No movie can possibly be as bad as The Brain That Wouldn’t Die.
Not even The Brain That Wouldn’t Die.
I know, I know, this is one of those films which gets tossed into the “Ed Wood” box.
But, I don’t know, I’ve got a certain affection for the thing. If you asked me why, I’d point to a scene early on depicting a car crash.
However, they couldn’t afford to film a car crash in any film this cheap — or to mess up their onscreen car. So they achieve their crash with a flurry of editing and almost random images.
Hey, what the heck. It works.
I think that sums up this one: we have a super cheap film which used its minimal resources well. Yeah, it’s a bit silly at times, but then what do you expect from a film about a doctor keeping his girlfriend’s head alive on a tray in his lab?
High art?
Yeah, yeah, the monster in the closet looks seriously bad when we finally get to see it, but then we only get to see it at the very end for a few minutes — and only after it has established itself as a sinister and decidedly uncanny presence.
Look, this was a bargain basement film, shot for a few bucks, mostly on a single set, with nothing up their sleeves but a few props, a bit of makeup and an old magic trick.
Yet somehow they delivered a film that is creepy and memorable — and, yes, very very silly in an agreeable sort of way.
There aren’t too many films, working within this one’s absurd limitations, which turned out this well.
So watch it with lots of friends, popcorn, and heavily buttered sarcasm.
And try not to admit that you like it more than you’re supposed to…
rivets on the poster 
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