Little Bracket of Horrors
A horror movie review podcast that puts the fight in fright. We review a film every other week and at the end of the season we'll have a tournament to see who is the champion in the Little Bracket of Horrors Death-match.
Little Bracket of Horrors
Brain Damage
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Welcome to Little Bracket of Horrors. The pod that puts the fight in fright!
In this episode we're staying in, on account of this nasty sickness we've come down with. We've heard of fever hallucinations before but this seems like something more
So join the LBOH Crew as we take a psychedelically murderous joy ride with Aylmer. We don't know where he is from or why he is, but i really doesn't matter.
They day is soon upon us! we build our bracket for our fourth season at the end of this episode. It's a march madness style tournament where only the strongest films will survive. Will Brain Damage have what it takes? Stay with us to find out.
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Welcome to the little bracket of the colours. The pot that puts the fight in front.
SPEAKER_01You have created a month.
SPEAKER_03Welcome back, everyone. I'm Derek. I'm Shelly. And we are Little Bracket of Hores. And uh today we are covering brain damage. But uh as always, let's uh let's play a little catch-up. Uh Shelly, have you been watching anything? Anything happen?
SPEAKER_04Uh I haven't been really watching too much horror lately. Can't recall the last thing that I saw in all reality. Um anything scary. I mean, I've been fostering two eight-week-old puppies since just before Christmas, so that is terrifying. Um, but you know, they are going to hopefully get adopted Super Bowl weekend, and then that phase is over. Um we'll definitely foster again, but not two puppies at once. It's a lot of work.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, we saw them uh over the holiday at your parents uh get together. Uh cute puppies, but obviously, you know, two of them's a a big handful.
SPEAKER_04Oh, and they're bigger since you've seen them. Oh, yes. They've grown, yes. Which means more poop, more pee, all that jazz.
SPEAKER_03So oh yeah, that's that's uh that's a lot going on. But nice. How about you? Um, so I I made it out to the movies last week and I saw a movie uh Police Patrol. It's or Night Patrol, I'm sorry. It's the new Justin Long one. I don't know if you've seen anything about it. But uh it's kind of uh you don't know what you're getting into, and I didn't watch the trailer or anything as I as always. But uh it turns into uh turns a bit of a monster movie. I won't I won't say what type of monster, but uh it was cool. It uh had has a lot of fat in it, but uh if you stick around, I think the I think the payoff is worthwhile. So I was at the theaters last week to see that. But other than watching, geez. Oh, um I actually I was just on our friend Tim's podcast this last week, Horror Flicks and Guitar Picks. He had me on and we talked about uh the movie Green Room. Have you ever seen that, Shelley?
SPEAKER_04No.
SPEAKER_03Oh it's uh yes, it's an A24 film, but uh it's it's about a punk band that uh they go and play this uh shady show with a bunch of skinheads and they end up getting locked in the green room and start and they're getting attacked by all the boneheads. So we uh we chatted up this week, and I think he said that episode's gonna drop like the second week of February, so you know when he posts that up, we'll be sharing it as well. Very cool. That's uh that's essentially it for me. Um my wife is gonna be gone for like a week and a half, and that's gonna suck.
SPEAKER_04He'll survive.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I got the young Ian with me to uh keep me busy, but that's catching up with me, I guess.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I mean, not much else has been going on in my world, just puppies, new year, working. We did just have Oscar nominations, which horror movies had a huge standing in. So you got sinners with the most Oscar nominations in of any movie ever. And then uh Ugly Stepsister got its hair and makeup uh nomination, and Amy Madigan from Weapons is got a nomination for Best Supporting Actress, so it should be a fun Oscars year.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, when when are the Oscars? When uh when's that uh broadcast?
SPEAKER_04February at some point, probably towards the end of February. I don't know off the top of my head.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, okay. Well, us horror fans have something to look forward to then with all those good nominations.
SPEAKER_0450 total nominated films, and that's when you break it down by like even if it just is nominated for best song or best original sound, you know. So you count the movie, um, there's 50 total to watch.
SPEAKER_03Awesome. Uh February will be here soon. We can look forward to that in the month, I guess. But uh, but yeah, all right. So uh I think it's time we jump into a brain damage. But uh just to let everyone know, obviously this was uh a viewer submission movie, and it was submitted by uh our friend Phalan. And unfortunately, she is a very busy lady, and we offered it out to her, and she was kind enough to give give us her thoughts. So we're gonna be sharing those now. But actually, uh she was she was kind enough. You know, whenever we have a listener for the first time on the podcast, we always throw out the questions so you know everyone who doesn't quite know them yet can get a chance to get a little background on their horror knowledge. And uh Phalan was nice enough to uh fill out her questionnaire and send it in. So if you will uh if you will bide me, I'm gonna go ahead and give uh Phalan's answers to her questions. Alright, so the first question we sent out to Phalan was what's the first horror movie you remember watching? Her answer was, though I can't remember exactly, it was either John Carpenter's Halloween or the remake of To Psycho, starring Vince Vaughn and Ann Haish. The remake was my first introduction to Vince Vaughn, so you can imagine my surprise when I found out he did mostly comedies.
SPEAKER_04I didn't remember that that was a remake. Blessed my mind.
SPEAKER_03That's hilarious because yeah, when I do think of Vince Vaughn, I think of uh old school, I think of those like early 2000 comedy movies. So, you know, I I knew he was in this, and I've always kind of wanted to check out uh the remake of Psycho just to see, but uh I have yet to check that out. But uh yeah, that was uh that was Phelan's first answer. Uh second question we asked her was what's the scariest thing that's ever happened to you? And she said, I wouldn't say it's the scariest thing that has ever happened to me, but it's one that I'm most comfortable sharing. She said once in early twenties, I was going to a funeral in the dead of winter in Michigan. There was black ice for miles along the express, both on the way there and back. My car spun out on the freeway, and each time there was a semi truck making its way towards me. I was lucky enough to slam into the guardrail and spin off into a ditch, as opposed to having a collision with the semi. This happened twice in one day. Good god. Uh this happened twice in one day, and I had to wait in a ditch and wonder whether a car or truck was going to land on me, or if I was going to be rescued at all. She uh she went on to say, There's nothing like having your car go sideways down a freeway and watching helplessly out the driver's side window as a semi-truck comes barreling at you and makes you never want to live in those conditions ever again. So uh, you know, we know we know she lives in Florida now, so hey, I I left the north too, and I was driving on some pretty dicey roads too, Phalan, so I completely understand. They're terrifying.
