BrainWaves (1983)

Director:

Ulli Lommel

Writers:

Buz Alexander (additional dialogue)
Ulli Lommel (writer)

Release Date:

August 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

"She died but her brain stayed alive to torment another."

Plot:

After a traffic accident Kaylie is in coma for months. Her doctors want to try a new procedure on her: to regain her consciousness...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Accident | Brain Damage | Electrocution | Female Nudity

Cast

Keir Dullea	...	Julian Bedford
Suzanna Love	...	Kaylie Bedford
Vera Miles	...	Marian Koonan
Ryan Seitz	...	Danny Bedford
Percy Rodrigues	...	Dr. Robinson
Paul Willson	...	Dr. Schroder
Tony Curtis	...	Dr. Clavius
Eve Brent	...	Mrs. Simpson (as Eve Brent Ashe)
Nicholas Love	...	Willy Meiser
Corinne Wahl	...	Leila Adams (as Corinne Alphen)
Phillipe Carr	...	Doctor
Roger Burgraff	...	Speech Therapist
Michael DeFrancisco	...	George
Jason Fong	...	Grocery Clerk
Diane Doucette	...	Therapy Nurse

Also Known As:

Brain Waves (USA) (alternative spelling)
Mind Games
Shadow of Death (USA) (TV title)

Runtime:

77 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Norway:15 | UK:18 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

CinAmerica

Trivia:

John Huston was originally casted in the role of Dr. Clavius, but he became ill, so after that there was talks with Rock Hudson, but he wasn't available. Eventually Tony Curtis was cast.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Dr. Schroder: The new arrivals: heart... liver... brain.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Alien X Factor (1997)

Unexceptional, but basically watchable thriller.

As the film opens, a young woman is electrocuted in her bathtub. Shortly after that, another young woman, Kaylie Bedford (Suzanna Love) is struck by a car and receives brain damage. Thanks to the Frankenstein-like machinations of one Dr. Clavius (a grumpy looking Tony Curtis), brain waves from the murdered woman are used to help restore Kaylies' normal functions and allow her to rehabilitate. But now Kaylie's got some of this other womans' memories in her head, and husband Julian (Keir Dullea) goes about solving the crime on his own to try to help out his wife.

While not particularly good or memorable, "BrainWaves" (from Ulli Lommel, director of "The Boogey Man") gets by thanks to some of the acting. Both Dullea and Love are appealing protagonists, although Curtis looks throughout as if he simply wants to get to the bank and cash his paycheque. The wonderful Vera Miles of "Psycho" fame (whose name in this film is Marion, incidentally), character actor and trailer narrator supreme Percy Rodrigues and prominent 'Cheers' barfly Paul Willson round out the main cast.

The film has an excellent music score by Robert O. Ragland, and Lommel and crew pull off some great atmospheric shots of The Golden Gate Bridge just so we have no doubts as to where this film is taking place. The pacing is fairly good throughout, and the film wraps up pretty quickly; one problem, though, is that the mystery to be solved here is a little too easy to figure out.

All in all, not bad. It should provide some entertainment for non-discriminating viewers. I liked it well enough.

6/10