Brain Damage is one of Frank Henenlotter’s zaniest, most bad taste films – and that’s saying something! Sitting between Basket Case and Frankenhooker in Henenlotter’s ouvre, Brain Damage really is the ultimate head trip, with talking, brain-hungry parasites, mind-bending special effects and more bad taste gags than you can shake a stick at. And this Arrow Video release sees it finally arrive on Blu-ray in all of its gory glory.
Meet Elmer. He’s your local, friendly parasite with the ability to induce euphoric hallucinations in his hosts. But these LSD-like trips come with a hefty price tag. When young Brian comes under Elmer’s addictive spell, it’s not long before he finds himself scouring the city streets in search of his parasite’s preferred food source – brains!
Featuring late TV horror host John Zacherley as the voice of Elmer, Brain Damage boasts some of the most astonishing bad taste gore-gags ever realized, including the notorious “brain-pulling sequence” and a blow-job that ends with a distinctly unconventional climax.
What’s not to love about Frank Henenlotter? His glorious forays into bad taste cinema have to be seen to be believed and Brain Damage is no different. In fact, it’s probably the most extreme of the lot, with the infamous “brain-pulling” sequence as well as a blow job scene from hell. Of course, being a Henenlotter film, it also has its tongue firmly in its cheek so even as the bad taste and gore scenes role in, it’s always with a perfectly pitched sense of humour.
And that sense of humour brings us squarely on to Elmer, one of the best horror villains ever created. A disgusting parasite with the power to induce euphoric hallucinations, Elmer also has a taste for human brains, forcing his host, Brian, to go out in hunt of them. Voiced by late night TV horror icon John Zacherley, Elmer is in equal parts gross and hilarious, making him a real horror baddie for the ages.
This special edition Dual Format release does not disappoint. It comes with oodles of special features, including a brand new audio commentary by Henenlotter himself, and early birds can also get their hands on some special limited edition extras. There’s even an extremely limited edition Elmer pin badge available only from the Arrow Store plus a few selected retailers and conventions.
Brain Damage will be released in the UK and USA as a Dual Format edition (Blu-ray & DVD) on 8 May from Arrow Video at the RRP of £24.99.
Special Edition contents:
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Digital transfer from original film elements
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High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
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Original Mono audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray)
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Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
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Brand new audio commentary by writer-director Frank Henenlotter
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Brand new interviews with cast and crew
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Q&A with Henenlotter recorded at the 2016 Offscreen Film Festival
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Theatrical trailer
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Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sara Deck
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More to be announced!
First pressing only:
EXCLUSIVE ENAMEL “ELMER” PIN BADGE RELEASE ONLY AVAILABLE FROM THE ARROW STORE, DIABOLIKDVD AND PRE-RELEASE AT TEXAS FRIGHTMARE WEEKEND 2017 (Limited quantities available, whilst stocks last) |
