tomgillespie2002 Largely ignored on its original release but subsequently gathering a loyal cult following over the years, Brain Damage will no doubt appease fans of director Frank Henenlotter's other darkly humorous and outrageously gory works Basket Case (1982) and Frankenhooker (1990). Bringing his trademark sense of humour and mixing it up with lashings of tongue-in-cheek blood-letting, Brain Damage also strives to deliver a message, and is admirable for the anti-drug theme running throughout. With America in the midst of an AIDS and crack panic at the time, Henenlotter paints a very bleak picture of a New York City in crisis, as a parasitic killer searches for unwitting victims.Average Joe Brian (Rick Hearst) wakes up one morning feeling disorientated, finding his bed sheets soaked through with blood. He doesn't seem to be cut, but when he looks in the mirror he finds a strange parasitic creature on his person. Looking like a turd with eyes and big teeth, it also has a name, Aylmer, and speaks in a dignified foreign accent (voiced by John Zacherle). Injecting Brian through the back of the neck with a blue liquid that gives the unsuspecting goofball a drug-like sense of euphoria, Brian gets hooked on the stuff, and Aylmer exploits his addiction for food. Only Aylmer has a taste for human brains, and so Brian must spend his sober hours searching for human victims. Alienating himself from his girlfriend Barbara (Jennifer Lowry), Brian also faces the threat of the symbiote's former owners, who have been going cold turkey ever since it fled.Cut to pieces on its original home video release but later restored, it isn't difficult to see why the ratings board demanded the removal of certain scenes. A wonderfully wince-inducing scene in which Brian pulls his own brain out of his ear for what seems like an eternity found itself on the cutting-room floor, as did the uncomfortable scene where a woman is eaten alive while appearing to be performing fellatio in an unnecessarily sexualised moment of pure exploitation that left me genuinely horrified, and not in a good way. The story and characters are engaging enough to keep the film interesting, while the obvious lack of budget means that the acting is sub-par and the special effects are often laughable, if not charming. The main strength is Brain Damage's depiction of a drug addict going to increasingly desperate measures in order to procure his fix, and Hearst is surprisingly good in the role. Fans of Henenlotter should keep their eyes peeled for the appearance of a certain man with a basket.

Predrag Are you tired of the sameness of Hollywood's over-priced commercialized dross? Check out Mr. Henenlotter's work today. This is a weird film, but in a good way. Elmer is a parasite who will get you high in exchange for brains. The problem was the old people was feeding him animals brain, so Elmer decide to find a new host. The young man was getting so high that he didn't know what Elmer was up to. Elmer didn't care just as he was getting human brains.The film is also a moral warning about the effects of drugs - they make you feel great at first but before long you're addicted to them, you've screwed your life up and you'll do literally anything to get the fluids you're now dependent on. A very black form of comedy with a serious edge to it, and the inner-city locations provide an excellent atmosphere. Very original, with good writing, and neat visuals for such a low budget.Overall rating: 7 out of 10.

PeterMitchell-506-564364 We've got a new killer freak, it's size less than the length of my hand: Elmer. He attaches himself the the brain of this poor sod, giving him wonderful highs, but if Elmer doesn't get what he wants, e.g. to suck out the brain of a whore, our poor Brian gets monster headaches. How smart was this film? Basket Case fans will love this. Brian's Girlfriend and his brother start to sense changes, as Brian becomes comes a recluse, staying in his bedroom. His brother seizing the chance, even makes the moves on his girlfriend. When Brian catches them in bed, he doesn't even care. We too can feel Brian's high, and Elmer's funny to look at, if captivating, we can barely make out his mouth. Enough gore to satisfy, that's for sure, in this follow up to the superior Basket Case, this quiet straight to video flick is worth the watch. We even have a surprise guest on a train, carrying a basket no less.

Tromafreak Let me just say it right off the bat. God bless Frank Henenlotter. This guy is a master of 80's B-Horror every bit as much as Lloyd Kaufman. Henenlotter is known mainly for what I consider the greatest Horror movie of the 80's, that's right, Basket Case. But later on, in the late-80's, Henenlotter would work his low-budget magic once again.Now, this is what I call an intriguing storyline... Meet Brian, Brian lives with his brother in a New York apartment, he mostly keeps to himself in his room. Brian isn't some kind of a freak or anything, he's just depressed and bored. Well, things are about to liven up for Brian, because there is a thousand year old worm-like parasite loose in the building. Meet Elmer the Aylmer, Elmer can produce a highly-addictive psychedelic liquid, and inject it into peoples brains. Elmer drugs Brian, who is now experiencing his first good day in quite awhile. The fast talking Elmer aims to make friends with Brian. Naturally, Brian welcomes the little fella with open arms. Just like every other drug, and pretty much anything that makes you feel good, there is a catch. Elmer survives on one thing, human brains. And you guessed it, it's now Brian's responsibility to bring home the bacon, so to speak, or no more good days (brain damage). With his brain only half fried, Brian still has half a conscience, and just like any drug-addict who has that moment of clarity, poor Brian has some detoxing to do. But in this case, Brian's drug of choice will quite literally be taunting him the whole way back. I don't know about you, but I would have told that thing to go to hell and gone out and got a bottle of Southern Comfort, or something.After Frank Henenlotter's original masterpiece, the man brings us the most entertaining anti-drug flick since Bood Freak. Enough disgusting gore, bad acting, and outrageous B-charm to satisfy any fans of Basket Case, even our pal, Kevin Van Hentenryck stops by for a spell, so, you know this psychedelic shin-dig is not to be missed. Too bad Henenlotter hasn't made more movies over the years, although, I do hear good things about his new one, Bad Biology. I can't say I've ever seen Frankenhooker, or that I approve of the Basket Case sequels, but as far as I've seen, Lightning has struck at least twice for Mr. Henenlotter. 9/10