SPEAKER_04I have no uh no idea. Yeah, never experienced that.
SPEAKER_03There's there's no reason to go north, just uh just stay in Florida. There's nothing there's nothing up there.
SPEAKER_04I can do that.
SPEAKER_03Not talking crap on our northern listeners, but yeah, just stay in Florida. Florida's a cool place. All right. That was uh that was the scariest thing that's ever happened to her. Uh next up, we asked her, what would you rather be bitten by? Vampire, zombie, or werewolf? And her answer was vampire. She said, uh, they are obviously the sexiest of the three. I really just want to be a twilight vampire. I want to shimmer, be eternally youthful, yet strong, and spend my time reading and playing baseball. I want to be a vampire and also be the good guy with all the attributes of a twilight vampire. Does anybody ever choose zombie and what is the reason? That is a great question. And Phelan, we do have an answer. There was there was a random uh, what was it, Spotify comment we got, Shelley? Yeah. Like two years ago. Yeah. Yeah, so and I think it was like some Yugoslavian girl or I don't know, like Croatian or something, some eastern block of Europe. Uh, but yeah, uh, they said they felt like a zombie, so they they told us zombie. So there's one person out of how many people have told us either werewolf or uh and the universe. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, so not much of a fighting chance for the zombies. But anyways, moving on to the next question we asked. Who do you think wins in a fight? Freddie, Jason, or Michael Myers? And Phelan went on to say, Michael Myers wins every time, with all the bullet holes, the third degree burns, and one-handed time behind his back. Uh, there's no one scarier, more mysterious, and lethal than Michael Myers. He will never die. And that is uh that is tough to argue with. Um, Shelly, I know we are we are definitely Freddy.
SPEAKER_04I have I have my feelings on it.
SPEAKER_03As do I, and I think you and I see eye to eye on that, but uh a lot of people a lot of people will pick uh Jason or Michael Myers Myers and they'll always talk about their uh their strength and their bruteness.
SPEAKER_04So you know she I will say I think Michael Myers is probably our least picked of the three.
SPEAKER_03Actually, yeah, that's true. That's true. We we get we do get a lot of Jasons. Um a lot of Jasons. I uh I should go back and like tally it up and see what the score is. See where we're at. Yeah, keep it running tally. I should I should totally do that. But uh yeah, so Phalan says Michael Myers, that's her choice. And the final question to Phalan was what's your favorite scary movie? And her answer is John Carpenter's Halloween. She went on to say, uh, seeing that cover in Blockbuster and watching it with my best friend in her living room one summer completely shaped not only my love for Halloween, but the for the type of horror I typically seek out, which I know is in stark contrast to brain damage. That is very true. Uh she went on to say, I was and am enamored by the idea that someone could use atmosphere to make a movie scary as opposed to relying on jump scares or gore. Horror for me is the absence of light, the twinkle of a piano keys, and steady breathing from a face you can't see. It is bloodless, filled with head tilts, casually paced stalking, and leaving the audience terrified that there won't be a reason at the end. So scary movie, Halloween. I mean, it's a it's a classic for a reason. Obviously, Phalan has very, very strong feelings about it as well. But yeah, Halloween's a good thing.
SPEAKER_04Well, no wonder she picked Michael then to know, right?
SPEAKER_03It all it all makes sense. Yeah, the math is mathing.
SPEAKER_04Things are adding up.
SPEAKER_03They certainly are, yeah. You know, as I said before I started going through these, uh Phalan was un unable to uh join us, but we do appreciate her filling out the questionnaire and letting us know her background on horror films. So yeah, thank you, Phalan. Appreciate it. Obviously, we we appreciate the uh the viewer submission movie, and thanks for uh giving us those uh those answers. Now I'm gonna pull up my notes and now for something completely different. With that, Shelley, um, I think it's time we get into brain damage. You ready?
SPEAKER_07Yes.
SPEAKER_03All right, so our first section is called Dig Up the Bones, and that's where I introduce the movie and give a brief summary. So, Brain Damage is an American horror comedy released on April 15th, 1988. Written and directed by Frank Hennenlauter. Other credits include Bad Biology, Frankenhooker, and Basket Case. Music by Gus Russo. His only other music credit is for the film Basket Case, which makes total sense. Uh moving on for our cinematography, we got Bruce Torbett. Other credits include Murder Alamode, Basket Case, and finally we may remember him as Pauly, the toilet melting bum in the shit film. Oh my gosh. Street trash.
SPEAKER_04You didn't even have to finish your sentence. I know.
SPEAKER_03I was when I went to his IMBD page, I was like, why is the melting bum from street trash on this? And I was like, Holy fuck, he's Polly. I was like, get the fuck out of here. Oh, anyways, uh Bruce, it's it's good to see that you uh you focused your attentions elsewhere. So here we are.
SPEAKER_04Stark improvement. Yes.
SPEAKER_03All right, so next we're moving on to special effects, and that was done by Gabriel Bartolis. Other credits include Dark Man, Leprechaun, and Godzilla, the one, uh the Matthew Broderick one, 19, what was it, 1998, something like that? But yeah. There you go.
SPEAKER_04I have no idea. Very viewed. Uh not viewed by many.
