Brain of Blood (1971) User Reviews

Disconnected, incoherent screenplay keeps this one from building any momentum (or interest)

[lemon_magic · 2/10 · 18 June 2009]

Any time a movie feature a dwarf or a midget in a prominent role, the odds are 10-to-1 that the director threw him in because he didn't know what else to do to keep the movie interesting. In this case, the featured little guy isn't all that bad - he manages to keep his dignity for most of his scenes (except the part where he drags the leading man down the stairs of the dungeon), but the movie itself uses him like a doggie chew toy.

The problem here is a common one with low budget exploitation movies - there's a germ of a decent idea in here, but the director and the screenwriter don't know how to develop it. A good director would take the various story elements - brain transplants, mad doctors with secret labs and a dungeon, car chases, fist fights, dim-witted monstrous Frankenstein style assistant, mind control, betrayal and conspiracy, etc...and make an exciting, involving film full of cheap thrills and fun.

Instead, what we get here is a bunch of people stumbling around and arguing in the doctor's lab, then a cheesy operation where the patient bleeds tempura paint, followed by some of the same people stumbling around and arguing in the doctor's lab some more, followed by another subgroup of the initial group driving around and having an accident, followed by a dungeon escape scene that is mostly about a woman putting her shoes back on, followed by a rooftop chase (the actual high point of the movie), followed by a confusing series of events where everyone in the movie apparently escapes from everyone else, followed by a lovely stroll in the countryside where everyone either chases, bumps into, attacks or escapes from everyone else AGAIN, followed by, well, not much else.

Somewhere in here is a scary peroxide blonde dressed in white, a well meaning heroic type who is sort of blandly good looking, a three foot lab assistant, a big lunk with a mass of melted rubber pasted to one side of his face, a kid who wonders into the middle of the movie to provide more of the "frankenstein factor", a brunette who sort of falls in love with the hero for no apparent reason, and the mad doctor himself,who must be the luckiest man in the history of evil super-villains, because nothing goes according to his plan, but things work out for him anyway... and all because he remembered to stick an electrode into the transplanted brain at one point in the operation.

This was by no means the worst movie I've seen, or even the worst exploitation movie I've seen, or even the worst badly made exploitation movie I've seen, but it just lies there, oozing cheapness and inattention to detail at every point, and there is no real reason for even bad movie enthusiasts to watch it.

Better than many Adamson films

[rdoyle29 · 3/10 · 2 December 2017]

The ruler of the the nation of Khalid is dying, so he's secretly whisked off to the States so that Dr. Trenton can transplant his brain into a new body. The disorganized doctor starts the operation without actually having a body to move the brain to, so when his mentally challenged, extremely large, facially disfigured servant Gor screws up getting a body, the doctor puts the brain into Gor. Naturally, the patient is not happy waking up to find out that he's a giant with a badly scarred face. Mayhem ensues. Oh yeah ... the doctor's dwarf assistant keeps women chained up in the basement as blood donors (it seems that the good doctor is not worried about blood types), and one of them escapes.

If I had to pick a worst director of all time, I'd go with Al Adamson. People have made worse films than his, and at least a couple of his are mildly entertaining, but he has a long career of consistently not giving a crap about any of the films he made. That said, this one is one of his better films ... barely. While it has VERY long stretches of nothing happening, it has about 10-15 minutes of inspired nuttiness. It was made around the same time as "Dracula vs. Frankenstein", so both Dracula (Zandor Vorkov) and the Frankenstein monster (John Bloom) are in this one, along with Angelo Rossito and the ever-present Regina Carrol.

Seemed to Drag on Forever

[Uriah43 · 3/10 · 6 November 2013]

A man who goes by the name of "Amir" (Reed Hadley) is a rich and powerful leader of a country called "Kalid" and he is dying of cancer. Wishing to prolong his life he turns to an insane surgeon named "Doctor Trenton" (Kent Taylor) who guarantees him that he can transplant his brain from his diseased body into a healthy one. Of course, to do that Dr. Trenton needs a live human specimen and since there are no volunteers, he sends a mentally challenged and seriously deformed henchman named "Gor" (John Bloom) out to procure one. Unfortunately, Gor fails in his assignment and so Dr. Trenton is compelled to use Gor as the recipient of Amir's brain. But things don't go as planned. Anyway, rather than disclose the entire story and risk spoiling this film for those who haven't seen it, I will just say that I don't recommend it to anybody but die-hard, Category-Z movie buffs. For starters, the special effects weren't very good and some of the scenes--like the initial surgical procedure or with the young lady named "Katherine" (Vicki Volante) wandering around in the dungeon--seemed to drag on forever. Likewise, I didn't especially care for the ending at all. Below average.

Coming From Al Adamson, A Minor Miracle!

