Dr. Bill Cortner and his fiancée, Jan Compton, are driving to his lab when they get into a horrible car accident. Compton is decapitated. But Cortner is not fazed by this seemingly insurmountable hurdle. His expertise is in transplants, and he is excited to perform the first head transplant. Keeping Compton’s head alive in his lab, Cortner plans the groundbreaking yet unorthodox surgery. First, however, he needs a body.
Alternative titles: O Cérebro Que Não Poderia Morrer | O Cérebro que Não Queria Morrer | Le cerveau qui ne voulait pas mourir | Der Kopf, der nicht sterben durfte | O dolofonos tou call girl | To myalo pou den pethaine | Το μυαλό που δεν πέθαινε | Il cervello che non voleva morire | 死なない頭脳 | El cerebro inmortal | Mózg, który nie może umrzeć | O Cérebro Que Não Podia Morrer | Мозг, который не мог умереть | El cerebro que no podía morir | Brain That Wouldn’t Die | The Black Door | The Head That Wouldn’t Die
Okay real review now that I’ve gotten past the first five minutes of ‘wait I know those voice clips-.’
Surprisingly good horror. From the first words and the black opening screen I realized this wasn’t going to be like any other hokey, campy 60s horror flick. It is a campy 60s horror flick, but the horror is so well done. They took a bit of a silly premise (silly to modern viewers who are used to goofy ‘living head in a jar’ type representations) and ran with it. The horror of being alive. Of being dead. Of being neither. Of being helpless. Of being powerful beyond comprehension. It’s just so evocative and beautifully done.
I also like that they didn’t reveal what’s as behind the door until the end of the film (it’s very good practical effects but if we had seen too much of it the creature would have lost its shock factor). Speaking of that ending – I adore it! It’s open-ended and yet so finite.
This is the kind of film that has me wishing for an HD surround sound remaster and rerelease in theaters.
The song Neurachem by Circle of Dust, Celldweller samples liberally from this film! The nurse saying ‘strong and steady’ is so iconic. Insane that I didn’t intentionally seek the sample source out and somehow found this film!