SPEAKER_03No, no, no. I I don't think a lot of Godzilla fans talk often about that one. Alright, let's move into our cast. Uh, first up, we got Rick Hurst as Brian. Other credits include Warlock 3, The End of Innocence, and the TV series The Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital. Next, we have Gordon McDonald as Mike. Other credits include Perfect Stranger, Senior Week, and a Thin Red Line. Then we have uh Jennifer Laurie as Barbara. Other credits include None. Uh, this is her only role on IMBD. Uh, but she does have a casting director credit on the TV movie The Down Boys. And uh yeah, that's it. Um moving on. We got Theo's career there. Yeah. Moving on. We got Theo Barnes as Morris. Other credits include one other film, and it is titled Big Thumbs. You know, we got a we got a very long list for the cast in other films. And then we have uh Lucille St. Peter as Martha. Other credits include none. Surprisingly, uh, this was Lucille's only film. And finally She was wonderful too. I don't know why. I know she uh she really was playing to the back of the room, I must say.
SPEAKER_04Uh dug dug into the role. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Hands and feet. Um, next we had uh John Zakerly as the voice of Almer, or Almer, however you say it. Other credits include mostly being the host of several horror-based TV shows, such as Shock Theater from 1957 to 1958, and Chiller Theater from 1964 to 1965. Moving on into our production companies. Uh production company was the Brain Damage Company. This was probably a one-and-done production company. And then when it was distributed by uh Palisades Entertainment, Sequels Prequels, we had none for this. Budget, $400,000. Box Office, I was unable to find, could not find that info anywhere. And then uh Rotten Tomato Score, 69% on the tomato meter, and then 64% on the audience popcorn meter. Alright, let's get into our movie synopsis. After Brian comes down with a bit of a sickness, he soon finds the culprit, and it's none other than the psychedelic monster, Almer. Brian's really starting to dig his newfound drug buddy, but eventually realizes that the price can be very deadly. Thanks, Shelly. Umitial reaction to landing on it.
SPEAKER_04Well, I had never heard or seen uh brain damage. So um just seen unskeptical. I'm gonna say skeptical because sometimes those 80 horror movies with weird things and weird names and not well-known people could be a little out there. So I was hesitant at best. So that was my initial reaction. I had never heard or seen this movie before. So I I was looking forward to maybe catching something new as well.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. I've I've watched a few Frank Hennenlauter films before. Uh I've seen Basket Case and Frank and Hooker, and I've always seen uh posters for brain damage. I've known of the film and I've just never checked it out. So, you know, I was excited. I'm always excited when we land on viewer submissions, but uh I was excited because this has been in my in my mind for a very long time. I just I was excited to get this uh checked off, I guess, the mental box and and uh be able to see how it goes on the uh on the old deathmatch tournament. I think that takes us through Dig Up the Bones. Let's get into our roundtable discussion, and that is feasting fiends. And this is where we get into our topics of pros, cons, characters, dialogue, and then our favorite kills slash scares. Now, uh I will I guess I'll kick it off with uh Phalan's thoughts, and uh we'll we'll start with pros. So she said the meeting of Ulmer. He is charming and adorable, even when he is being monstrous. Uh his design is wild and and overtly suggestive, which is in delightful contrast to how pleasant and almost gentlemanly he is. So that was her first pro. Uh, next pro, she said, the score and the lighting are used thoroughly and effectively, especially in the uh the junkyard scene before the first kill with the security guard. And then another pro, she said both Brian and Almer are great in their roles. She liked the uh the acting of Brian and the uh I guess the animatronics of Ulmer. And then her final pro is uh she said it's a simple story symbolizing the horrors of addiction and the lengths one one will go to to maintain a continual high. So those are some great pros. Uh Shelly, you wanna you wanna jump in with yours?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, so I'm very predictable. I know this. That this is gonna be one of my pros. I the first step is emitting. I'm very self-aware. But I loved the practical effects in this, they were just so fun. It would be really easy just to do like the same kind of kill over and over with the concept of this film that you've got like this brain-eating monster, but they did it, they changed it up and made it different every time, and that's what made it so fun, too. And the blood and the slatter and even like the brain with the blue ooze, and I just loved all the little things they did. The spaghetti with the growing, beating brain. Someone made those, someone put their hands on those and they made up perfectly, you know, you just don't get that anymore. So, um, and then also it and it has to be a pro, is Almer. He is one of the greatest flashers of all time. I love that little guy. Like, why aren't people go ahead?
SPEAKER_03I'm so glad to hear you say that because I'm the fucking same. I'm in love.
SPEAKER_04I had no idea. Well, and then like now that I've watched this, I'm like, why are people cosplaying as little Almer? Like walking around like making little Almer puppets with like his little eyes, his little beady eyes. You know, he'd be so cute. I need to like message John and be like, I need a brain damage Almer cosplay. I don't want to I need you to make it and wear it. I don't want to wear it, and then I'll do those things. But I have never seen this. So, like, and he's so great. Like, why aren't people like Jason, Freddie, Michael Myers, Almer? I don't know. He should be on the uh Mount Rushmore Smashers. Anyways, that's probably been taking it too far, but he just he's great.
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Um and then lastly, I really did enjoy the soundtrack. It was very 80s, it was very relevant. Um, you know, the music playing in the club, and uh, you know, when he was in his psychedelic trips, it was fun. So I have to give a shout out to that. So those were my pros.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, those were those were great pros. Um I'll jump, I'll jump in with mine, but oh yes, um, you know, given kudos where they are deserved. But right off the start, the title card, um, I we're treated to the badass title card that that's got the lightning flashes in the background with brain damage and like bold and red. And we've watched plenty of films where you know they're they're like a slasher film, and it's just we get a mediocre title card. So I really love the attention to detail of when directors decide to give us something in the beginning to like get ready and like chew on. So title card was amazing, and then right after that, the opening scene, another favorite part of mine. Um, I was loving it when Morris and Martha lost him, and they were comp they completely lost their minds. They were looking for him in their apartment and just basically ransacking and destroying their own things. And then to cap it off, we were just talking about Martha when we were going through the uh the cast, but I mean she was giving her her all, and I and I loved it, and it really set the tone, I think, for the rest of the film, and it it got me ready and and wanting more from what this was because it was apparent from the get go that this was gonna be a silly over the top. Hopefully grotesque, which is what we got, film. So I like that this exists in the Basket Case universe because on the subway car we uh uh I think it was before Barbara got the kiss of death, but we saw Dwayne and Blyle in the uh in the subway, and I thought that was a cool little nod from Frank Henanla to a previous film and have them kind of in the same inter universe, so that was really cool.
