Brainstorm (1983)

Director:

Douglas Trumbull

Writers:

Bruce Joel Rubin (story)
Robert Stitzel (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

30 September 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

...The Ultimate Experience

Plot:

Brilliant researchers Lillian Reynolds and Michael Brace have developed a system of recording and playing back actual experiences of people...

Plot Keywords:

Technology | Military | Memory | Chimpanzee | Peanut Butter

Awards:

2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Christopher Walken	...	Michael Brace
Natalie Wood	...	Karen Brace
Louise Fletcher	...	Lillian Reynolds
Cliff Robertson	...	Alex Terson
Jordan Christopher	...	Gordy Forbes
Donald Hotton	...	Landan Marks
Alan Fudge	...	Robert Jenkins
Joe Dorsey	...	Hal Abramson
Bill Morey	...	James Zimbach
Jason Lively	...	Chris Brace
Darrell Larson	...	Security Technician
Lou Walker	...	Chef
Stacey Kuhne-Adams	...	Andrea
John Hugh	...	Animal Lab Technician
Ira David Wood III	...	Barry (as David Wood)
Keith Colbert	...	Dr. Ted Harris
Jerry Bennett	...	Dr. Janet Bock
Mary Fran Lyman	...	Realtor (as Mary-Fran Lyman)
Jack Harmon	...	Security Guard
Nina Axelrod	...	Simulator Technician
Kelly W. Brown	...	Race Car Man
Desiree Ayres	...	Bikini Girl #1
Debby Porter	...	Bikini Girl #2
Alan G. Butler	...	Man at Party #1
Robert Bloodworth	...	Man at Party #4
Georgianne Walken	...	Wendy Abramson
Jimmy Boyd	...	Col. Howe (as Jim Boyd)
Charlie Briggs	...	Col. Easterbrook
Ann Lincoln	...	Alex's Secretary
Robert Terry Young	...	Minister on Bell Tower (as Rev. Robert Terry Young)
Bill Willens	...	Emergency Room Doctor
Jim Burk	...	Lab Technician
Jimmy Casino	...	Tape Library Technician
Robert Hippard	...	Screaming Man
John Gladstein	...	Dr. Pederson
Herbert Hirschman	...	Dr. Graf
John Vidor	...	Bellhop
Bill Couch	...	Agent #1
Robert Gooden	...	Agent #2
Wallace Merck	...	Agent #3
Glen Lee	...	Agent #4
Ernest Robinson	...	Guard #1 (as Ernie Robinson)
Roger Black	...	Bob Burns
Tommy J. Huff	...	Guard #2
May Boss	...	Tape Library Woman (as May Raymond Boss)
Clay Boss	...	Tape Library Man
Peter Harrell	...	Doug
Susan Kampe	...	Angel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lana Clarkson	...	Food Fantasy Girl (uncredited)
Eric Lively	...	Baby (uncredited)

Directed by
Douglas Trumbull

Writing credits
Bruce Joel Rubin		(story)
Robert Stitzel		(screenplay) and
Philip Frank Messina		(screenplay)

Produced by
Joel L. Freedman	....	executive producer
Douglas Trumbull	....	producer
Richard Yuricich	....	associate producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Richard Yuricich		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Freeman A. Davies		(as Freeman Davies)
Edward Warschilka

Casting by
Toni Howard
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
John Vallone

Art Direction by
David L. Snyder

Set Decoration by
Linda DeScenna
Tom Pedigo

Costume Design by
Donfeld

Makeup Department
Edwin Butterworth	....	makeup artist: Ms. Wood
Bette Iverson	....	hair stylist (as Bette L. Iverson)
Robert Jiras	....	makeup artist
Kaye Pownall	....	hair stylist: Ms. Wood
Edward Ternes	....	makeup artist (as Edward C. Ternes)

Production Management
Jack Grossberg	....	executive in charge of production
Jack Grossberg	....	unit production manager
John G. Wilson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Patrick Cosgrove	....	second assistant director
Brian E. Frankish	....	first assistant director
Robert Jeffords	....	first assistant director
Eugene Mazzola	....	first assistant director
David McGiffert	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Jack E. Ackerman	....	property master
Philip Calhoun	....	assistant property (as Phil Calhoun)
Paul J. Campanella	....	stand-by painter (as Paul Campanella)
Stephen Dane	....	assistant art director
Joey De Rosa	....	leadman (as Joe DeRosa)
Michael Gibson	....	artistic consultant
Steve Kinyoun	....	construction coordinator (as Steven L. Kinyoun)
Thomas Meleck	....	assistant art director (as Tom Melleck)
Jerry Morawski	....	artistic consultant
Claude F. Powell	....	construction coordinator
Marjorie Stone	....	set designer
Ann Vidor	....	artistic consultant
Robert Van Dyke	....	propmaker gangboss (uncredited)

