Man with the Screaming Brain

Ah, classic comedy. At the point in the movie where brains get messed together, a two minute scene with Bruce Campbell beating himself up partially, reminds me of how simplistic movies and ideas can grab you and wrap you into a whole movie.

For years and years, Bruce Campbell knows what kind of movies we want out of him. We want to see weird movies like Bubba Ho Tep. We want to see cameo roles in Sam Raimi movies, and we want to see 'Man with the Screaming Brain'. With the title alone, one knows that it's going to border that completely silly type of movie, like Army of Darkness, only with more silly and less monsters.

The idea of the movie is simple. Bruce sees doctor. Doctor has new idea. Bruce gets bad things happen to him on way to see doctor. Coincidentally, it's the thing the doctor wanted to show him that saves him. Hilarity ensues.

With the addition of Ted Raimi as a weird Russian guy, and journeyman Stacy Keach as Dr. Ivan Ivanovich Ivanov, it's funny, that does this movie. Complete funny. Never a point of scary.

If you like the silly Bruce Campbell, you'll like this. Then again, why would you be watching this if you didn't like Bruce Campbell?

I went to see this movie at a book signing in Lexington, Ky last night. After a wonderful night that consisted of a few brief words with Mr. Bruce Campbell (you have to say it all, not just Bruce or Mr. Campbell ;D), friends while the books were being signed, and a QnA session with our favorite deadite killer the lights dimmed.

So as not to spoil anything, I wont go into detail...but I loved the movie! Mr. Bruce Campbell did a wonderful job keeping the classic b-movie feel. The characters were classic 'b' characters, the place was refreshing (what movies do *you* know of that are based in Bulgaria?) and the setting was both near-original and fun! On top of that the humor that is portioned throughout the movie that kept the audience laughing through much of the movie.

While this movie dosen't have as great of a general appeal to people as some, it is a beacon of fun and laughter in a season of (as Mr. Bruce Campbell put it) 'b-movies' that are listed as 'a-movies' (Bewitched, Dukes of Hazard, Charlie and the Chocolate factory? Come on guys!).

I was fortunate enough to catch a midnight screening of this movie tonight. I must say, I was expecting a horribly cheap movie with bad acting and a mediocre plot. I was completely mistaken. This movie was not only incredibly entertaining, but everything about it I simply loved. Bruce Campbell was as amazing as ever. The biggest surprise was none other than Ted Raimi, you know, Sam's little brother. He played the mad doctor's henchman to the greatest extent. Somewhere between physical comedy and clever dialogue, he did nothing but shine. But i really cannot ignore the magic that is Bruce Campbell. Though I did think that Ted Raimi stole the show, Bruce did what he does best on the big screen. Somewhere between the sketchy nasty American business man and the tragic victim, he displayed the same energy that he has always shown to be incredibly attractive to audiences. The movie itself was often interrupted by applause from the viewers. The crowd was definitely excited with each little turn that the movie took.

This movie may not be Oscar material, but my goodness, it was amazing. I would highly recommend this to any Bruce Campbell fan. Also, anybody that likes campy sci-fi movies, do yourself a favor and watch this. Can't wait till this makes it out to DVD.

Take it as you want to....

• the fed

I like Bruce Campbell from his Evil Dead and Army of Darkness roles so I was hoping The Man With The Screaming Brain would be better than it is. Unfortunately most of it is a bore. There is some good satire at the beginning of the film then it degenerates into a wannabe horror film.

Ted Raimi steals the show doing a Shemp Howard (Three Stooges) impersonation which is certainly over the top but it's the only funny thing in the movie. The two women in the film look great -- Antoinette Byron and especially Tamara Gorski with her fiery eyes. Vladimir Kolev as Yegor the cab driver is very good. Stacy Keach is wasted, another aging actor placed in a horror film like so many have been in the past.

You can see Bruce Campbell trying to pay homage to Sam Raimi's directorial style in a few scenes. Filmed in Bulgaria.

When you're an avid fan of horror and cult cinema, you're inevitably also an avid fan of Bruce Campbell. That almost goes without saying. He's one of the few actors for which the name alone is enough reason to see a film, regardless of how bad or derivative it may be or regardless of how small his part is. Suffice to say many fans, myself included, very much anticipated "Man with the Screaming Brain" because, not only does Bruce play the lead part in this, it also marks his debut as a director! Sadly though, it isn't a very good film and not something I'd immediately recommend to non-Campbell fans. It still definitely has its moments of ingeniousness and originality, but the overall accomplishment is far below any expectations. Maybe it was wrong to expect a typical B-movie homage to cheesy horror cinema, as the emphasis here clearly lies on comedy. But even as a comedy, "Man with the Screaming Brain" is too derivative and too random to ever become a cult favorite. The first half of the film is still very okay, because you wonder where Campbell is going exactly with all the bizarre and eccentric characters he introduced in such an unusual setting, but once the plot has fully unfolded, you'll be shocked at how simplistic and dull it actually is. Bruce stars as a sly and scumbag US businessman, visiting Bulgaria for one of his fraudulent practices, along with his spoiled and terribly bored wife Jackie. They become involved with a local taxi-driver, but they all get killed by a beautiful gypsy woman who's clearly frustrated no man will marry her. No worries, because the brilliant scientist Dr. Ivan Ivanovich Ivanov discovered a method to successfully separate brain-functions from the nerve system and even to transplant two brains into one head. It was Ivanov's biggest wish to show his breakthrough to the American, so he might as well use him as a guinea pig. Once half of the brains of an ex-Russian communistic rebel is forced to co-exist with half the brain of a typically vain and cocky American, the film quickly turns into a series of clichéd situations, predictable gags and exaggerated jokes about cultural differences. The title isn't even accurate, as the brain doesn't scream, but continuously argues with … itself. A much better title would have been "The Man with Two Brains", but that already exists in the form of a Steve Martin 80's comedy. The film relies too much on familiar faces (Campbell, as well as Ted Raimi playing the clumsy assistant to Ivanov) and far too little on witty dialogs and good action sequences.