Movies: Last Movie You Watched and Rate it | {Insert Appropriate Seasonal Greeting Here}

[Puck]

I also watched Grey Man on Netflix tonight. Aye Caramba. Lots of action but the script or storyline was well below par. I give it an 8/10 for action but 4/10 for the scriptwriters here. Hollywood team of writers threw everything in including the kitchen sink. Well below Bourne quality, more of a cross between John Wick and McGyver on steroids. An A-list cast, in a B movie overall. But all the action scenes. Wow. Plot was just a way to tie all the action together. One good line in there by Evans in the Prague shootout though. "Ten million dollars to anyone who gets the Ken doll". Musta been an ad lib by Evans they kept in the film (Gosling plays Ken in the upcoming Barbie flick). I thought Evans was miscast as the bad guy though, I wasn't buying into his bad boy routine. They left the ending open for more sequels if it does well.

The fight choreography was well done, if you like action flicks this is good. But geez can't anyone in Hollywood write a decent story anymore? Maybe my expectations were too high.

 

[Puck]

watch out for spoilers in this article. but definitely they were planning a sequel for Grey Man.

Will There Be a ‘The Gray Man 2’ on Netflix? The Russos Have a ‘Gray Man’ “Universe” Planned

“Most things we do here we think about as a narrative universe,” Anthony Russo said.

decider.com

 

[kihei]

I, too, watched The Gray Man tonight. Seems like an attempt to resurrect a new Bourne-ish franchise, which is fine by me because I really like Gosling dryly delivering semi-witticisms. Action sequences were plentiful and exciting, there were some great locations and the cast was first-rate. But it was like no one could come up with even a half-way fresh plot or anything close to it. Compared to the Bourne, Bond and Wick franchises, The Gray Man seems thin gruel, an excuse to blow things up in spectacular fashion intended for an audience that will make no further demands whatsoever. 4A

 

[End of Line]

Geostorm (2017)

1/10 pure trash and a waste of time

 

[The Crypto Guy]

The Gray Man was VERY good. For a netflix movie they definitely put a lot of money into it. For a longer movie, 2 hours, they kept the pace going almost the entire time without many slow parts.

8/10.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

I also watched Grey Man on Netflix tonight. Aye Caramba. Lots of action but the script or storyline was well below par. I give it an 8/10 for action but 4/10 for the scriptwriters here. Hollywood team of writers threw everything in including the kitchen sink. Well below Bourne quality, more of a cross between John Wick and McGyver on steroids. An A-list cast, in a B movie overall. But all the action scenes. Wow. Plot was just a way to tie all the action together. One good line in there by Evans in the Prague shootout though. "Ten million dollars to anyone who gets the Ken doll". Musta been an ad lib by Evans they kept in the film (Gosling plays Ken in the upcoming Barbie flick). I thought Evans was miscast as the bad guy though, I wasn't buying into his bad boy routine. They left the ending open for more sequels if it does well.

The fight choreography was well done, if you like action flicks this is good. But geez can't anyone in Hollywood write a decent story anymore? Maybe my expectations were too high.

I too watched The Grey Man - and Puck's take is the closest to mine. It just felt like Dumb and Dumber goes ape shit blowing up stuff and facing off ninja style (Dumb being Evans' insufferable and unbelievable character and Dumber being the twit that goes "forget the shot, I'll go get stabbed a few dozen times in hand to hand combat because my father wanted me a macho"). That's a 3.5/10 for me, with .5 for some cool action, as noted by others.

 

[ItsFineImFine]

After Yang (2022) - 7/10

Hard film to dislike but an easy one for me to criticize. Quite reliant on Colin Ferrell's presence, the rest of the scenery doesn't work as well as it does in Colombus from the same director. It engages in a fast paced opening with quite a rush of a title credit then really changes pace but the problem I have with that is that the tonal shift never feels complete until like half-way in the film. There's a sense of unneeded tension for that first half in a film that isn't tense at all. Sort of like when you're waiting for something explosive to happen but it never does.

