Brain Damage (1988): Cast, Ratings, Plot & Where to Watch
Brain Damage is a 1988 drama horror film directed by Frank Henenlotter, starring Beverly Bonner, Michael Bishop and Rick Hearst. It runs 1 hour 24 minutes. Critics gave it 69% on Rotten Tomatoes and 61 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.5/10. Stream it on Kanopy and Night Flight Plus, or rent or buy it on Fandango At Home.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 24m (84 min)
- Director
- Frank Henenlotter
- Original language
-
English - After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Brain Damage About?
The premise of Brain Damage without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A young man becomes addicted to Elmer, a strange creature that provides an irresistible, mind-altering high by consuming human brains. As his dependence grows, he struggles to distinguish reality from hallucination, and the consequences of his addiction become increasingly bizarre and disturbing. The film blends horror and dark comedy, exploring the depths of addiction and the fragility of the human mind.
Brain Damage Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- man wrapped in a towel
- male wears underwear
- male rear nudity
- nudity
- bare chested male
- clothed male naked male scene
- shared shower
- body horror
- sleeping in underwear
- sex scene
- communal shower
- urban fantasy
+38 more Show fewer
- homoerotic undertones
- controlled by a monster
- killer parasite
- parasite
- underwear
- two word title
- body part in title
- taking a shower
- male nudity
- campy
- rear nudity
- tank top
- secretly observing
- wrapped in a towel
- group shower
- creature
- monster
- written by director
- chandelier
- cult horror
- wound
- statue
- scar
- delivery
- camera shot of feet
- human brain
- scream
- screaming woman
- broken plate
- breaking a plate
- sleeping with socks on
- framed photograph
- photograph
- telephone call
- pet monster
- old woman
- old man
- euphoria
Where to Watch Brain Damage
Stream it on Kanopy and Night Flight Plus, or rent or buy it from Fandango At Home. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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Brain Damage Cast
Beverly Bonner leads the cast, with Michael Bishop and Rick Hearst. Directed by Frank Henenlotter; 10 actors are credited in all.
- Director Frank Henenlotter
Also Starring in Brain Damage
· 6 moreBrain Damage Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Brain Damage 69% on Rotten Tomatoes and 61 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.5/10.
-
IMDb 6.5 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 69% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 64%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 61 Metascore
User score 6.4
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 67% User score
See on TMDB
Brain Damage Plot Summary
What happens in Brain Damage from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In a bustling New York City, Dr. Morris Ackerman returns to his apartment, bringing home treats for a peculiar guest—his wife Martha is excited to introduce him to “Elmer,” a bizarre one-foot-long parasite with mesmerizing blue eyes. However, when Martha heads to the bathroom to feed Elmer, she discovers that he has vanished, sparking a frantic search throughout their home. In their chaotic state, both Morris and Martha succumb to an unusual foaming at the mouth.
Full summary
The whole story of Brain Damage, scene by scene
Brain Damage Trailers & Videos
4 videos: 1 trailer and 3 clips.
- Clip Elmer Arrives
- Clip Murder on the Toilet
- Clip Train Ride
How Well Do You Know Brain Damage?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What does Elmer, the parasite, require from Brian in exchange for blue juice?
Cars in Brain Damage
9 cars on screen, including the unknown and the 1978 Chevrolet Chevy Van.
-
unknown Minor role -
1978 Chevrolet Chevy Van Background role -
1985 Chevrolet Chevy Van Background role -
1978 Chevrolet Malibu Background role
Brain Damage Also Known As
23 alternative titles, including “O Soro do Mal” and “Elmer le remue-méninges”.
- Also known as
-
- O Soro do Mal
- Elmer le remue-méninges
- Ekrixi egefalou
- Έκρηξη Εγκεφάλου
- Pgua mohin
- Brain Damage (La maledizione di Elmer)
- Il succhiacervelli
- Zniszczenie mózgu
- Danos Cerebrais
- Повреждение мозга
- Elmer
- Sin control
+11 more Show fewer
- Εγκεφαλική βλάβη
- Burein Damêji
- ブレインダメージ
- Elmer the Parasite
- Ostecenje mozga
- Elmer, le remue-méninges
- Brain Damage - La maledizione di Elmer
- 脑残
- 브레인 데미지
- Uszkodzenie mózgu
- Mozková příhoda
Seen Brain Damage?
Movies Like Brain Damage
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Brain Dead, Brain Sex and Brand Upon the Brain!.
Brain Damage FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, ratings and post-credit scenes of Brain Damage, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Brain Damage?
Brain Damage runs 1 hour 24 minutes (84 minutes).
When was Brain Damage released?
Brain Damage was released on April 22, 1988.
Who directed Brain Damage?
Brain Damage was directed by Frank Henenlotter.
More films by Frank Henenlotter Who is in the cast of Brain Damage?
Brain Damage stars Beverly Bonner, Michael Bishop and Rick Hearst, among 10 credited actors.
Where can I watch Brain Damage?
In the US, Brain Damage is streaming on Kanopy and Night Flight Plus and available to rent or buy on Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).
How is Brain Damage rated?
Brain Damage has 6.5/10 on IMDb, 69% on Rotten Tomatoes, 61 on Metacritic and 67% on TMDB.
Does Brain Damage have a post-credit scene?
No. Brain Damage has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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