Sound Department
Teri E. Dorman	....	sound editor
Jay Engel	....	adr editor
Don Hall	....	sound editor
Joseph A. Ippolito	....	sound editor (as Joe Ippolito)
John A. Larsen	....	sound editor (as John Larsen)
Don MacDougall	....	supervising re-recording mixer
John L. Mack	....	re-recording mixer
Jack Manning	....	special synthesizer effects
Pete Martinez	....	cable man
Art Rochester	....	sound mixer
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	sound editor
William A. Sawyer	....	sound editor (as Bill Sawyer)
Frank Serafine	....	special synthesizer effects
Richard Thornton	....	boom man
Richard Tyler	....	re-recording mixer
Ian Underwood	....	special synthesizer effects
Eric Whitfield	....	assistant sound editor
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist (uncredited)
George E. Marshall Jr.	....	boom operator: second unit (uncredited)
Philip Rogers	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Curt Schulkey	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Eric Allard	....	special effects
Martin Bresin	....	special effects
Paul Curley	....	miniatures and action props
Leslie Ekker	....	miniatures and action props
Kento Gebo	....	miniatures and action props
Ron Gress	....	miniatures and action props (as Ronald Gress)
Robert L. Johnston	....	miniatures and action props (as Robert Johnston)
Michael McMillen	....	miniatures and action props (as Mike McMillen)
Tom Pahk	....	miniatures and action props (as Thomas Pahk)
John Piner	....	projectionist
Robin Reilly	....	miniatures and action props
Christopher S. Ross	....	miniatures and action props (as Christopher Ross)
Dennis Schultz	....	miniatures and action props
David Shwartz	....	miniatures and action props
Robert Spurlock	....	special effects
Rick Thompson	....	miniatures and action props (as Richard Thompson)

Visual Effects by
Michael Backauskas	....	optical line-up: Entertainment Effects Group
Don Baker	....	compsy effects supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group
Charles Cowles	....	optical camera operator (as Chuck Cowles)
Tom Cranham	....	illustrator
James R. Dickson	....	additional photography: Entertainment Effects Group
Stephen Fog	....	mechanical technician (as Stephen C. Fog)
Ernest Garza	....	still lab technician
William Goddard	....	electronics technician
Robert Hall	....	optical effects supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group
Alan Harding	....	lead camera technician
Robert Hickson	....	effects artistic consultant
Jack Hinkle	....	assistant editor: Entertainment Effects Group
Robert Hippard	....	post-production coordinator: Entertainment Effects Group
Richard E. Hollander	....	compsy technical supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group (as Richard Hollander)
Dick Lasley	....	illustrator
Robin Dean Leyden	....	electronics technician (as Robin Leyden)
Gary Lynn Love	....	electronics technician
Virgil Mirano	....	visual consultant
Paul Olsen	....	effects artistic consultant
Beth Parker	....	film technician
George Polkinghorne	....	cine technician
Adolf Schaller	....	effects artistic consultant
Mark Stetson	....	action props and miniatures supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group
David K. Stewart	....	director of photography: Entertainment Effects Group (as Dave Stewart)
Patrick Van Auken	....	grip: effects (as Pat Van Auken)
Paul Van Camp	....	electronics technician
John C. Wash	....	animation and graphics: Entertainment Effects Group
Peggy Weil	....	effects artistic consultant
Mark West	....	mechanical technician (as Mark J. West)
Alison Yerxa	....	visual effects supervisor: Entertainment Effects Group
Dana Yuricich	....	assistant matte artist
Matthew Yuricich	....	matte artist: Entertainment Effects Group

Stunts
Bill Couch	....	stunt coordinator
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunt performer: guard #2 (as Tommy Huff)
Ernest Robinson	....	stunt performer: guard #1 (as Ernie Robinson)
Mags Kavanaugh	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
William L. Asman	....	camera operator (as William Asman)
Albert Bettcher	....	camera operator (as Al Bettcher)
Leonardo Chavez	....	second grip
Ralph Gerling	....	camera operator
Michael Gershman	....	camera operator
Carl R. Gibson Jr.	....	best boy grip
Dennis Greene	....	dolly grip (as Dennis W. Greene)
Rhonda C. Gunner	....	video technician (as Rhonda Gunner)
Bob Haagensen	....	director of photography: second unit
Craig Haagensen	....	first assistant camera
David R. Hardberger	....	camera technician (as David Hardberger)
Thomas E. Hayes	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Len Hekel	....	still photographer
Ted Holt	....	chief lighting technician (as Theodore Porter Holt)
Dan Lerner	....	camera operator (as Daniel Lerner)
Christine M. Loss	....	still photographer (as Christine Loss)
Bruce MacCallum	....	second assistant camera (as Bruce McCallum)
Gregory L. McMurry	....	video engineer (as Greg McMurry)
Joshua Morton	....	camera technician
Jim Rose	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Tim Ryan	....	key grip
Steven H. Smith	....	first assistant camera (as Steve Smith)
Tama Takahashi	....	camera technician
Joseph F. Valentine	....	camera operator (as Joe Valentine)
Ronald Vidor	....	camera operator
Josh Weiner	....	still photographer
Jim Wuertemburg	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as James T. Wuertenburg)
Thomas Baker	....	motion-control camera (uncredited)
Albert Hood	....	electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Deedee Burch	....	costumer
Richard Butz	....	costumer: men (as Dick Butz)
John George	....	costumer
Aida Swinson	....	costumer: women