Also for a film called "AFTER" Yang, it features too much of Yang rather than the aftermath but I guess the story isn't strong enough for 90+ minutes without that.

 

[The Macho King]

If you didn't enjoy Police Story 2, hopefully you're still willing to check out Police Story 3 (aka Supercop).

Police Story 3 is one of Jackie Chan's more well known/better movies. The action is ramped back up, and co-star Michelle Yeoh matches Jackie with great stunts of her own. It's more of a loose sequel to the first two though, with only a couple supporting characters returning (in smaller roles).

Going to check back in with you on this. I cannot find this for streaming - even for rent it wasn't on Amazon Prime (it said it was but when I tried to buy it it wouldn't let me?).

I'm thinking I may look for a less... savory way to see it. I'd pay for it if I could but I'm not going to jump through extra hoops to f***ing spend money.

 

[shadow1]

Friday the 13th (1980) - 7/10

The last few summers I've watched the Friday the 13th series (at least the Paramount ones), so I'm starting up again this year.

The original Friday the 13th is one of the most divisive in the series, but personally it's one of my favorites in the series. Many fans say it's too slow, but I enjoy the slower pacing; I find that it adds some level of immersion to the film (i.e. it feels like a real camp).

Camp Crystal Lake is a great setting. In addition to being secluded, there is a big rainstorm taking place outside. With no children to tend to, the counselors opt to take it easy in their quarters. The crafty killer waits until they're alone and picks them off one by one; there is very little use of the idiot plot here.

The obvious biggest gripe is that it's a who-done-it, but it's impossible to figure out who the killer is. The movie sets up a couple red herrings, which are Crazy Ralph and head counselor Steve Christie, but it never invests too heavily in setting up these characters. It lays the red herring frame work, but then quickly reveals neither of them could've done it by showing them in a different location at the time of a killing.

Could you imagine if they had added one additional scene introducing us to Mrs. Voorhees? Possibly at the Diner at the beginning when Annie asks the locals for a ride? Would've made a world of difference. (And yeah, I'm spoilering that out. Just because the movie is old doesn't mean everyone has seen it).

Fun Fact: Apparently musician Lou Reed owned a nearby farm and stopped by the set occasionally, sometimes playing music. From Art Department's Daniel Mahon:

"Fred Smith was the manager of the summer camp and basically controlled the physical plant on which the camp was located. Fred was an expatriate and a real character. He kept talking about his neighbor, Lou, and eventually we discovered that the Lou he was talking about was Lou Reed, the famous musician who lived nearby!”.

According to sound mixer Richard Murphy, "Lou Reed had a farm nearby and he would come by during the filming and he played music around us. We got to watch Lou Reed play for free, right in front of us, while we were making the film! He came by the set and we hung around with each other and he was just a really great guy."

 

[kihei]

Restless (2022) Directed by Regis Blondeau 3A

Thomas (Frank Gastembide), a bad cop in a precinct filled with bad cops, runs over a guy with his car, killing him. He attempts to cover up the accident while at the same time trying to avoid an ongoing police investigation concerning corruption in his unit. Unfortunately for him, somebody saw him run the guy over, and that somebody is a nasty piece of business. Every possible thing that can go wrong does go wrong for Thomas, outrageously so, and he has to keep finding deliberately implausibles ways to make things right. Restless is as much if not more a dark comedy than it is a police thriller.

A recent addition on Netflix, Restless is an almost shot-for-shot remake of a South Korean police thriller A Hard Day (2014), First time director Regis Blondeau, in effect, tries to merely copy the original, but drops the ball badly. I gave A Hard Day a 7A; I give Restless a 3A. So, two close to identical movies but very differnet results. Why? Three words: direction, editing and acting. For starters, A Hard Day has charm where Restless has none. Our anti-hero in the South Korean original is deeply flawed but nonetheless at least likeable enough of the time that we grudgingly root for him in the end. Actor Lee Sun-kyon knows how to play black comedy; Gatembide doesn't. The French actor's performance is humourless and way too dark. I never came close to caring about him, much less liking him.

