THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE

US, 1962, 80 minutes, Black and white.
Jason Evers, Virginia Leith, Leslie Daniels.
Directed by Joseph Green.

The Brain That Wouldn’t Die gives an indication of the style of the film. It is a small-budget horror film from the United States, made in 1959 and released several years later. It is reminiscent of some of the plots of British horror films of the late 1950s and the 1960s.

The film shows the arrogant young doctor assisting his father at an operation, bringing someone who is clinically dead back to life. He drives recklessly with his girlfriend to his own secret laboratory where he is helped by his friend whose hand has been mutilated in experiments. Behind a locked door is a monstrous mutation from their experiments. The car crashes on the way and the girlfriend survives and the doctor takes her to his laboratory, preserving her head. He then searches for a perfect body in order to make a transplant. In the laboratory, she survives and becomes powerful, controlling the friend, controlling the monster – to the inevitable destruction of everyone.

The film is better than average of this kind of film mainly because of its plot rather than its performance.

1.The popularity of this kind of B-budget horror film? From the United States, the 1960s? The small budget? Performances? Screenplay?

2.Black and white photography, the surgery, the laboratories, the open road? An authentic feel? Musical score?

3.The opening, the operation, Doctor Cortner and his skills, his son, getting permission to experiment, bringing the patient back to life? His arrogance?

4.His relationship with Jan, her work? A strong young woman? Travelling together, his speeding, the crash, her survival, his taking her head to the laboratory? Preserving it? His decision to find a body, going to the strip clubs, interviewing the prospective candidates, bringing the brunette back to the laboratory?

5.The monster behind the door, eerie, finally revealed, wreaking destruction, saving the dancer?

6.Kurt, his friendship with Doctor Cortner, helping him, the experiment gone wrong, his hand? The bond with Jan? Helping her?

7.Jan, the head preserved, her power, her control, her attitude towards Doctor Cortner?

8.The build-up to the climax, mayhem and destruction?

9.The popularity of this kind of science fiction story? What if …?