wferri6 The basic premise of this movie, the technology, is in sync with that of a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, published in 1954. Clarke's story, first published as "Patent Pending," and also published as "The Invention," appeared in his collection, Tales from the White Hart. The story within a story tells of a French scientist who successfully finds a way to record and play back brain waves, allowing experiences to be replayed by other people.

Mr-Fusion One of the things I really liked about "Brainstorm" is that it feels related to "TRON". This is in more than just the technological/corporate themes, but also in the lab scenes and some of the (excellent) locations. Evidently, this is Natalie Wood's final performance (and it's a good one) but the characters are the least engaging aspect of the movie. It has its virtues, but there isn't really anyone here to latch onto; except for one, whose death really gives the movie some emotional weight (thanks to his/her performance). It's the science fiction that takes center stage with this movie. What if two people can share sensory experience through telepathy? What happens when the money men take over the equipment to turn a profit? Even creating a mixtape out of sense data is intriguing. The ideas are the fun part. What's weird is seeing a bored Christopher Walken. 6/10

Joseph Kearny Sadly, Brainstorm is best remembered as Natalie Wood's last film, and unfortunately there is little to recommend the film itself. Despite an interesting premise, the film's focus is scattered and the film never follows through on many plot points. Brainstorm was a box office disappointment and Douglas Trumball's last feature film. The special effects, direction, dialog and acting are never more than mediocre and the result is a film that is both disappointing and forgettable. Brainstorm is derailed by trite domestic drama involving a miscast Christopher Walken and Wood while a clash between science and government intervention is played out by a pointless Cliff Robertson and Louise Fletcher who's no Bette Davis when it comes to smoking. Fletcher's smoking is so constant, and unconvincing, that one wonders whether the tobacco industry financed the film.

SnoopyStyle A team of scientists led by Michael Brace (Christopher Walken) and hard-smoking Lillian Reynolds (Louise Fletcher) have developed a recorder for the brain. Michael's estranged wife Karen (Natalie Wood) is tasked to miniaturize the apparatus. CEO Alex Terson (Cliff Robertson) is pushing the work. There is a push for the tapes to be used for military purposes. Technician Gordy is recording various experiences and in one of them, he records having sex. Team scientist Hal Abramson (Joe Dorsey) gets addicted to the sex tape. Meanwhile the machine helps the Braces to reconcile. Lillian suffers a heart attack and records her death on tape. Michael almost dies replaying the tape. Michael is shut out of the experiment which is turned into a military operation called Brainstorm that includes torture. The group hacks in so that Michael could finish Lillian's tape.I remember watching this back then on cable TV and being fascinated by the ideas of a brain recorder. The playback has this other worldly quality. Christopher Walken has his creepy intensity and Louise Fletcher is terrific. I didn't know Natalie Wood died during the filming and quite frankly, I didn't know who she was at the time. The whole concept is so fascinating that it carries the whole movie for me. It's like a 2001 for life after death.