[ferbs54 · 5/10 · 23 October 2007]

Since two of Al Adamson's previous monstrosities, "Dracula vs. Frankenstein" and "Horror of the Blood Monsters," both from 1971, are two of the very worst films that I have ever suffered through, it was with a distinct feeling of what I can only call cinematic masochism that I sat down to watch his 1972 offering, "Brain of Blood." And guess what? The impossible has happened, and I've finally seen an Al Adamson movie that I actually liked! While no one could honestly call "Brain of Blood" a good, well-made picture, at least it has a story that we can follow, hangs together fairly decently, and is actually fun and entertaining to watch, unlike the torture dished out by those previous films. The story here concerns one Dr. Trenton (Kent Taylor, the star of 1968's "Brides of Blood"), who successfully transplants the brain of Amir, leader of the fictitious country of Khalid, into a younger, stronger body. There is one catch, however: The only body available belonged to Gor, Trenton's hulking, imbecilic, acid-scarred servant. And that's when the fun and games begin! As if a deformed monster weren't enough, the film throws in a gross-out surgical sequence, a high-speed car chase, a well-choreographed rooftop dukeout, assorted murders, explosions, corpses, an over-sized spider and on and on. Three members of "Dracula vs. Frankenstein" return here: the maniacal little person Angelo Rossitto, who here delights in torturing some female prisoners in the basement; the blonde gargoyle known as Regina Carrol; and Zandor Vorkov, the blue-faced Dracula himself. Gor, it must be said, looks absolutely ridiculous, his scarred-puss makeup job resembling nothing more than a rubber bathing cap with a side flap. Still, despite everything, the film works, and coming from Adamson as it does, must be deemed a minor miracle. Now: Should I try his 1978 opus, "Nurse Sherri"?

Truly another enjoyable Adamson project!

[ballen011369 · 27 April 2001]

Another winner brought to everyone by the great Al Adamson. It's a must see for all Adamson fans. I enjoyed watching it throughly. I rate Adamson's film Dracula vs. Frankenstien number one in my book and this one is probably second or third. I really enjoy Adamson's work. It all starts off with a foreign leader dying of cancer. He knows an American Doctor who can transplant his brain into a healthy body and with plastic surgery can go back and rule his country like nothing had happened. After his death they take his body to the United States for the transplant. They remove his brain and send their friend Gor alias John Bloom to get a victim for the brain to be put in. But, he injures his victim's body to the point they can't do the transplant. So, the Doctor decides to put the brain into Gor. Gor is like a Lenny off of Mice and Men kind of dude who gets battery acid poured on his face by a bunch of deranged good old boy's. If you watch this movie there is a scene in it where Xandor Vorkov AKA Roger Engel is in a car that is being forced off the road by another one. Notice his really extreme facial reactions of being scared. I laughed my butt off when I seen it and maybe you will to. Well anyway when the transplant is complete the foreign leader is upset over his appearance and starts going off. And what it all boils down to is the Doctor has implanted a chip in his brain that can induce pain by the use of a remote device. The Doctor finally uses it to control him and tells him he wants to rule his country and captures and the leaders Doctor friend and puts the brain into his body. With plastic surgery he is leader all over again. And in the ending it shows him greeting his country. And appointing the Doctor some kind of extravagant medical title leaving you to be believe the Doctor is in full control of the situation. A true cult classic!

A Good Bad B-Movie...

[P3n-E-W1s3 · 5/10 · 26 April 2020]

What would you expect from a film entitled "Brain Of Blood"? I settled down for a B-movie extravaganza of bad acting, a preposterous story, and horrendous directing. I was gobsmacked when, ten minutes into the film, I realised I wasn't going to get what I'd planned for.

This is not your average B-Movie.

No! It's your above-average B-Movie.

It's not great, but it ain't no stinker either.

Writers Samuel Sherman (story) & Joe Rodgers (screenplay) give the audience a semi-decent sci-fi thriller.

Amir is the ruler of Kalid. He's a good and caring monarch whose people love him. Unfortunately, he's riddled with cancer. Not knowing of a suitable successor for his beloved country, Amir risks it all on an experimental operation. A brain transplant. Things go disastrously awry when Gor damages the host body. Amir's brain ends up in the scarred body of mentally disabled Gor. This isn't the only blow Amir has to weather as conspirators have other ideas regarding his future.

It would be a stronger film had they managed the story concept correctly.

Though in Al Adamson's hands we receive a film of missed possibilities. Adamson tries his best behind the camera, and there are some interesting shots. I liked the operating procedure where he filmed part of it through a glass jar. The best part of this scene is when the camera pans to the bottom of the jar and we spot the white rat. Though this scene shows his inventiveness the rat breaks the spell.

It's this sort of thing that lessens the film. For example, they fly Amir from Kalid to America and then they transport him to the secret laboratory; which is one small room. The doctor begins the operation immediately and Amir's trusted confidant, Mohammed, is allowed to stay. Trouble is, they don't get him to scrub up or even don a gown. Evidently, hygiene isn't a worry when you're pulling a brain from a skull. This is a good thing. Especially considering the Doctor's assistant needs a chair to stand on... being a midget and all.

I can almost hear you groaning out there. I admit to sighing loudly and shaking my head when the midget appeared, so I can relate.

However, Adamson films the operation well. So if they paired the whole thing back, and Adamson concentrated on the relevant parts of the story, the movie would be stronger.

Since the Doctor is operating secretly, he requires a constant source of blood. This comes from the two female prisoners chained in the dungeon. Yeah, you heard that right. Why this couldn't be a cellar, I don't know(?) It's another element handled incorrectly. We later learn how massive the dungeon is. When I realised this I wondered, why does he have only one room for his lab(?). All these mishandled inconsistencies hinder the movie further.

Nonetheless, the film kept me in its grip... just.

This is because there are some good scenes, and these outweigh the bad. You can see the lack of budget in every shot. But Adamson tries to keep it interesting. He composes the opening sequence of Amir on his deathbed superbly. Even though you know we're not in a mansion or a castle, it doesn't matter too much. The direction holds it together, as does the acting.