SPEAKER_04Um I'd actually I've never actually seen Best of Case, I know of it, but so it was and it was so recognizable. As soon as you sat down, I was like, is that the dude? Yeah, so that was like a pleasant surprise. I was like, oh, interesting. Like that was a really cool little nod to something. I didn't know it was all like connected, but um either way, I was like, they must be a fan of that movie.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, clearly they are they've made it so actually to to kind of go back to your point from earlier about how we don't see more of Elmer at like you know cosplay stuff. Um, we see tons of Balayo and like and Dwayne and carrying out the basket. So, you know, I don't I don't want to give away my my thoughts too early, but I I enjoy brain damage more than I've enjoyed basket case. So uh for another pro, I put uh you know, and and uh Phelan said the same thing, but uh this was the best drug PSA I've ever seen. Um, you know, I think minus the sex, uh, this could have been really enjoyable for kids in high school to watch instead of watch the Dare program. So uh maybe we can get a safer school edit for the kids. And uh my last pro, just like Phelan, I love the use of color. Visually, this is bright and colorful film, but the uses of the blues and like Brian's bedroom, and then that blue water like floods it out, and then when he ends up at the junkyard, and we're just getting those flashes of like green, red, yellows. Um, I'm just a sucker for a bright movie, and this is definitely a bright movie. So yeah, those uh those are my pros. Love it. Yes, and uh let's see what Phelan had to say about her cons. Uh her first con, she says, There isn't any backstory on our characters, they are there in service of telling a cautionary tale. However, we don't really care if any of our characters die, except Almer. He's so suave. I'd like to have him make it in the end. Oh, yeah, definitely. Then her next con is uh the oral rape scene uh seems to give Brian pleasure, but he isn't getting high at the time, so it's a bit confusing. I get that they want to uh simulate the act and uh pleasure of oral sex, but Brian is neither getting oral pleasure or Almer pleasure, so his reaction is very distracting in that moment for uh next, she said anytime we watch Almer needle tongue go back into the back of Brian's head, I cringe. And uh she she's got to think for holes. So that's a personal thing for her. Hey, I get it. We all got our stuff, we all got our things that are you know we just can't take. So understood on that one, Phalan. And her final con, she said, the acting from the supporting cast is rough. It's either overacted or one level. Uh it definitely lowers the stakes for me. So those were uh Phalan's cons. Shelly, what didn't you like about brain damage?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I think actually I wish we had a little more backstory on Almer and why why he is why he was created. We obviously by the pictures on the wall can tell that like the the couple that had him were s he the guy was at least a scientist, if not the wife too, and they were taking care of this thing, and but like why did we make him and what was his purpose? What what was he like intended to serve? And actually, to your point, and I should have written this down and I didn't, but like even when they were running around frantically for him, they have finally ended up in their back in their apartment with like foam coming from their mouth, like yeah, but then they were alive.
SPEAKER_03I know, yeah.
SPEAKER_04I I don't know, there was just so much missing there, so I would have maybe liked a little bit more. Um I almost thought it was kind of contradictory of Brian being upset that Almer was killing people to feed when Almer needed to feed to give Brian his highs. Yeah, I get it. So you would think, like, by being almost brain controlled by Almer that he wouldn't care, but like he still was like himself. I don't know. I guess maybe me and Phalan almost have the same con in that essence. Like it's not always connected, then it is it's it's like are they connected? Are they disconnected? Who knows? Yeah, but I think there's I guess both of those cons are like there's just pieces of the story that weren't complete for me. But um also the ending. I just I was like it was such a fun ride, and to end the way it did was just like uh did it feel filmed in then, or just like they couldn't figure it out. I think he goes into the room, he shoots himself, and he just kills himself dead. Suicide. And that's it. But we had to have a hole in his head with a glowing light, like Yeah. And then that was it? Like the end.
SPEAKER_03Did he did he achieve Nirvana?
SPEAKER_04Is that what is going on?
SPEAKER_03Who knows?
SPEAKER_04Yeah, I guess so. I well and I have thought like another Almer was gonna come out of him.
SPEAKER_03Oh yeah. Maybe we didn't even have that. That would have been cool. He he is he is the brainchild of a of a victim of you know, the previous one.
SPEAKER_04That'd be a cool because he had a he had a little bulb in his head starting to bulge. I was like, is he about to birth another guy? Like his head's gonna explode open. Yeah, exactly. Here comes that baby um. No, it wasn't that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, it looked like a little snowman there for a minute. I I I was I was hopeful we would get more, but no, I guess not. But those are my cons. Alright. I got the same as you guys. I I wish that uh with Almer, you know, we got the history of where he's been throughout time with Morris's monologue, but uh we were never told like how he came to be. Was he created by like an ancient wizard or just like an abomination that evolved from Earth? Like we don't know. So for me, when when a when such a creative character is is made, it just feels like it's incomplete when we aren't given information to like understand him. Um that's my two cents, and you know, I think we all agree on that. And the only other thing I've really had a problem with, and I've had this problem with other movies, but uh the editing, there were a ton of scene transitions that were just like hard cuts, and it made it feel like a TV made-for-tv movie. I don't know, I just feel like it's a lazy edit move to just cut to black and then we're completely somewhere else. So that was my cons. Alright. Next up we have characters. Let's uh let's see what Phelan said. She said, uh, Brian and Almer are enjoyable and serve the whole story. Absolutely. I agree with you. And then uh she went on to say, all the other characters seem like they were pulled from bad acting or overacting schools. The girl playing Barbara is especially awful. Um, yeah, agreed. Great uh great thoughts on characters, Phelan. Uh Shelly, what did you have?
SPEAKER_04Let's see. Uh Almer, obviously, uh I feel is the number one creatus. Um, and oh my gosh. The boyfriend, or not the boyfriend, the brother and the girlfriend, as a pair, even. I'm calling I'm putting I'm catching them together because it was their theme without the two of them. But awful. Just awful. Awful acting, awful storyline, whining, complaining, all that jazz. And the and the brother to be so predatory over the girl. Like as soon as she walked in the house, you could tell he wanted to be with her.