There is also a big difference in the competency of the directors. Kim Seong-hun is adept at action sequences while Blondeau isn't in the same league, meaning the French film seems flat in comparison with the jauntier South Korean original. Finally, although Blondeau's skill lies in cinematography, he is still learning how to edit. Thus little real excitement is generated in his version. He comes across as an unseasoned, inexperienced director trying to learn on the job. He lacks the skill to make the deliberately outrageous sequence of events seem like fun. Indeed rather than get us to go along for the ride, he only succeeds in underscoring in felt marker how unbelievable the events are. The end result is that Restless is simply offputting whereas A Hard Day is entertaining and enjoyable..

subtitles

 

[OzzyFan]

Going to check back in with you on this. I cannot find this for streaming - even for rent it wasn't on Amazon Prime (it said it was but when I tried to buy it it wouldn't let me?).

I'm thinking I may look for a less... savory way to see it. I'd pay for it if I could but I'm not going to jump through extra hoops to f***ing spend money.

Free on HBO Max and The Criterion Channel, Rent or Buyable on AppleTV or Alamo On Demand:

Police Story 2 streaming: where to watch online?

Not a bad search engine. Aside from less savory places, it's pretty good in finding where to watch stuff, sometimes free with ads. Too bad it doesn't include youtube or some other lesser noted "non-shady"/"non-illegal" places where there are free movies on.

 

[Puck]

I've asked a lot of people about The Grey Man and my personal survey indicates the younger you are the more likely you are to love it. I think older people like a good storyline to go along with a movie and are less likely to want to suspend belief past a certain point. And you really have to put reality on a back-burner here while enjoying the action with people who have near Marvel-like superpowers to survive the onslaught. Still, lots of great action, the entire flick is based on it. But I think reviews here will be a good barometer of how old posters are. The older posters will raise their eyebrows more (and be a tad more critical).

p.s. I was able to find Police Story 3 on the net. Only one seeder but he came thru.

 

[Chili]

The Narrow Margin-1952

A gangster is slain and his wife has agreed to become an informant. Two policemen are tasked with transporting her safely to LA by train. It becomes clear early on that there are those who have been hired to make sure she doesn't arrive. Some good noir actors from the era in the film, especially Charles McGraw and Marie Windsor. Top notch, found the story gripping from start to end.

Cloak & Dagger-1946

A brilliant Hungarian physicist working for the Germans on nuclear fission, flees to Switzerland. The underground becomes aware and makes plans to contact her. A leading physicist (Gary Cooper) is recruited and sent. And a dangerous game of espionage begins. Quite a bit of romance to the film, maybe influenced by Casablanca? Interesting film, maybe a tad too long.

Pickup on South Street-1953

A pickpocket (Richard Widmark) gets more then a wallet when he grifts it from a girl's purse on the subway. When he realizes the microfilm inside contains secret information, he sees the potential for a big score. The cold war at the time shows up in the script. Believe this film took a real physical toll on the actors, including Jean Peters (Candy) who gets manhandled, even after the production code folks had forced some changes. Interesting some of the names Samuel Fuller turned down for the role of Candy: Marilyn Monroe, Shelley Winters, Ava Gardner and Betty Grable. Thelma Ritter is a standout, she did get an oscar nomination. Well done noir.

The Way Back-2020

A man (Ben Affleck) is asked to replace the basketball coach due to illness at the former school where he starred. The team hasn't made the playoffs since way back in his days. He starts to put some structure in the team and they improve. The man though is dealing with past demons. As a stand alone film it's not bad, there are some messages beyond basketball. Ben Affleck is good, some moving scenes. Just felt formulaic, similar to other films.