This scene leads to one of the best opening credit's I've seen in a B-Movie. It made me reminisce about my youth when I watched Re-Animater and other Brian Yuzna films. It's similar in style and just as good.

I have to admit to having a fondness for the car chase. Even though Doctor Bob (Grant Williams) shouts, "He's trying to run us off the road!" the cars never get too close. I want to believe it's because one car is the directors and he's told them, "Scratch my car and you're fired!" Regardless, he deals with the chase admirably, using different angles. I especially liked the upward shot of the passing tree branches. This adds to the feel of speed, anxiety, and unease. At least he gets to set one car on fire.

As for the acting, this is well above average. It's the cast and their portrayals that are the glue to the film. Each gives a believable rendition, and it was this that kept me watching most.

There's only one person who lets the cast down. Regina Carrol, who plays Amir's aid and love interest, Tracy. Three things stand out in her performance. Her hair, which is so heavily lacquered with hairspray, she may be solely responsible for the hole in the ozone. The other two are her breasts... and Adamson's camera loves them. Not once does her acting ability surpass these attributes.

I would only recommend this film to B-Movie lovers and aficionados. This is chiefly because this is a bad film... but it's a good bad film. Everybody else should stay away. You won't appreciate the films badness.

Ratings: Story 1.25 : Direction 1 : Pace 0.75 : Acting 1 : Enjoyment 1 : Total 5 / 10

Transplant yourself into my Absolute Horror and The Final Frontier lists to see where this B-Movie crashed.

Take Care and Stay Well.

Passable trash entertainment from Al Adamson.

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 20 October 2018]

After Amir (Reed Hadley), the beloved ruler of fictional country Kalid (represented by a postcard picture of the Taj Mahal), dies of cancer, his most loyal followers keep the death a secret, shipping their leader's body to the United States where Dr. Trenton (Kent Taylor) has been hired to perform a revolutionary operation: transplant Amir's brain into a new, healthy body.

You know that you're in serious schlock territory when the movie's mad scientist's assistants are a sadistic dwarf (played with glee by diminutive Hollywood legend Angelo Rossito) and a hulking disfigured man-child called Gor (John Bloom).

Directed by z-grade film-maker Al Adamson, Brain of Blood is cheap and cheerful trash that doesn't attempt to be anything but. Fans of such tawdry nonsense will no doubt be delighted by the movie's more exploitative elements, which include a grisly brain transplant and a couple of young, unwilling, female blood donors shackled in a dank cellar, but even seasoned trash addicts might struggle with the latter half of the film as Adamson runs out of ideas and merely treads water until the end.

4.5 out of 10, generously rounded up to 5 for Dr. Trenton's hand-held 'brain-zapper' which looks like it is straight out of a 1930s Flash Gordon serial.

A bit lame

[maaike · 5/10 · 19 June 2000]

A bit of a disappointment, this one. It didn't have a lot of effects and wasn't really all that funny. Sure, the acting was bad, but bad acting alone is not enough. More effects, blood, cardboard sets, please!

If you like these old B-flicks, go see Baron del Terror (aka the Brainiac), it's much better.

Awful

[cdp181 · 1/10 · 17 August 2005]

I'm not sure I've ever seen a film as bad as this. Awful acting, All over the place plot, terrible special effects. There are some 'so bad its good' moments in here but not really enough to maintain interest. The woman who plays Tracey looks hideous. There are some fairly worrying scenes with a dwarf which leave you feeling ever so slightly violated. On the plus side the operation scenes are fairly amusing for the special effects as is the car chase where one car is "trying to force us off the road" without actually making contact. Guess the budget didn't stretch to trashing cars. Oh and what looks like a Postcard of the Taj Mahal is shown every time they cut to the fictional foreign country.

Al Adamson's lone contribution to Hemisphere's 'Blood Island' series

[kevinolzak · 3/10 · 26 January 2021]

1971's "Brain of Blood" was strictly work for hire as Al Adamson's addition to Hemisphere's trio of 'Blood Island' entries, minus the wooden presence of John Ashley (his "Beast of the Yellow Night" went out through Roger Corman's New World Pictures, so Hemisphere needed a replacement quickly), with Adamson's usual cast of characters for location shooting over 8 days in California rather than the humid Philippines (sadly, no scantily clad jungle beauties). Two ailing actors emerged for one last film role, TV veteran Reed Hadley as dying Kalid ruler Abdul Amir, and Incredible Shrinking Man Grant Williams, whose heroic Dr. Bob Nigserian is given the task of maintaining complete secrecy in keeping Amir's brain alive long enough to transplant from its current cancerous body to a younger, stronger one. Reliable Kent Taylor offers continuity from "Brides of Blood" as mad scientist Lloyd Trenton, the surgeon assisted by dwarf Dorro (Angelo Rossitto) in the delicate operation that will enable him to realize his goal of taking over a Middle Eastern nation. Problems arise when the doctor's mentally deficient henchman Gor (7'4 John Bloom) supplies damaged goods, requiring Gor's noggin to house the brain of Amir, coupled with a special tracking device in his skull that enables Trenton to bend this subject to his will. Meantime, Bob's car is forced off the road by a treacherous Trenton confederate (Richard Smedley), and even Amir's trusted fiancee Tracy (Regina Carrol) turns out to be a heartless harlot, another profiteer itching to earn the ultimate payoff. Apart from Amir's unhappy new countenance, scarred by battery acid, the only one standing in Trenton's way is Bob, the lone survivor of the wreck, but even he cannot prevent the inevitable from happening, a whole host of corpses left behind. It certainly delivers on its promise of blood and brains but very little else, a plot that just dangles like a loose tooth waiting to drop despite the high death count, the picture slowing to a crawl over the entire second half, essentially a simple minded chase picture with everybody on foot. Williams ably carries things along in a part tailor made for him, Kent Taylor repeating his mad doctor from "Blood of Ghastly Horror," Angelo Rossitto and Zandor Vorkov reunited from "Dracula vs. Frankenstein." Vorkov, better known as stockbroker Roger Engel, actually improves on his pasty faced Dracula as Amir disciple Mohammed, lasting a half hour before crashing in a blaze of glory, never again acting before the camera.

