived August 20, 2017, at the Wayback Machine Satellite News. Other Media. Retrieved on October 25, 2017.
- ^ MST3K: 25th Anniversary Edition. Archived October 26, 2017, at the Wayback Machine Shout Factory. Retrieved on October 25, 2017.
- ^ "The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1962) – Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes.com. Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ISBN 978-0-452-29577-3. Archivedfrom the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- ^ Sindelar, Dave (October 15, 2016). "The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1962)". Fantastic Movie Musings.com. Dave Sindelar. Archived from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- ^ Dillard, Brian. "The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1959) – Joseph Green". Allmovie.com. Brian J. Dillard. Archived from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- ^ "The Brain That Wouldn't Die – Movie Reviews and Movie Ratings". TV Guilde.com. TV Guide. Archived from the original on January 26, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- ^ Hetrick, Adam (August 30, 2011). "Stephen Buntrock and Kathy Voytko to Battle The Brain That Wouldn't Die! In 3-D!!! at NYMF". playbill.com. Archived from the original on September 14, 2011.
- ^ Clayton, Alec (October 8, 2015). "Theater Artists Olympia revised their huge B-movie hit". northwestmilitary.com. Archived from the original on January 11, 2016. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
- ^ "The Brain That Wouldn't Die Musical". Port Chester, NY Patch. June 21, 2017. Archived from the original on June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
- ^ Callahan, Gwen (June 2, 2020). "The Brain That Wouldn't Die". Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
- ^ "THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE (2020) + SHORTS 7". Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020 – via hollywoodtheatre.org.
- ^ "Cinema Insomnia, with your Horror Host, Mister Lobo! – SHOW INFORMATION". Archived from the original on March 28, 2010. Retrieved November 21, 2010.
Further reading
- Fleming, Chet (February 1988). If We Can Keep a Severed Head Alive...ISBN 0-942287-02-9.