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The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

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Brain Damage (1988)

Rating: 3 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

Head Games

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Brain Damage on DVD

The great "B" filmmaker Frank Henenlotter has only directed five films in 20 years (the cult films Basket Case and Frankenhooker among them), but he remains one of the most interesting personalities on the fringes. This funny, bizarre film follows Brian (Rick Hearst), who finds a creepy, disembodied brain and becomes hooked on the blue fluid it injects into him. While Brian hallucinates, the creature kills people and steals their brains. Or something like that. Synapse has released a definitive Director's Cut Special Edition disc with a commentary track and other extras.

Starring: Rick Hearst, Gordon MacDonald, Jennifer Lowry, Theo Barnes, Lucille Saint-Peter, Vicki Darnell, Kevin Van Hentenryck
Written by: Frank Henenlotter
Directed by: Frank Henenlotter
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Running Time: 86 minutes
Date: August 18, 2003