American by way of Blood Island

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 5 December 2019]

In 1971, drive-ins across America and the maniacs inside the cars wanted more of the Blood Island movies. But hey - the guys behind them were busy, so Hemisphere said, "What if Al Adamson made a Blood Island ripoff outside of the Philippines?"

Brain of Blood is the result. The gory, ridiculous and totally awesome result.

Amir (Reed Hadley, one of the actors who played Red Ryder and also someone who narrated Department of Defense films during World War II) is the ruler of Kalid and is dying, but a scientist named Dr. Trenton (Kent Taylor, who shows up in all the Blood Island series) has different plans, thanks to the requisite dwarves and chained up women. Can Amir's pal Bob (Grant Williams, who starred in The Incredible Shrinking Man, in his last role) and his wife Tracey (Al Adamson's wife Regina Carrol) save the day?

Angelo Rossitto plays the evil Dorro. This small-sized actor also shows up in Scared to Death, From A Whisper to a Scream, The Trip, Freaks, Galaxina and nearly seventy other films, including a turn as Master in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. He's also on the cover of Tom Waits' album "Swordfishtrombones."

John Bloom also shows up, who you may remember as Reaper in The Hills Have Eyes II, as well as playing Frankenstein's Monster in Adamson's borderline insane Dracula vs. Frankenstein, the recipient of The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant, Big Foot in Angels' Wild Women, The Dark in, well, The Dark and appearances in Bachelor Party, The Great Outdoors and Up Your Alley.

Frankenstein meets Zombie Holocaust

[evansharkfan · 10/10 · 9 November 2006]

This film revolves around an Arabian leader (Amir) who dies and wants to live on. So a Dr. Lloyd Trenton is being paid to transplant Amirs brain into a "willing" participant. But in the Doctors basement his dwarf assistant Dorro (Angelo Rossitto) drains young girls blood for the doctors purposes. So meanwhile Doctor Llyod pays a man to kill the people who assisted Amir into the country (Which is Reed Hadley, Grant Williams, and various unknown bodyguards.). Grant is the only survivor when his car crashes off the road. While this has happened the doctors other assistant Gor is sent out to get a body for amir and hurts him so badly Dr.Llyod cant operate. Meanwhile, Grant finds Amirs "girlfriend" Regina Carrol and tells her his story. Grant sees the man who drove him off the road and Dorro kills him. Then since Gor failed to get a body D.r Llyod puts Amirs brain into Gors disfigured body. Then Grant and Regina go to the Doctors lab an

------------------------SPOILERS------------------------- find out his secret. Soon Amir (Gor) are prancing around killing people and in the muddle of what I think is plot Dr.Llyod has a brain-ray gun which hurts Amir on command. It turns out Dr.Lloyd wants a country in which all scientists can work without law. So then Regina dies. and at the end Amirs new body (I think) say that it shall be a new country blah blah.

I still don't get the ending but overall this was a very enjoyable piece of smelly cheese.This film features Grant Williams in his second to last film roll. I recommend it for any fan of Al Adamson or if you like Brains.

The Adamson Masterpiece

[Tromafreak · 6/10 · 30 September 2010]

I can't say I'm a fan of these 60's Blood Island Flicks (although, I wish I liked them), but in the early 70's, a knock-off, or something similar was created by Al Adamson (Dracula vs. Frankenstein) and Sam Sherman. Brain Of Blood is considered the black sheep of the Philippine gore series, mainly because Eddie Romero didn't direct, and, well, it was filmed in California, so it's an unofficial addition to the series. But whatever. Close enough. For something so shclocky and inept, we're working with a pretty decent premise, here. About the ruler of a fictional Middle Eastern country (Kaleed), who has recently discovered he is dying of a terminal disease. Amir fears for the future well-being of his beloved country. Although, there may be hope in the crazy Dr. Trenton, who believes he can perform successful brain transplants. Amir and his peeps have pretty much nothing to lose. Once Amir's brain is removed, the doctor figures now would be a good time to look for a new home for the brain. With very little time to spare, the brain ends up in the nearest available person... That's right, Gor. Gor is some kind of assistant/village idiot/monster, with a fake-looking, messed up face that makes him look kinda like the Toxic Avenger. So, yeah, Amir is now stuck in the body of a monster, and Dr. Trenton doesn't care because he now has plans of taking over the world, and there's pretty much nothing he can do about it. Although, Amir is a hulking, yet ridiculous-looking monster now, so, maybe something can be done. Yeah, so, this is genuine 70's Drive-In trash in all its inept, stock-footage-using glory. Not really gory at all, and if I'm not mistaken, this got a PG rating, but if you have a thing for the more low-budget Horrors of the early 70's, this one is one of the essentials. Highly recommended. 8/10

