THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE (1962)

Have you ever heard the expression, 'Hey, don't go loosing your head'? If not, don't worry, because now you can see it in filmic-form. Or to be more precise about it, an 82-minute filmic-form developed in 1962. It was Directed by: Joseph Green; and Starred: Jason Evers, Virginia Leith, Leslie Daniels, with Adele Lamont.


Brain that Wouldn't Die (1962)

THE STORY:

Jan (Virginia Leith)? Can you hear me, Jan? It's your fiancée speaking. Doctor Bill Cortner (Jason Evers). Now if you can manage to open those beautiful big eyes of yours, I'd like to tell you what's been going on.

You see, earlier in the day both you and I were in a car crash together. And although I was lucky enough to walk away from it fairly foot loose and fancy free, you on the other hand weren't as fortunate.

But don't worry though, my dear. Using my special serum my friend Kurt (Anthony La Penna) and I were able to bring you back to life. Or to be more specific -- your head back to life -- just your head! So with any luck I might be able to find another body nearby and transplant it underneath your cranium.

No. Not that body belonging to the hideous looking creature locked behind that door, princess. Some other body! You know. Like a body belonging to a local stripper, perhaps? Or maybe a lingerie models body? 

 

Then again, that's most probably why what next transpires all goes menopausal when you look up at me and say, 'Over my dead body will you get me a new body, Bill. I'd rather die instead'. As a doctor turns into a dirty little perv - a disabled side-kick looses his bloody nerve - Doris Powell (Adele Lamont) has an amazing rack - and at the end of the day, a hideous looking creature finally fights back.

THE REVIEW:

On the whole I'd say 'The Brain That Wouldn't Die' reminded me of an old Roger Corman horror flick developed during this era. Essentially it's a fairly baroque adventure -- and I do mean fairly baroque -- about a scientist who looses his fiancées body -- literally -- and then, for the so-called benefit of medical science, tries to make her whole again in a very voyeuristic fashion.  

Now one of the main reasons why I coined the word 'voyeuristic', dear reader, is because for a large chunk on the narrative the main lead -- as played by Jason Evers -- spends his time trying to find a voluptuous looking lady with very desirable attributes, who would suit both his and his partners needs.

But come off it, my friend. If you were in this man's shoes, wouldn't you spend your time consoling your girlfriend, rather than perving at any bit of skirt who'd come your way? I wouldn't. And I don't think any other decent boyfriend would, either. And that -- for me -- was the only thing about this film I wasn't too keen on. The rest of it on the other hand was just my cup of tea.

Simply put, it had a very earthy and suspenseful quality I just adored following. Even though the acting style was somewhat mannered in tone -- namely, those supporting players -- it did possess a fairly forward thinking message relating to transplantation, that anyone -- like myself -- would understand due to its repercussive overtones.

Well, in the past I've had to have two corneal transplants -- two, over a period of four years -- and in each case I thank medical science for being daring enough to defy nature. Because if they didn't, I don't think I'd be able to write this review -- insert joke here -- and that's one of the main reasons productions such as this one possesses a good argument for medical advancements, as well as the need to sanctify those advancements at any given stage during their development.

Anyway. That's my two cents worth, dear reader. Take it or leave it. Me, I'd say take it with a heavy dose of the following filmic-facts. (1) 'American International Pictures' first released this $62 thousand dollar production in West Germany on the exact same day Robert Kennedy visited the Netherlands. It was on the 25th of February, 1962. (2) Loosely translated, this project was entitled 'The Killer Of A Beautiful Girl' in Greece; 'The Head, Which Will Not Die' in West Germany; and during post production it was given the working-title, 'The Black Door'. (3) The majority of this movie was shot on location throughout Tarrytown, which is situated within the American city of New York. (4) One of the taglines used to promote this picture, was, 'It's madness, not science!'. (5) Virginia Leith hated her performance in this film to such an extent, she actually refused to dub her own voice during post-production, and it had to be dubbed by Doris Brent, who played the nurse. (6) Even though it only took 13 days to shoot the entirety of this thriller, for various legal and censorship reasons it took 3 years to be eventually released. (7) This flick was rejected by the UK film censors until it finally received a DVD certificate in 2006. (8) Adele Lamont, who played the sexy model called Doris in this movie, quit show business altogether after she appeared in this production. (9) After this movie mooned at a hairdresser, Jason Evers starred in the TV series, 'Laramie'; Virginia Leith starred in an episode of 'Baretta'; and Anthony La Penna narrated the documentary, 'Playgirls International'.

Overall I'd say 'The Brain That Wouldn't Die' was a pretty decent film to sit down and watch, especially if you're a voyeuristic ex-transplant patient who wants to follow an adventure that's one part titivating, one part mannered, and all parts baroque.

Come on, baby. You know you want it. As this film will definitely give you head, Ha! Nuff said.

THE RATING: B+