The Brain (1988)

"I didn't know there were so many crazy people in Meadowvale." - Jim

A monstrous brain is using a television show to brainwash a community.
Starring: Tom Bresnahan, Cynthia Preston, David Gale, George Buza

Link to IMDB

With Halloween coming up, it's going to get spooky around here... Or at least that's the plan, but who knows with B-movies.

Jim

Dr. Blake runs a popular self-help TV show from his research center, but what his cult of fans don't know is that he also has a huge brain in his lab that is sending hypnotic brainwaves through the broadcast! There's no preamble, no explanation, things gets crazy immediately. During the latest show, a teenager at home starts freaking out when her teddy bear cries blood and demons start attacking her! It results in the girl killing her mother and herself out of sheer insanity. It's both disturbing and bizarre, setting the offbeat mood for what's in store.
The next day we meet Jim and Janet attending high school. Jim's quite the prankster, and he causes an explosion in the school's toilet, landing him in a meeting with his parents and the principal. They decide that Jim needs to visit Dr. Blake to get his bad attitude corrected. At the research center, Jim is put through a test to evaluate his response to the brain's power, but Jim seems to have some natural resistance to being hypnotized.

After Jim leaves we meet the brain up close, and one lab assistant wants to stop broadcasting the dangerous brainwaves, but Blake demands that the research continue. The brain then leaps from the table and proceeds to devour the worried assistant!! After this snack, the brain doubles in size and grows an ugly face! It's so unexpectedly freaky and hilarious that I didn't know what would come next.
The brain starts sending Jim hallucinations as he drives home, causing him to freak out at the diner where Janet works. Blake's assistant (the one that didn't get eaten) arrives and sedates Jim, hauling him back to the lab for more "treatment." Jim's able to escape, but he also sees the monstrous brain and hears Blake's plans to expand the broadcasting to reach more people. The assistant starts stalking Jim and Janet around town, killing anyone that gets in his way. Meanwhile, the brain keeps growing bigger, as more people in town are being driven crazy by watching too much TV.

Dr. Blake

With the police chasing him, and Janet acting weird, Jim has no choice but to head back to the research lab and try to stop Blake and the brain on his own, but not everything is as it seems in this town.

The movie is self-aware enough not to take itself too seriously or bore you with social commentary about media, but it still has some twisted ideas going on. Despite some parts being drawn out, the silly and creepy stuff kept me hooked the whole time.
The brain's face looks like something straight out of a nightmare, and yet you'll be laughing as the awkward blob of rubber gets rolled around on a dolly while it chases its meals. It really needs to be seen to be believed!



Be sure not to miss:
- Valuable lessons on the dangers of pure sodium.
- The cop getting decapitated is perfect, even without a single drop of blood.
- How did the skeleton come alive? Was the brain controlling it, or was it a dream? Either way, it was a pervert.
- Near the end, witness the most uneventful car chase ever.

Internet review:
"Entertainment for those that have trouble dealing with reality." - lost-in-limbo

Should I watch it?
A solid mix of laughs and weirdness, worth checking out.

Where can I find it?
On YouTube

The Brain gets...