The Westerner-1940

The story of Judge Roy Bean who settled in West Texas in the 1880's and set up his own law enforcement. Walter Brennan won the best actor award as the judge. Gary Cooper, the US's highest taxpayer the year before (income of ~$480k) plays a co-starring role here. Some good comedy mixed into goings on in Vinagaroon. Where is Lily's lock of hair? Good to see a western where they actually have to stop and re-load. A lot of stuff left out or changed from the facts. The John Huston film The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean with Paul Newman had more historical facts (i.e. the judge's marriage, the bear, Lily Langtry's visit, the ending). Enjoyed re-watching both films. "That's my rulin'."

Madigan-1968

'The hell with these vests, Let's Go!'

An earlier police film from the director of Dirty Harry. Madigan and his partner answer a call to bring in someone for questioning. What they don't know is that he is suspected of murder. He turns the tables on them, taking their guns before fleeing. The two cops are given three days to find suspect (after they are told they will lose a week's pay each for giving up their guns). Interesting that the director and producer couldn't stand each other (which Don Siegel detailed in his autobiography), but strong cast and a good story prevailed. VGood film.

 

[The Macho King]

Free on HBO Max and The Criterion Channel, Rent or Buyable on AppleTV or Alamo On Demand:

Police Story 2 streaming: where to watch online?

Not a bad search engine. Aside from less savory places, it's pretty good in finding where to watch stuff, sometimes free with ads. Too bad it doesn't include youtube or some other lesser noted "non-shady"/"non-illegal" places where there are free movies on.

Not 2 - the third one. I checked the first two out already.

I'll figure it out.

 

[OzzyFan]

Not 2 - the third one. I checked the first two out already.

I'll figure it out.

My apologies. Only suggestion is try different links on Amazon video. For some reason they have multiple links for the same movie and 1 is only a trailer or sometimes no viewing option at all, while the other one is the full movie. Good luck.

 

[The Macho King]

Alright - finally figured it out.

Supercop

I was only able to find the English dub, sadly enough, but it didn't detract much since it sounded like Yeoh and Chan at least did their own VO.

Holy shit this movie doesn't waste a frame on anything but fun. It was a tight 93 minutes and there were at least 3 awesome set pieces. Honestly you could have easily spent 10 more minutes on just some minor establishing and plot scenes and it wouldn't have hurt the pacing and maybe help the story but honestly? f*** the story.

It's a shame Yeoh and Chan didn't do 20 movies together because they were f***ing awesome together. Yeoh did as much crazy shit as he did. Also she's gorgeous and I love her.

Every issue I had with 2 they fix in 3. It's funny. It doesn't bog you down with an overly serious plot or lulls in the action. Really terrific action and stunt work. Best one of these so far, and I really liked the first.

8/10

 

[kihei]

The Mad Max saga is a positively uplifting celebration of joy compared to Threads. Fast cars, your friends around, plenty of recreational options...oh yeah. Threads makes Mad Max look like a day at the beach.

I watched it because you used the word "owly" in your review. Great word. Anyway, first half was actually like a movie. Second half reminded me of my driver's training course when I was a kid. In that era, a common move was for the teacher to eventually show a 15 minute video of the bloodiest, most horrendous traffic accidents ever. To scare us all into driving safely was the idea. That's what the second half of Threads felt like to me: cautionary overkill. Only a lot longer than 15 minutes. Worked, though. Now, for sure, I will never detonate a nuclear weapon.

 

[Osprey]

The Black Phone (2022) - 6/10

Locked in a soundproof basement, an abducted boy begins receiving calls on a supposedly disconnected phone. This was fairly creepy and suspenseful. It was obvious from early on what was happening, so there wasn't any surprise or twist in store, but it was still chilling. There are a few jump scares and disturbing imagery, but it's more of a psychological thriller than a horror. I really liked how much it looked and felt like 1978. Overall, it has a Stephen King vibe along the lines of It. The two young actors, especially the one playing the sister, were good. A lot of the film is about the two siblings' relationship, which provides the emotional foundation for the film. Ethan Hawke is sufficiently creepy as the always-masked kidnapper who could drop the "nice" act at any moment and become terrifying, though a little more insight into his character and motivations would've been nice. A lot of the film felt a little bit undercooked like that. It's not quite as scary, suspenseful or emotional as it could've been and the ending left me with several unanswered questions. It didn't quite live up to the hype, but I still enjoyed watching it.