I think it will be more than wonderful

[CelluloidRehab · 1/10 · 2 April 2009]

In the Muslim country of Khalid (fictional), its benevolent leader/dictator,Reed Hadley as Amir, is dying of cancer. Amir dies and a desperate plot unfolds. His body is wrapped in aluminum foil and taken in a clandestine operation (the population does not know of his death) consisting of his doctor (Nigserian) and Mohammed, out of the country to perform a risky brain transplant. The surgery is being performed by the disgraced Dr. Kent Taylor, who believes there is no chance of failure and has two assistants. One of them is about 3 feet high (Master Blaster did indeed run Barter Town) and the other is a mutilated & traumatized 7 foot giant named Gor. What could possibly go wrong??

Did I forget to mention Amir's deathbed American, blonde-Barbie wife, Tracy or that Dr. Kent has a dungeon with female slave test subjects & delusions of grandeur? How about a brain transplant that didn't take? There is a lot of double-dealing throughout this and people are killed, but I'm not going to lie to you anymore : MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. The ends justify the means. If you can accept that then you will not have to waste 80 minutes. I hope that is warning enough. Don't say I didn't warn you. If you must watch, then don't watch alone and have plenty of medicine standing by.

-Celluloid Rehab

Not too good, but there are bloody brains...

[horrorbargainbin · 4 July 2003]

The film is not good by any stretch, but it's got elements sure to please the fans. A sadistic midget surgeon for one. There is a dungeon with chained women. I suppose the operation scenes are the coolest. I could not tell if the film used real operation stock footage, not that there are brain transplants in the real world. Well, I was not blown away, but I'm glad I watched it.

...As opposed to brain of mush....

[mark.waltz · 2/10 · 9 March 2016]

It didn't take many brains to create this grind-house gore-fest which has some truly funny moments of delicious bad taste. The story is supposed to surround the leader of a Muslim country who needs a new body and ends up in a real madhouse that includes all sorts of Hollywood veterans whose primary goal it seems to be to make their absolutely worst movie. What they end up with is a total hoot, an amalgamation of political thriller meets science fiction mad doctor creeper to an obvious attempt to create an instant cult classic. Angelo Rossito, the temperamental dwarf side- kick to Bela Lugosi in Monogram potboilers of the 1940's, eats up his part with relish, spouting God awful dialog like a camp pro, garnering laughs every chance he gets. His role stands out over veterans Grant Williams, Kent Taylor and Reed Hadley.

Mixing in car chases, dumb hillbillies, captured damsels in distress and several other creepy types, this has a sequence where a young girl is drained of blood that strangely looks like Ragu. Other than the actor playing the dictator's right- hand man, the others playing Muslims do not look the part in the least, particularly the bleached blonde who is obviously his mistress. At times, this tries to sound profound and fails miserably. An obvious toy spider is made to appear to be a real one. With visual howls like this, you have to wonder if the writers were attempting to make a spoof because such moronic plot devices just don't seem to have been accidental.

Plot wise, this moves all over the place, developing so many different themes and moods that it seems like half a dozen different movies rolled into one. The operation sequences are rather gross, the face of what the dictator ends up looking like appears to be a combination of plaster of Paris and oatmeal. Hammy Rosito hadn't seemed to have had such fun since he danced across the table with a goblet in "Freaks". This ranks as being so bad that it comes off as irresistible, sort of like the wild animal that is so ugly, it's cute.

Terrible, but at least it's better than "Dracula Versus Frankenstein"

[planktonrules · 2/10 · 16 October 2008]

This is a cheap-o movie made by Al Adamson--a man who was perhaps the worst film maker ever--even possibly worse than Ed Wood, Jr.. Adamson specialized in extremely low budget horror and skin films during the 60s, 70s and 80s and with such titles as FIVE BLOODY GRAVES, HELL'S BLOODY DEVILS, SATAN'S SADISTS and LASH OF LUST it's obvious he wasn't making Shakespeare!! His movies all had rotten production values, sensations, gore and amateur acting.

Here in BRAIN OF BLOOD, several stock Adamson actors (such as his wife, Regina Carrol, Zandor Vorkov and Angelo Rossitto are along for the ride and had appeared in Adamson's previous film, Dracula VERSUS FRANKENSTEIN. This is fortunate because the prior movie was so terrible and so poorly executed on every level that BRAIN OF BLOOD can't help but look good! Sure, the makeup is laughable, the plot dumb (it involves the ubiquitous brain transplant scheme) and acting is level Z, but it's STILL better than their last film!