SPEAKER_03It was creepy, yes.
SPEAKER_04That's your brother's girlfriend, like, dude. Anyways, that's that's my royal thoughts. Um her for life.
SPEAKER_03That's so it's so funny. I said the same thing about uh Mike, his brother. I was like, as soon as Barbara walked into the apartment, he was just like lusting for it. It was like, dude, that is like your brother's sick in the bedroom, and you're just I fucking his his girlfriend. That's insane. That's not a brother move, I'll tell you that. Not doing that. Um, but yeah, Almer, I gotta, I gotta say, my two cents on him, right? He is just absolutely the best. He is my favorite. Um, I love the look of him, I love his voice. Um, I love how he operated and was that parasitic worm uh on the back of Brian's neck, giving him all the juice that he could want. Um, his voice actually, and I think the reason I fell in love with him so quick was that his voice reminded me of Burl Ives when he was part of the uh what is it, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, the stop motion Christmas classic. Uh yeah, yeah. As soon as Elmer started talking, I was like, oh my god, this is just an adorable, adorable version of Burl Ives from uh Rudolph. But uh, and I I think when we first met Almer and he he popped out from the back of uh Brian's neck and he just said hi in that voice, and then he wiggled his little eyebrows, and it was it was so adorable, it was hilarious, and I was instantly, like I said in the beginning, I was instantly in love. Um Almer is just I I think he might be the all-time favorite character, to be honest with you. I liked Martha and Morris, you know, I know they were overacting, but uh for me it was enjoyable. They reminded me of the uh the aunt from Slepaway Camp. Just they were going to a lap the whole time, and and uh, you know, that's my bag. So shout out to uh Morris and Martha too. But yeah, that's it. That's all I got on characters. Uh ready to move on into dialogue?
SPEAKER_04Agreeable, agreeable, yes, ready for dialogue.
SPEAKER_03All right, so I'll kick off, I'll kick this off with Phelan's thoughts on dialogue, but uh um her first uh set of dialogue was this is when Brian said, You're a very special lady to Barbara. And she said, Why is he saying that when there is nothing special about her or chemistry between her and the brother? So that's a great point. Um, she also went on to say Almer's tune is a classic hit, and the reason that she fell in love with the film, so the little musical number by our parasitic worm, uh, she also loved. She went on to say the old man's reciting of Ulmer's history, uh, it doesn't really matter, but it gives us insight into the history and power of Ulmer, which is very true. You know, all these different people got their hands on him, and with that came a downfall for them. So, and then her last bit of dialogue was uh she says, He needs the brain, but I need his juice. She said this is an instant classic and a thoughtful moment on Brian's part to save Barbara and his brother from a similar similar demise. She said, Pretty thoughtful of Brian after he caught them in bed in bed together. You know, fair point, Phelan. Uh, I don't know I don't know anyone anyone else who could be so forgiving to two people who did maybe the most uh dastardly thing to you. So those are her thoughts on dialogue. What about you, Shelley?
SPEAKER_04Um, I had one of the little speeches by Almer, obviously. How could I not? From when um Brian takes off and he takes refuge into a hotel, shady hotel room somewhere, and uh decides he doesn't need Almer anymore. Um, so he's suffering, he's throwing up, it's really gross. He's pulling shit out of his ear. And Almer at one point, while Brian rivers and moans on the floor says, Oh my, well, well, ready to beg for it, Brian? Ready to crawl across the floor and feed for my juice? No, not yet. We'll give it a few more hours, Brian. Whenever you want the pain to stop, I'll be here. Whenever you want to stop hurting, you come to me. When the pain gets so great you think you're turning inside out, just ask for my juice. And then softly he goes, Come to me when you're ready, Brian. Come to me and get my juice. It's just the way he like referred to his juice and I know the way he talks. It's like, this guy is literally it's grotesque. Wow the way he's like withering and dying on the floor, and and Elmer's just in his uh little proper voice. Uh uh, Brian, come and get my juice when you're ready. Like, I loved it.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I no joke, I I had I had that moment as well. Um did you? Yeah, I did. I'm not gonna redo it. Obviously, you nailed it, but um the only thing I will say I mean I'm really good at that. I know you're hey, it's what you do. You gotta you gotta you gotta knack for it. But um I think what I liked about that moment was this whole film is about people's dependencies on these drugs, on these substances, and I think that moment really showcased like what it does to people. And like this silly funny film, there's an actual, concrete, harsh lesson to be learned. And I think that moment and that in that piece of dialogue really punched that through for me. So um, yeah, that's that's why I picked that moment as uh you know my favorite dialogue. So yeah. One of our favorite parts, let's move on to favorite kills andor scares. So let's see what Phelan had to say. All right, so she said the oral sex kill and the subway kill because they are so intimate and deadly. What symbolically is loving or erotic is actually deadly. So I think that's a great point. All right, Shelly, what about you? What about kills or scares?
SPEAKER_04I I had the same. I had the oral sex scene actually as my favorite kill. Just because, like, you know, something's up when him and this girl start making out, and you know, you're like, this is gonna be the next victim. And then they go outside, and when once she slowly starts to do down, you're like, oh no, they're not. And then they do, and it's perfect, it's just perfect. Whether he's having an erotic moment or not, it's it's I don't know, it's just so good. Yeah. The way he just went in through the mouth.
SPEAKER_03Yes, exactly. Oh, it was so good. And uh, you know, he took a little gift with him for Brian's pants and he ruined his underwear. Um a little souvenir, if if you must, but uh what an iconic kill, you know, something we don't see every day for sure.
SPEAKER_04Definitely um original, yeah, very original, very creative.