Sinister (2012) - 5/10

A true crime novelist (Ethan Hawke) moves his family into a house where another family was recently brutally murdered because it seemed like a good idea at the time. After watching The Black Phone, I read that it was a return to his roots for Scott Derrickson, the writer/director, so I decided to check out this earlier film of his along the same lines. It's definitely horror and full of creepy imagery and jump scares, though I didn't find it quite as creepy as it should've been and the jump scares were predictable. I also half-jokingly predicted one of the final twists only 15 minutes in. The whole thing was probably 20 minutes too long, as well. I did like the family drama, especially the believable arguing between the husband and wife. It turns out that you should probably tell your spouse when you move the family into the site of a mass murder. Good to know. I also liked the acting and the bold ending. The movie felt predictable and clichéd for the first 90% of it, but was refreshingly different for the final 10%, like "this never happens in horror movies" different. That redeemed it a little, but a good twist or two at the end doesn't make up for an hour and a half of clichés. It wasn't bad as horror movies go, but it's probably not something that I'll care to watch again.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) - 7/10

A lawyer (Laura Linney) defends a parish priest (Tom Wilkinson) on trial for the death of a girl after a failed exorcism. While looking up Scott Derrickson's filmography after watching The Black Phone, this stood out to me along with Sinister, so I watched it, as well. It's a unique blend of courtroom drama and horror film that's based on a true story. It opens with Emily Rose already being dead and her story is told from the witness stand via flashbacks. They provide the film's horror elements as we see what hell she supposedly went through. They're creepy and unnerving, but those expecting a horror film might be a little disappointed. It's as much, if not more, of a legal movie, but a different one than most because of the subject matter. The intersection of faith and justice was interesting, especially the fact that a priest is on trial for just trying to help and being prosecuted by a fellow Christian and defended by an agnostic. It felt like a pretty intelligent and balanced script to me. While the flashbacks paint a picture of possession, the fact that they're the testimony of potentially unreliable witnesses allows the film to get away with not establishing or denying the existence of the supernatural. It raises the question of whether you need to believe in the supernatural explanation in order to excuse someone who does of wrongdoing. The leads are good, but Jennifer Carpenter as the tormented Emily gives one of the more committed performances that I've seen. Kudos to her for a very physically unflattering role. I wouldn't say that it's very strong as a courtroom drama or as a horror film, but, as a combination of the two, it's refreshingly unique. I like both genres, so it was right up my alley.

 

[Pranzo Oltranzista]

After watching The Black Phone, I read that it was a return to his roots for Scott Derrickson, the writer/director, so I decided to check out this earlier film of his along the same lines.

Go back further and watch Hellraiser: Inferno!

 

[ItsFineImFine]

Anyone know if you can watch The Souvenir Part II before seeing the first one?

 

[OzzyFan]

The Black Phone (2022) - 6/10

Locked in a soundproof basement, an abducted boy begins receiving calls on a supposedly disconnected phone. This was fairly creepy and suspenseful. It was obvious from early on what was happening, so there wasn't any surprise or twist in store, but it was still chilling. There are a few jump scares and disturbing imagery, but it's more of a psychological thriller than a horror. I really liked how much it looked and felt like 1978. Overall, it has a Stephen King vibe along the lines of It. The two young actors, especially the one playing the sister, were good. A lot of the film is about the two siblings' relationship, which provides the emotional foundation for the film. Ethan Hawke is sufficiently creepy as the always-masked kidnapper who could drop the "nice" act at any moment and become terrifying, though a little more insight into his character and motivations would've been nice. A lot of the film felt a little bit undercooked like that. It's not quite as scary, suspenseful or emotional as it could've been and the ending left me with several unanswered questions. It didn't quite live up to the hype, but I still enjoyed watching it.