About the only positive things about this film are that aging supporting actor, midget Angelo Rossitto actually had a better than usual part--with more dialog and a more important role in the plot--and there is actually some sense of danger and tension at times. As for Ms. Carrol, she STILL looks like a stripper and the rest of the cast limp through this silly flick. However, it's bad enough that it makes for good watching by bad movie fans--you've just gotta see makeup on the guy with acid burns as well as the ray gun that appears to be made out of an old tail light!

brain freeze

[johnc2141 · 1/10 · 20 June 2010]

I usually enjoy the cult movies from Al Adamson but brain of blood was positively one of his worst,the movie poster makes it look like a pretty good movie.Adamson brings most of the cast from Dracula vs Frankenstein like Zandor Vorkov,Regina Carroll,Angelo Rosito and john bloom and the results are embarrassing.its a brain transplant ala Frankenstein.Kent Taylor plays a mad surgeon who pits the brain of the kindly ruler of another country into the head of a big drooling idiot played by John Bloom who plays the part like he did in the 1971 classic the incredible 2 headed transplant,which is way better then this film.Grant Williams (incredible shrinking man)plays another Dr who is the friend of the ruler.the plot thickens there's murders galore,one man is scorched by battery acid,there's explosions,a car chase and a monster that resembles the monster from the brain that would'nt die.i was really expecting a better movie but really i was disappointed.a bad movie thats so bad,its bad.

Pointless but entertaining medical horror outing

[InjunNose · 5/10 · 26 June 2023]

A pointless but entertaining medical horror outing, "Brain of Blood" is also a rare example of wholeness in the cinematic oeuvre of Al Adamson. This picture was filmed in one go, not chaotically stitched together like "Dracula vs. Frankenstein" or "Blood of Ghastly Horror." (As such, it may be a good introduction to Adamson's work for the uninitiated.) Fun cast, too: a virtual who's who of Adamson regulars (Kent Taylor, Regina Carrol, Vicki Volante, Angelo Rossitto, Zandor Vorkov, John Bloom, Richard Smedley), as well as Grant Williams ("The Incredible Shrinking Man") and former TV star Reed Hadley.

The intent, of course, was to create a sort of unofficial installment in the Filipino "Blood Island" series directed by Eddie Romero, but from the music cues to the agonizing closeups, this is unmistakably an Al Adamson/Sam Sherman production...which is precisely what I like about it. That the acid scars on the face of misshapen giant Gor (John Bloom) are obviously a combination of flesh-colored gauze and a novelty store bald cap is part of the no-budget charm. (It'll drive you crazy if you're measuring this film against "Citizen Kane," but why would you do that?) Occasionally it seems as if the characters are just performing random actions until the scene is over, so be prepared for a few jarring instances of dead air. Near the end, there's a surprisingly touching conversation between earnest hero Grant Williams and dungeon escapee Vicki Volante; it's somewhat corny yet awkwardly believable, humanizing characters who otherwise were merely cartoonish.

"Brain of Blood" isn't scary, but you won't get bored: there's a lot of movement and violent action, including the obligatory Adamson car crash. It's consistently entertaining and will, to some extent, appeal to viewers who aren't fans of Adamson (or of horror movies in general).

Al Adamson/Sam Sherman masterpiece: what Exploitation is all about!

[Atomic_Brain · 10/10 · 11 December 2022]

Brain of Blood is Al Adamson's (and probably Sam Sherman's) masterpiece, a thoroughly coherent and highly engaging romp through sleazy exploitation film-land. Apparently shot in a rushed eight days, and having an entire production life of about ninety days, BoB is an example of creative minds working in concert towards a predetermined goal, to good effect. Great characters, a terrific - even epic - screenplay, plausible performances by all, and even excellent cinematography (for this kind of thing) add up to what now looks like a minor masterpiece of the drive-in exploitation genre.

Al Adamson and Sam Sherman had started their own brand, Independent International Pictures, a few years previously, so they were ready and willing when Hemisphere head honcho Kane Lynn came to Sherman with a lament that they had been unable to make a deal for the next Philippines-shot "Blood Island" entry. This film, already produced, was to be released by Roger Corman's New World Pictures as Beast of the Yellow Night. This might have been for the best, as Beast of the Yellow Night is an awful film, having little in common with the previous Blood Island entries; one might conjecture that the Filipino production team was running out of steam, as this last Blood Island entry was so disappointing. This product void on Hemisphere's part proved to be lucky, as BoB is a terrific film, far better than the film it was replacing, and an impressive effort from all involved. Adamson and Sherman had already knocked out a few winners from I-I, including Satan's Sadists, Horror of the Blood Monsters and the impossible Dracula vs Frankenstein.

Although producer Sam Sherman vociferously disagrees, the scenario of BoB runs a great deal like a Monogram/PRC Bela Lugosi quickie of the 1940s, with distinct touches of The Monster Maker, The Ape Man, and even The Corpse Vanishes. What these 40s quickies lacked (along with a coherent screenplay and decent cinematography) was lurid color-soaked gore, which BoB makes up for admirably.

Reusing the brash, bombastic Tito Arevalo score from Mad Doctor of Blood Island was also a genius stroke (even if motivated by economic factors), and lends BoB a creepy jungle-centric flavor which ties it uncannily to its Filipino cousins. Cinematography is unusually arty for this type of film, with many tight closeups of characters, making the sleazy pulp-fiction scenario quite intimate at times. Editing is also good, with some great montage and flashcut work so endemic to this time period. Some gruesome scenes of brain surgery easily fulfill the required "gross-out" factor. Adamson/Sherman even manage to sneak in a thrilling car chase and crash, and an exhilarating foot chase by two characters over a charismatic industrial setting, which ticks off two more "must have" boxes for any respectable drive-in thriller.