SPEAKER_03Good, uh, good on you, Hen and Lauder. Good on you. Um, but for my favorite kill was actually the first kill, and that was the security guard in the junkyard. Because up until that point, we didn't really see any deaths or anything, and I wasn't sure, you know, other than leeching on the back of Brian's neck, I wasn't sure how uh Almer operated. So it was kind of like a jump scare and a kill because you know he popped out from his coat and chomped on that guy's head, and that's when I knew like this this movie is definitely for me because he's got he's not just this leech, he's also this hunter and a predator. And I was so excited to see him causing just a bloody mess, and that we would get hopefully more scenes like that. So, yeah, Almer's first kill against the uh guard in the junkyard is is my favorite kill.
SPEAKER_04Lots of good kills.
SPEAKER_03Yo, yeah, so many, uh, so many fun kills. The other guy that he chomps on his head in the bathroom stall, and there's just blood all over the place. Amazing. And we kind of got a fake out with that moment too, because they had that that buff dude with like the nice ass taking a shower. I I I assumed that that guy was gonna get it in a shower, but nothing. And then some random guy comes into the toilet, goes to do his biz, and he just gets uh he gets an ulmer to the forehead.
SPEAKER_04Lucky guy. Which one? The guy who took an elmer to the forehead.
SPEAKER_03Yep, not many people, at least two that we know of. Yeah. Alright, let's move on into final. And this is where I tell the ending of the film and we discuss and give our ratings of one to five stabs. One stab, no redeeming value, two stabs bad, three stabs mediocre, four stabs good, and then five stabs masterpiece. Returning to his apartment, Brian discovers that Mike and Barbara have begun a relationship. Realizing that he cannot control himself or choose Almer's targets, Brian tries to warn them to stay away before fleeing to the streets. Barbara follows him and confronts him on the subway, where Almer kills her. Back of the apartment, Morris and his wife Martha hold Brian at gunpoint to steal Almer back. Almer attacks them. As he feeds on their brains, Brian begs for another injection of juice. Almer agrees, which distracts them long enough for Morris to regain consciousness, grabbing and crushing Almer during the injection process. This kills Almer and forces an overdose, leaving Brian in agony. Screaming and bleeding juice, he runs to his room, puts Morris's gun to his own head, and fires. The police arrive at the apartment building, joined by Mike, and they break down Brian's door, finding Brian, who stares blankly with a large glowing hole in his forehead emanating with a light and long crackles of electricity. The end So Shelly, I know the end was a bit of a sore spot for you. Did you wanna did you want to go and talk more about it?
SPEAKER_04No, it's just like why that was it? Like, if we're gonna blow our brains out, why why was I I just I don't know. It should have just been blowing your brains out. Hard stop.
SPEAKER_03Hard stop, blow your brains out, be done.
SPEAKER_04Yeah. Kill yourself.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Give us a great, like, juicy brain.
SPEAKER_03Oh, yeah. After all the all the stuff we've got, especially brain gore, tons of brain gore, we get a glowing light. So yeah, that's interest. That's an interesting take for them to go with.
SPEAKER_04That's my thoughts on the ending.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, yeah. Um, for myself, I was I was indifferent. It was an ending, I guess. Um, I I completely see what you say about maybe something a little bit more at the end than a glowing forehead. Um, I did enjoy the stranglation of Almer just because his little beady eyes got to pull trude a little bit, so that was fun. Other than that, uh, it was an ending. And uh yeah, that's uh that's how I felt. So let's ending. Yeah, let's get into our stabs. Uh we'll give it to Phelan first, and she said four stabs. Uh she says, if it weren't for the subpart acting from the supporting cast and the underdeveloped characters, this movie would be a masterpiece. A simple story teaching a hard truth about the effects of addiction, a charming and uniquely crafted antagonist that you kind of like, a remarkable use of color, effective use of score to underline the action of the moment in hurried and anticipatory way, and an ending that follows through on its warnings by killing everyone, save the brother. Uh, this was great fun to revisit, and I hope and enjoy Almer and his tune the first time you heard it, just as I did. Cheers. Thank you, Phelan, for your stabs. Shelly, what do you stab this thing?
SPEAKER_04Yes. So, um again, Almer is amazing. It was a fun ride all in all. I really enjoyed the special effects. The story was lacking. The acting was okay from some of our supporting characters. But that aside, I think I'm overall gonna give this a four as well. Nice. I did enjoy it. So I'd pick it up again. I'd recommend it to people too, as well.
SPEAKER_03Oh, for sure. Yeah, you know, I've I've talked about how I've I've known of this movie for a very long time, and I've watched some of other, you know, Frank's other works, and you know, I I kind of know what uh what he's what he's down to make for us. So I'm uh ecstatic that I finally got to check this out. It's my favorite Frank Hennenlauter film now. Um there are shortcomings for sure, and it's not a masterpiece, but I still love it to death, and I give it a 4.5.
unknownNice.
SPEAKER_03Yes. And uh yeah, so that brings us to our next section, and that is Voices from Beyond. And that's where Shelley goes through social media and shares your guys' thoughts. So uh take it away.
SPEAKER_04All right, as always, thank you so much for contributing. First off, we have Brian M. It says, I like brain damage a little bit more than the first time I watched it a few years ago, but it's still not winning my bracket. It's an interesting take on addiction, and certainly not as depressing or boring as Requim for a Dream. Almer ended up being the most likable character. I missed the Dwayne and Vivial cameo the first time I around since I hadn't watched Basket Case yet, let alone known the same director did both movies. Another decent pick for the podcast. Three and a half staffs. Then we have Quinlan D. Brain Damage and Basket Case, also from Frank Penn Lauder, are movies that genuinely surprised me the first time I watched them. Low budgets, gorilla filmmaking, a wide range of acting abilities, and most importantly, a central character that is a strange-looking puppet. Brain damage wastes no time jumping into the plot and doesn't give much time to exposition aside from the oddly long monologue by the old man who's bringing real community theater energy. Um Brian is easy to follow as a protagonist, and the allegory for drug addiction addiction is easy to recognize. Why is his girlfriend a boring schmub? Why is he seemingly homosexual brother interested in her? Why is the woman in Club's so interested in Brian. These questions are unimportant in the long run because this movie is here to give us one of the greatest antagonists in movie history, Almer. Almer is charming and funny. His only negative emotion is being annoyed with humans who don't accept the relationship we need for survival. For low budget movies, they make him feel alive, gross, and dangerous. Plus, who doesn't love a villain with a song break in the middle of a film? It's not a movie for everyone, but just like Basu Case, it hits all the right notes for my enjoyment. It wastes no time, provides disturbing visuals, nightclub Alley, Brian, bleeding out of his ear, and all the brain eating, and manages to give us a truly hilarious villain. Give this one all the stab for me. Couldn't agree more.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, beautiful. Well said.
