Brain Damage (1988)

Brain Damage is a 1988 American cult horror film directed by Frank Henenlotter and starring Rick Hearst, Jennifer Lowry and Gordon MacDonald.

Plot
Brian begins an unwilling symbiotic relationship with a malevolent leech-like brain-eating parasite called "Aylmer". Aylmer secretes a highly addictive, hallucinogenic blue fluid into Brian's brain. In return for a steady supply of the fluid, Brian must seek out human victims for Aylmer, so that he can devour their brains. All the while, though, as Brian adopts a heavily secluded life in his indulgence of Aylmer's fluids, it begins to draw a rift in his relationship with his girlfriend Barbara and his brother.

Cast

 * Rick Hearst as Brian
 * Gordon MacDonald as Mike
 * Jennifer Lowry as Barbara
 * Theo Barnes as Morris
 * Lucille Saint-Peter as Martha
 * Vicki Darnell as Blonde in Hell
 * Joseph Gonzalez as Guy in shower
 * Bradlee Rhodes as Night watchman

Production
The film was heavily edited by the MPAA in order to receive an R-rating.

Near the end of the film, there is a brief appearance by a man on the subway with a large wicker basket. This is meant to be a cameo appearance by Duane Bradley, the main character from Henenlotter's earlier film Basket Case.

Release
The film was given a limited release theatrically in the United States by Palisades Entertainment Group in 1988. It was subsequently released on VHS by Paramount Home Entertainment.

The film was released on DVD by Synapse Films in 2007. This special edition release features commentary by Henenlotter and reinstates all of the excised gore footage.

Reception
Brain Damage, is a much loved quirky film, with a Rotten Tomatoes Rating of 70%. Online movie review site, From the Mind of Tatlock, had this to say "The only thing I can really say that may convince you to give this movie a watch, is if you happened to look up the definition of 'insanely insane', you would probably see a picture of Aylmer, the brain eating slug next to it and that my friends is how an unknown, but completely enjoyable film comes to be born. Born via a phallic-looking, suave-talking, brain-eating slug creature."

Goofs

 * In the scene where Brian confronts Mark and Barbara after they've had sex, he is looking in the wrong direction.
 * When Brian wakes up bloody, the blood on his left hand disappears and reappears between shots.

Trivia

 * On the subway, Brian sees a man carrying a big basket with a lock on it. The character is from Frank Henenlotter's previous film, Basket Case.
 * During the fellatio scene the crew walked out of the production refusing to work on the scene. A similar incident happened during the shooting of Basket Case.
 * As Brian wakes up for the first time in his bed, his head covered in blood, an album poster is spotted on the wall, Slayer's "Reign In Blood".
 * Horror host Zacherley provided the uncredited voice of Aylmer.
 * The theatrical and original home-video releases of his film deleted the most gruesome scenes, such as the "fellatio" gag.
 * Rick has an unexplained cut on his lip all throughout the film. It was a part of a subplot involving him getting into a fight the night before defending his brother in a bar fight. But due to time restraints the explanation scenes were never filmed.