BoB ends in an extraordinary epilogue which predicts a horrible techno-fascist future for the luckless citizens of this fictional Middle Eastern country, turning them into lobotomized zombies doing the will of its leader. Credit Sam Sherman with this gruesome ending, told via grim narration annotated by a flashback montage of all the carnage which has led to this dark turning point in history - sort of prescient, I'd say. A dark brilliance haunts this magnificent final entry in the Hemisphere Blood Series, a drive-in legend of note; we even love the Bob LeBar title sequence.

Kent Taylor, 40s leading man who had a mini-comeback (mainly thanks to Al Adamson) appeared first in Brides of Blood, but in BoB takes on a whole new dimension of villainy, as a thoroughly evil, even diabolical mad doctor of the worst kind. Sweet Regina Carrol, Adamson's wife at around this time, gives possibly the best performance of her too-short film career as a rather despicable, duplicitous gold digger whose pretty face and soothing voice hide the heart of a vile serpent. "Zandor Vorkov" also gives the best performance of his too-short film career as a devoted lackey, a small role brimming with pathos and anguish; "Vorkov" was another seriously underused actor. John Bloom shines as usual, playing essentially the same character he played in Dracula vs Frankenstein and The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant: an innocent, giant boy-child who is exploited and abused by the cruel "grown-ups" who surround him. Bloom's performances are memorable, and it is a shame that he did not do more acting along this line. Everyone's favorite little person, Angelo Rossito, makes a terrific sidekick to the mad doctor, essentially reprising his role from the Bela Lugosi horror hit The Corpse Vanishes - and reinforcing the connection between BoB and any number of 1940's Poverty Row programmers. Sweet and saucy Vicki Volante, Adamson's recurring sexy victim, has a notable role as one of the mad doctor's chained victims. An entire reel of BoB is taken up with poor Volante's attempts to escape her dungeon prison, and you get the sense that Adamson was determined to really showcase his favorite female star; these scenes really verge on the fetishistic. Lastly, little Margo Hope shines as another of the mad doctor's blood-donor victims; her inclusion gives BoB a slightly Asian-centric flavor, aiding the attempt to make the film look like it could have come from "over there."

Some folks opine that Beast of Blood is the best of the Hemisphere Blood series, but it is actually the weakest entry - although it has its quotient of excessive gore, sleazy ambience and surreal horror elements (the beast's head on a plate is a highlight), the screenplay is weak, the cinematography pedestrian, and the scenario unfolds in a perfunctory manner. Alternately, Brides of Blood and Mad Doctor of Blood Island boasted lurid pulp screenplays, beautiful cinematography and bountiful production values, making them the two undisputed gems of the Filipino Blood Island entries. Brain of Blood hearkens back to those glorious films, and is a fitting end-cap to the Hemisphere Horror experiment.

Some of us saw each and every one of the Hemisphere Horrors at the drive-in (some multiple times due to sneaky title changes), and we loved every single minute if it. Long live Blood Island!

4th Worst Sci-Fi Film EVER!?!?

[travisbickle13 · 7/10 · 28 June 2006]

I felt compelled to comment on this film because it's listed as the fourth lowest-rated sci-film of all time on the IMDb. WHAT!?!? Sure, this movie is crappy, but it's HILARIOUS! It's not awful on an Ed Wood level, it's more surreal and uneven.

There are some classic moments in the film. The brain surgery is gross and great- and even nuttier when you consider that the film was rated PG! Gor chasing after his dolly before getting battery acid dumped on his face- "Mine! Gimmee!" Zandor Vorkoff's speeches at the beginning of the film- "Before Amir, Kali was but another weak nation struggling to break free from centuries of stagnant feudalism!" Angelo Rossito also has some great lines- "No, Gor! No!" "You want these keys, don't you, my pretties?" It is absolutely wrong that this is the 4th lowest-rated sci-film on the IMDb because it is ENTERTAINING. No matter how bad a film is, if it still manages to be weird, quirky, unsettling, or entertaining, it has merit and doesn't deserve to be dumped on and dismissed. I won't defend most of Al Adamson's films, but this one, along with Dracula VS. FRANKENSTEIN and BLOOD OF GHASTLY HORROR, are entertaining enough to make up for their awfulness.

"Something that looked like a plastic surgeon's nightmare." One of Adamson's best, if that's any recommendation.

[poolandrews · 7/10 · 29 June 2007]

Brain of Blood starts as Abdul Amir (Reed Hadley) the leader of a country called Kahlid is close to death because of cancer, however if he dies Kahlid will tear itself apart without anyone to lead them so doctor Robert Nigserian (Grant Williams) & one of Amir's devotees Mohammed (Zandor Vorkov) have devised a plan to take Amir's dead body to America where mad scientist Dr. Lloyd Trenton (Kent Taylor) will transplant his brain into a fresh body & with a bit of plastic surgery no-one will ever know he was even dead. Things don't go according to plan though as when the time comes to transplant Amir's brain Trenton's freak assistant Gor (John Bloom) brings a dead body of someone that fell from a balcony, Trenton needed a strong fit living body & since there's no more time he decides to use Gor's body as a temporary stop-gap until another more suitable one can be found. Unfortunately when Amir wakes up in his new body he's not very happy at what he sees, I mean would you be if you found out your brain was inside a badly burned freak?