SPEAKER_04And then Matt F said, the year was 1938. A chemist by the name of Albert Hoffman discovered lethargic acid to the Latinide. Since there was none of this in my system, I finished the movie wondering what I just saw. Within the first five minutes, I realized that Alkazeltzer tabs, scope, and colgate were the major special effects that were used. I'm now also glad to finally see the origin story for Mr. Hanky, the Christmas Poo. I'm sure the South Park guys watch this. Almer being the model. While my statement makes it sound as if I didn't like the movie, I kind of did a little. I don't see it going too far in my brackets, however. I have never given stabs to movies before, so I will for this one. I'll stab it twice.
SPEAKER_07Hey!
SPEAKER_04And then our and then our friends over at the Barons Hide podcast did say they love Elmer and proclaims him as our best boy.
SPEAKER_07Oh, yes.
SPEAKER_04So such a good movie. That's it for Voices uh Voices from Beyond. So thank you, everyone. We appreciate it. This was a fun movie, so we love your thoughts on it.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely. Alright, let's move on into uh the next segment, which is loose and this is where I get some fun facts in the film. Uh Frank Henanlauder reportedly gave up cocaine and wrote this film as a metaphor for his experience. So there you go for us who are calling on the allegory about the drug addiction. So he gave up cocaine. That's uh that's a crazy drug to get hooked on. And then so the only other fun fact I have that I thought was interesting was Frank Henanlauder claimed that he had makeup effects uh give Rick Hurst a split lip throughout the movie because he thought he looked, quote unquote, too fucking pretty. Sounds like some sour grapes. A little bit of a little bit of jealousy. That's kind of weird. Your leading man, you want to give him a split lip because he's too attractive. That's a weird move. Oh, and uh the only other fun fact I have, and and this I didn't write down, but I remember this from uh reading earlier, was uh the initial scene where we get those noises when Elmer is climbing up and onto Brian's back, is that like gargling noise was actually Frank Hurst's stomach itself. Uh he told Frank Henenlauter that whenever he drank coffee on an empty stomach, it gargled like a monster. So Frank requested that he do it. He took him into the sound booth and then recorded his stomach going to war with itself. So all those weird gargling noises that you hear in a film is actually Rick Hurst's stomach. So yeah. It was very realistic, so I know it sounds it sounds like it. I have a loud tummy myself. Do you have a loud tummy, Shelly?
SPEAKER_04Not always, but my dad does.
SPEAKER_03Oh, your dad does? Yeah. Maybe it's a maybe it's a dude thing. Us dudes uh if we're not physically going to war, our body is going at war with itself. So maybe that's what's going on. All right. So that takes us, that takes us to the end of brain damage. And uh, Shelly, this is our 12th movie, and I think we're ready to build our bracket for the deathmatch tournament. Are you ready?
SPEAKER_07Let's do it.
SPEAKER_03Let's do it. So I went through today, printed up the movies, put them in the little bag. I'm gonna be reaching inside the bag, grabbing some movies and building our bracket. So we only have a 12 movie bracket this year. Again, we're gonna have some movies with buys because I didn't think it through. But uh I will see.
SPEAKER_04One year we won't have buy.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, next year, next year we'll be at 16. So, you know, we should we should be back to an even-sided bracket 8v8. So that should be that should be much better. But let's go through, all right. So the first movie I picked, which is at the number one spot on our left-hand side, which actually has a buy. This is gonna be the movie It. This is the this is the two-part one that we watched earlier. I think this was uh, oh my gosh, who gave this to us?
SPEAKER_04Oh was it Ray?
SPEAKER_03Was it Ray? Yes, it was Ray. You're right, it was Ray. So this was the two-part mini-series, it, and that's got a buy at the number one spot on the left. And Shelly, just so you know, I will I will get this on a PDF on the little bracket thing.
SPEAKER_04Oh, I'm well aware. Yes. I'm not writing it down.
SPEAKER_03No, don't don't sweat the sweat it. All right, so the next the next movie at the number what is called the eighth spot on the left-hand side is Death Gasm. Alright. So we got Deathgasm. And Deathgasm will be going up against what do you know? Brain damage. We got Deathgasm and brain damage going at it first round on the left hand side. Moving on, we got we got another movie with a bye, and this is going to be Psycho Gorman. My handwriting is atrocious when I'm sloppily sin, but Psycho Gorman with a bye, second bye on the left-hand side. Alright, the next film that will be going on the left-hand side. Ooh, Quiet Place. I almost forgot we did this.
SPEAKER_07Oh wow. That's with forever ago.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, this was with Carrie. Um, so we got Quiet Place, and then the last film on the left-hand side that's going against Quiet Place will be Ooh, Maniac. Maniac. Another sleazy New York film that we watched this year. Maniac. So that takes up our left hand side. All right, now we're going to the right hand side, and our first film with a buy on the right hand side is going to be. Oh, it's Onyx. Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls. The longest title ever. It gets a bye. Look at that. Here we are. All right. Next up on the right hand side. Uh we have, ooh, children shouldn't play with dead things. Oh, Alan.
SPEAKER_04Alan Ornsby. Yep.
SPEAKER_03Alan Ornsby.
SPEAKER_04We know you're listening. We know you're obsessed with us. I know.
SPEAKER_03You better submit your bracket.
SPEAKER_04It all depends what movie goes up against us.
SPEAKER_03Ooh, okay, so so the up against it is House. The uh the house movie.
SPEAKER_04I almost forgot we watched that.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I know, I know. I know.