Sinister (2012) - 5/10

A true crime novelist (Ethan Hawke) moves his family into a house where another family was recently brutally murdered because it seemed like a good idea at the time. After watching The Black Phone, I read that it was a return to his roots for Scott Derrickson, the writer/director, so I decided to check out this earlier film of his along the same lines. It's definitely horror and full of creepy imagery and jump scares, though I didn't find it as creepy as it should've been and the jump scares were predictable. It also felt a little slow and uneventful. I think that it should've been 90 minutes instead of 110. I did like the family drama, especially the believable arguing between the husband and wife. It turns out that you should probably tell your spouse when you move the family into the site of a mass murder. Good to know. I also liked the acting and the bold ending. The movie felt predictable and clichéd for the first 90% of it, but was refreshingly different for the final 10%, like "this never happens in horror movies" different. That redeemed it a little, but not totally. A good twist or two at the end doesn't make up for an hour and a half of clichés. It wasn't bad as horror movies go, but probably not something that I'll care to watch again.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) - 7/10

A lawyer (Laura Linney) defends a parish priest (Tom Wilkinson) on trial for the death of a girl after a failed exorcism. While looking up Scott Derrickson's filmography after watching The Black Phone, this stood out to me along with Sinister, so I watched it, as well. It's a unique blend of courtroom drama and horror film that's based on a true story. It opens with Emily Rose already being dead and her story is told from the witness stand via flashbacks. They provide the film's horror elements as we see what hell she went supposedly through. They're creepy and unnerving, but those expecting a horror film might be a little disappointed. It's as much, if not more, of a legal movie, but a different one than most because of the subject matter. The intersection of faith and justice was interesting, especially the fact that a priest is on trial for just trying to help and being prosecuted by a fellow Christian and defended by an agnostic. It felt like a pretty intelligent and balanced script to me. While the flashbacks paint a picture of possession, the fact that they're the testimony of potentially unreliable witnesses allows the film to get away with not establishing or denying the existence of the supernatural. It raises the question of whether you need to believe in the supernatural explanation in order to excuse someone who does of wrongdoing. The leads are good, but Jennifer Carpenter as the tormented Emily gives one of the more committed performances that I've seen. Kudos to her for a very physically unflattering role. I wouldn't say that it's very strong as a courtroom drama or as a horror film, but, as a combination of the two, it's refreshingly unique. I like both genres, so it was right up my alley.

All very well put. I never reviewed Black Phone because it's something I wanted to like more than I did just because how well it does everything and is endearing but it definitely misses something to kick it up a notch and your ending sentences are spot on with my conclusive feelings: "It's not quite as scary, suspenseful or emotional as it could've been and the ending left me with several unanswered questions. It didn't quite live up to the hype, but I still enjoyed watching it."

For me, Sinister is the best of the bunch (horror wise at least) and benefits from being creepy enough and memorable, especially because of it's ending and villain. Out of the 3 films I also think it is the most daring, if cliched in some ways. The absence of light, or encapsulation of darkness, for most of the film adds well to the atmosphere and feel. All of Derrickson's films I've seen feel like they are well done and implemented behind the camera in all aspects, effective and "of a certain style" I might say, albeit not home runs.

 

[Osprey]

The Man With the Screaming Brain (2005) - 6/10

Super cheesy, super low budget made-for-TV movie that's fun enough to eke out a 6 from me. Bruce Campbell stars and directs and does a decent job in both areas.

What did I just watch? Everything about it was awful... yet a bit amusing as a result. At first, I felt bad for Bruce Campbell that the movie that he wrote, produced and directed was so terrible, but then I gradually realized that he probably wasn't trying to make a good movie. I think that he just wanted to make something cheesy and low budget along the lines of the late night sci-fi 'B' movies that he grew up with it, for his own sake and because he knows that his fans want to see him in absurd movies. I'd say that he succeeded because it's definitely that. It's on Prime Video if anyone else wants to check it out, but only the most diehard Bruce Campbell fans who can appreciate a "so bad it's good" movie should bother.