Editorial Department
Barbara Dunning	....	assistant film editor
Terry Ladin	....	post-production office coordinator
William Pine	....	color timer
Nora Jeanne Smith	....	negative cutter (as Jeanne Smith)
Edward A. Warschilka	....	assistant film editor (as Edward Warschilka Jr.)

Music Department
Bill Crofut	....	consultant: source music
Harry V. Lojewski	....	music supervisor
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
Shawn Murphy	....	music recording supervisor
Douglas Neslund	....	conductor: California Boys Choir
William Saracino	....	music editor
J. Benjamin Smith	....	conductor: The Duke University Choir
James Horner	....	conductor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Frank Mielcarek	....	transportation captain (as Frank Meilcarek)
Randy Peters	....	transportation coordinator
Don Pierce	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Joyce Goldberg	....	assistant: Mr. Yuricich
Christina Grof	....	consultant: experimental sequence
Stanislav Grof	....	consultant: experimental sequence
Vic Heutschy	....	unit publicist
Jessi Katz	....	post-production aide
Michael Knutsen	....	craft service (as Michael P. Knutsen)
Don Levy	....	unit publicist
Paul Pav	....	location manager
Durk Pearson	....	scientific consultant
George Pryor	....	post-production aide
Ana Maria Quintana	....	script supervisor
Sandy Shaw	....	scientific consultant
Barbara Spitz	....	production office coordinator
Daniel R. Suhart	....	post-production aide (as Dan Suhart)
Evans Wetmore	....	consulting engineer
Bob Wilson	....	post-production aide (as Robert Wilson)
Allen Yamashita	....	assistant: Mr. Trumbull
Carolyn Bates	....	effects assistant (uncredited)
Dixie Fusillo	....	production accountant (uncredited)

Thanks
James B. Hunt Jr.	....	through the assistance of (as Governor James B. Hunt Jr.)
Natalie Wood	....	dedicatee (as Natalie)

Production Companies

• JF Productions
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• MGM/UA Entertainment Company (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1984) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1984) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Vídeo Arte (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

The Gordon Forbes Tapes (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M (original rating | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1984) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA

Company:

JF Productions

Trivia:

Douglas Trumbull originally wanted to film this movie in "Showscan", a 60-frame-per-second widescreen process he'd developed, but the costs of retrofitting theaters to show it proved prohibitive. If the "Showscan" version had been made, each non-"Brainstorm" frame would have been printed twice to create a 30-frame-per-second "normal" film rate to compliment the cropped, non-widescreen shots. The intent was to create an experience similar to what the onscreen characters were "viewing."

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Michael gets home from work at the beginning, he walks into his bedroom and turns on the light. Before the light comes on, the wall where the switch is, is illuminated by outside light. This light disappears an instant before the room light comes on.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dr. Lillian Reynolds: Can you see better if I move it a little closer?
Dr. Michael Anthony Brace: I can see something. It's parts of the grid, but it's still rotating. It's not locking up.
Hal Abramson: Maybe we all need a little break, Lillian.
Dr. Lillian Reynolds: Hal, you take a break.

Movie Connections:

Features Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

Repairing a broken marriage

I have read comments about this film and am a little bemused as to how no one has talked about what the film is really about. Christopher Walken's character Mike is given insight (unintentionally)via the technology as to why his marriage has broken up. He pieces together memories in order to enter a new romance with his wife Karen played by Natalie Wood. The key scene is when he asks Karen to put on the headset and clear her mind and they record her thoughts for 30 seconds. Mike then puts on the headset and replays the tape. He is suddenly aware of his dismissive manner to his wife(from her POV) and then taken back to an argument years ago where he shouts at her that she 'can have the house, the car, take it all!'. When he takes off the headset he becomes angry as he is forced to cope with his new feelings and does not know how to deal with them. From that moment on he changes and becomes more aware of his wife's feelings. He also realises that he can actually record his feelings on to tape at this point and goes about recording tender memories from their past together. When he gives Karen the tape and she asks what is on it, Mike replies 'It's me'. They are drawn even closer together through the death of a colleague(Louise Fletcher)who records her death experience on tape . His wife Karen is behind him all the way and supports his decision to play the recording because she knows how much it means to her husband even though it might kill him. Through all this mayhem Mike gets to play the tape with his wife at his side.

This is the central story of what I think is a very powerful and uplifting film.