SPEAKER_04Okay, with our little like uh flying monster dragon dinosaur thing.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, the closet monster, and then uh bull from night court as like uh as the army guy. Yeah. Alright, those are the first two movies against each other on the right hand side. Next film, which is getting a buy, is going to be ooh, chopping ball, let's go. Robots, fuck the world, robots forever. All right, shopping ball. You're getting a bye on the right hand side. Uh, next film on the right hand side. Ooh, ooh, yeah. Okay, so we got hereditary.
SPEAKER_07Okay, okay, okay.
SPEAKER_03Final film. Hereditary. And the final film on the right hand side and completing our brackets and going against hereditary. Oh, this is not fair. Battle Royale against hereditary.
SPEAKER_04Oh, that's awesome. They should not be meeting here.
SPEAKER_03They should not be meeting here. Oh my gosh. All right. Well, that is our bracket. For those of you who follow us online, we'll be posting this up. And uh, yeah, it's time for you guys to get your your brackets into us and uh to get ready for the deathmat tournament. Uh, anything else before I close this out?
SPEAKER_04No.
SPEAKER_03All right. So don't miss out and tune in next week. We'll be taking all the films we watched and have them battle out in our deathmatch tournament. Uh, be sure that you follow us on social media so you can participate and move the needle on who we crown the victor in this deathmat tournament this year. So uh pay attention there. If you listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, please give us a rating and review if you like what we do. You can find us on Facebook, TikTok by searching Little Bracket of Horrors and on Instagram by typing the at symbol, little bracket of horrors. We also have merch available at tpublic.com. Just search for our name in their website search bar or pay attention to our socials for a direct link. Thank you everyone for tuning in. I'm Derek. I'm Shelly. And we will catch you on the other side.
SPEAKER_01You have created a monster, I'm doing it for you.
SPEAKER_03We got it done. Look at us getting it done. Glory to us. Awesome. So you got uh you just got uh honeydew list shit to take care of this weekend?
SPEAKER_04Sherry's birthday is Sunday, so we're gonna eat for that. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Would you say what do you guys have planned for that?
SPEAKER_04Just going to dinner.
SPEAKER_03Oh, cool. Anywhere specific? I got an Applebee's gift card.
SPEAKER_04We're not going to Applebee's, so you're not invited.
SPEAKER_03That was my way of trying to get myself invited to the birthbeat.
SPEAKER_04Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Hey, just in case you guys were thinking of it.
SPEAKER_04But you know what? Why don't you and Ian go to Applebee's and celebrate with without us?
SPEAKER_03Yes. And I'll I'll I'll say it's my birthday and I'll have him bring a cake and I'll take a picture and I'll send it.
SPEAKER_04I'll send it to your like if you were here, this would be for you.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_04Look, Sherry, look at my look at the cake. It's all for you. It's for you. Yeah. Um we're going to a new dumpling house. Uh something. Dumplings. You know how we like our foreign cuisine. I don't know if you must.
SPEAKER_03No, I I was just gonna say you got you guys are adventurous and you like to find fun new places, so that makes sense.
SPEAKER_04It is called Shanghai Dumpling House in Tampa.
SPEAKER_03Oh, it's in Tampa too. Okay.
SPEAKER_04Fowler and North Tampa. Nebraska.
SPEAKER_03Oh, Nebraska.
SPEAKER_04US USF area.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, Nebraska can be a dicey area. If you get like South Nebraska.
SPEAKER_04It's it's it's close to two 275. It's not a good thing. No, exactly.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Yeah. You get uh you get the night walkers up and down Nebraska. Good times. Yes, you're right. Maybe you can find Elmer some food.
SPEAKER_04Find Elmer.
SPEAKER_03All right, well, I will let you go. Um, it was great chatting with you. Um I'll talk to you later, homie.
SPEAKER_04Have a good weekend.
SPEAKER_03Yep, you too. And this is where we get into our topics of pros, cons, characters, dialogue, and then our favorite kills slash scares. Now, uh I will I guess I'll kick it off with uh Phalan's thoughts, and uh we'll we'll start with pros. So you know what? I'll be right back. I am like parched, and I didn't grab a water before this. So I'll be right back. And I'm back. Never been so excited for some water. I'm so parched. It's kind of my MO to have water with me on a show.
SPEAKER_04I almost died drinking water earlier.
SPEAKER_03Oh no.
SPEAKER_04You ever just like go to like drink something or like not even just drinking water, but like sometimes you're just sitting there and it's like your body forgets how to like swallow, spit, and then suddenly you're just choking and dying.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_04Um that's what happened to me with water earlier. I think that's a common.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I think that's pretty common. Um I was I was in a a meeting yesterday at work and I just had a little scratch, and I was like, Oh, I'll just drink a little water. And if and it was like just getting to my turn to talk in front of everyone, and the water went down the wrong tube, and I just started coughing violently into the sleeve of my hoodie. Yes, I was like, I'm so sorry. You know, water is the savior, but it also can be the uh the killer as well. So you know it. Gotta look out for it. Okay, we'll jump back in. All right. Let's let's uh let's hey let me pause you for a second.
SPEAKER_04I gotta take the puppies out really quick.
SPEAKER_03No, go for it. I'm gonna get more water.
SPEAKER_02Why are the stars always winkin' and blinking above? What makes a fella start thinking of falling in love? It's not the season, the reason is plain as a moon. It's just almost tune. What makes a lady of A go out on the loose? Why does a gander meander in search of a goose? What puts the kick in a chicken? The magic in June. It's just Elmas tune. All right.
SPEAKER_03Bloopers. Did you hear any of that?
SPEAKER_07Sorry about that.
SPEAKER_03Did you hear any of that? Did you hear any of that? No. I had my airpods. I was playing the uh Elmer's tune. I found it on YouTube. I didn't know if you could hear it too, since I was playing it through the phone. I don't know how I don't know how technology works.
SPEAKER_04I didn't I had my AirPods on the and it was all connected. Oh yes.
SPEAKER_03Yes, yes, yes.
SPEAKER_04All right, sorry about that.
SPEAKER_03No, you are good.