 

[The Macho King]

What did I just watch? Everything about it was awful... yet a bit amusing as a result. At first, I felt bad for Bruce Campbell that the movie that he wrote, produced and directed was so terrible, but then I gradually realized that he probably wasn't trying to make a good movie. I think that he just wanted to make something cheesy and low budget along the lines of the late night sci-fi 'B' movies that he grew up with it, for his own sake and because he knows that his fans want to see him in absurd movies. I'd say that he succeeded because it's definitely that. It's on Prime Video if anyone else wants to check it out, but only the most diehard Bruce Campbell fans who can appreciate a "so bad it's good" movie should bother.

...

I'm listening.

 

[shadow1]

What did I just watch? Everything about it was awful... yet a bit amusing as a result. At first, I felt bad for Bruce Campbell that the movie that he wrote, produced and directed was so terrible, but then I gradually realized that he probably wasn't trying to make a good movie. I think that he just wanted to make something cheesy and low budget along the lines of the late night sci-fi 'B' movies that he grew up with it, for his own sake and because he knows that his fans want to see him in absurd movies. I'd say that he succeeded because it's definitely that. It's on Prime Video if anyone else wants to check it out, but only the most diehard Bruce Campbell fans who can appreciate a "so bad it's good" movie should bother.

Though I've probably done enough permanent damage by convincing you to watch it in the first place, here are a few trivia items about Man with the Screaming Brain you might enjoy:

1. It was supposed to take place in Los Angeles, but due to no budget production had to be moved to Sofia, Bulgaria.
2. It was filmed back-to-back with another Sci-Fi Channel original (Alien Apocalypse).
3. Due to communication issues with the crew, even with translators Bruce Campbell often had to draw on a dry erase board in order to communicate.
4. Years later, after seeing an article about "The Death of VHS" that used Man with the Screaming Brain as an example of movies shops couldn't give away, Campbell bought 5,000 VHS copies from a group of Lebanese Wholesalers for $1 each and used them as insolation on an addition to his house.
5. During filming of the sewer scene, Campbell grazed his elbow on a piece of rusty metal, causing his arm and later hand to swell within a matter of hours. Shooting had to be re-arranged, and Campbell had to go for "ultraviolet, electromagnetic" treatment for a week every day after filming to make sure the tissue in his arm was stimulated. In his book Hail to the Chin: Further Confessions of a B-Movie Actor, he writes "Jesus, I'm going to be permanently maimed because of a movie called Man with the Screaming Brain".

 

[The Macho King]

Though I've probably done enough permanent damage by convincing you to watch it in the first place, here are a few trivia items about Man with the Screaming Brain you might enjoy:

1. It was supposed to take place in Los Angeles, but due to no budget production had to be moved to Sofia, Bulgaria.
2. It was filmed back-to-back with another Sci-Fi Channel original (Alien Apocalypse).
3. Due to communication issues with the crew, even with translators Bruce Campbell often had to draw on a dry erase board in order to communicate.
4. Years later, after seeing an article about "The Death of VHS" that used Man with the Screaming Brain as an example of movies shops couldn't give away, Campbell bought 5,000 VHS copies from a group of Lebanese Wholesalers for $1 each and used them as insolation on an addition to his house.
5. During filming of the sewer scene, Campbell grazed his elbow on a piece of rusty metal, causing his arm and later hand to swell within a matter of hours. Shooting had to be re-arranged, and Campbell had to go for "ultraviolet, electromagnetic" treatment for a week every day after filming to make sure the tissue in his arm was stimulated. In his book Hail to the Chin: Further Confessions of a B-Movie Actor, he writes "Jesus, I'm going to be permanently maimed because of a movie called Man with the Screaming Brain".

I mean... why didn't he just chop it off and replace it with a chainsaw?