Brain Damage (1988) – Nostalgia Central

“This is the start of your new life, Brian, a life full of colours, music, light and euphoria. A life without pain, or hurt or suffering.”

Written and directed by Basket Case director Frank Henenlotter, this body-horror classic serves as a darkly satirical allegory for drug addiction, utilising Henenlotter’s signature grimy, late-1980s New York City aesthetic.

Brian (Rick Hearst in his acting debut) discovers an ancient, phallic, worm-like parasitic creature named Aylmer (sometimes referred to as “Elmer”), which attaches itself to the back of Brian’s neck and directly injects his brain with a highly addictive, glowing blue chemical fluid.

This “brain juice” causes intensely euphoric, psychedelic hallucinations that make Brian feel completely invincible.

In exchange for the chemical bliss, Aylmer (voiced by legendary American television horror host Zacherley) demands a horrific price – Brian must take the creature out “for walks” so Aylmer can ambush humans and literally suck out and eat their brains.

As Brian’s dependency grows, he tries to isolate himself in a cheap motel room to break the addiction and stop the murders.

But the agonising physical withdrawals inflicted by Aylmer force him back onto the streets to hunt for more victims.

Meanwhile, Morris and Martha Ackerman (Theo Barnes and Lucille Saint-Peter) – an elderly, eccentric couple who were Aylmer’s previous keepers – desperately hunt for Brian to get their beloved monster back.

The film’s most controversial scene has Brian being led down an alley by a leather-clad blonde from a nightclub (Vicki Darnell).

Reaching into his zipper, she finds a phallic-shaped Aylmer (“It feels like you’ve got a real monster in there”) and – mistaking it for Brian’s penis – proceeds to give it a blowjob.

Seizing his chance for a late-night snack, Aylmer pulls the poor girl’s brains out through her mouth in the most perverse instance of symbolic ejaculation ever committed to celluloid.

It’s a moment you’ll be talking about long after the credits roll.

Jennifer Lowry co-stars as Brian’s deeply concerned girlfriend, Barbara, who tries to save him as his behaviour becomes increasingly erratic and violent.

“Whenever you want the pain to stop, I’ll be here. Whenever you want to stop hurting, you come to me.”

Brian
Rick Hearst
Mike
Gordon MacDonald
Barbara
Jennifer Lowry
Morris Ackerman 
Theo Barnes
Martha Ackerman 
Lucille Saint-Peter
Blonde in Hell
Vicki Darnell
Aylmer/Elmer (voice)
Zacherley (John Zacherle)

Director
Frank Henenlotter