Also known as Brain Damage, The Brain, The Creature's Revenege & The Undying Brain this cheapo exploitation flick was produced & directed by the one & only Al Adamason & quite frankly I'm offended at the pathetic 1.5 rating Brain of Blood has on the IMDb, personally I think it's terrific fun in a so bad it's good sort of way. The highly entertaining script by Kane W. Lynn & Joe Van Rodgers is as loopy & silly as they come from sloppy blood soaked brain transplants to crazed mad scientists, from 7 foot tall acid scarred freaks who play with toy cars to 4 foot tall midget medical assistant's, from basement dungeons to rooftop chases, from car crashes to assassination's, kidnaps to screaming scantily clad women, from Regina Carrol's hair-do which should get it's own mention during the opening credits to teenage girls imprisoned in the basement for blood to a laugh-out-loud hilarious ending which includes some deep meaningful speech! It's all here & Brain of Blood has quality cheese stamped all over it, if your a fan of bad low budget exploitation flicks with a sense of fun then this film should be right at the top of your list of 'must see' films. Despite it's lowly 1.5 rating I am proud to admit that I liked Brain of Blood a lot, I thought it was an absolute hoot to watch, it slows down a bit at the end with a few too many shots of people wandering around doing nothing in particular but until that point it had moved along like a rocket, at only 85 minutes it's relatively short, it's difficult to second guess the barmy plot & I just think it's loads of campy fun.

This is director Adamson's masterpiece as far as I'm concerned along with Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1971) which he made a year before this. Those who have seen an Adamson film before will know about the none existent production values, cheap special effects & cardboard sets & that all adds to the fun, this film manages that fine between incompetence & seriousness to create a memorable viewing experience. I love the opening shot of Kahlid which is obviously just a photo of the Taj Mahal in India complete with statuesque people in the foreground! Regina Carrol's hair seems to be a separate entity on it's own, it seems to change styles between shots & is frankly horrendous, don't get me started about her make-up job either that she must apply with a a paint sprayer! There is another hilarious moment when we see Amir's body has been transported to America wrapped in what looks like ordinary tin foil, why is the question I asked myself, why!? The effects are variable, there's a terrible looking fake spider, Gor's burned make-up job is pretty bad although there is a surprisingly gory brain removal which is actually quite impressive.

The budget for Brain of Blood must have been practically none existent, I must admit I thought Trenton's lab was quite good with various computers & medical instruments although the rest of the film looks cheap & nasty. The production values are low, the music was taken from another film Beast of Blood (1971) & the acting is awful but in a campy fun sort of way.

Brain of Blood may have the best title for an exploitation film ever & as far as I'm concerned it's a highly entertaining piece of nonsense that I had a great time watching & laughing at. They just don't/can't/won't make them like this anymore, impossible to recommend to anyone looking for a good film but bad movie lovers should enjoy it. I liked it, but then again I'm just weird.

OMG- I remember this turkey!

[JoeB131 · 31 August 2011]

It was one of those awful grindhouse rejects they used to fill Saturday afternoon horror movie blocks in the good old days of VHF.

I remember the midgets and the girl locked in the basement and all the other details, but obviously, the plot went over my head when I was 11...

But it was still a pretty awful movie. They had maybe ten minutes of plot they had to fill out with chase scenes, also some of the actors were only in here because they were sleeping with or friends of the producers... No other real explanation for it.

The plot points are confusing. Why would they need to find a body in America when they had a whole country of people willing to be this guy's replacement body. Who was trying to bump who off and why? Who cares...

"A Creature Like That Can't Have Friends Anymore!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 11 November 2019]

BRAIN OF BLOOD is another dose of cinematic agony from Director Al Adamson.

When Amir (Reed Hadley), a foreign leader, dies, it's up to mad science to save him. Said leader is in the hands of Dr. Trenton (Kent Taylor) and his assistant, Bob (Grant Williams), who plan on transplanting Amir's brain into another body, resulting in a new lease on life.

How could this possibly fail?

After a suitable subject proves to be too fragile, it falls to one of Trenton's henchmen to receive the transplant. Trenton must choose between a mindless giant named Gor (Tom Bloom), and a sinister "dwarf" named Dorro (Angelo Rossitto), who keeps women chained in the dungeon.

Can you guess who gets the brain?

Tragedy strikes and untold horror ensues. Or, something like that.

Mr. Adamson pulls out all the stops, making this movie as insufferably dull as possible.

BEST BITS AND BOBS: #1- Amir, wrapped in aluminum foil like a Thanksgiving turkey, ready for the roaster! #2- The international intrigue angle, added simply to pad things out, and as an attempt to make this movie interesting! #3- Bob's driving hat! #4- Gor's "makeup" (i.e., a rubber shower cap melted on his head)! #5- The constant water dripping in the dungeon, sounding exactly the same no matter what part of the dungeon the characters are in!

So, sit back, relax, and prepare for cranial blisters!

EXTRA POINTS FOR: Katherine's (Vicki Volante) mile-high, haymow of hair!...

Bad "Brain"

[MRM-3 · 24 May 2000]

Another winner from Adamson and co.Plot in a nutshell:Middle East ruler dies;body is flown to the USA for a doctor to transplant his brain into a new body.Doctor's deformed,idiot henchman Gor gets the wrong body;Gor's brain goes out and the dictator's brain goes in...needless to say the dictator is not amused.He escapes...dictator's fiance,friend,and mad scientist go after him.There is twist ending that you can see coming from the middle of the film. Bad acting,terrible lighting and cinematography,and some of the poorest production values in film will not hamper those that enjoy cheeseball, sleazy films. All others bring a sixpack and leave your brain at the door.