Welcome back to...
‘The Dark Corners.’
Close enough. This week’s film is The Man Without a Body.
'Why should we waste time talking about him?'
Businessman Karl Brussard learns he is dying of a brain tumour.
‘Yours is the type of brain tumour that can hardly be successfully operated upon’
But a visit to the strange lab of Dr Merritt convinces him that he can be saved by getting a new brain to put in his body
‘All you would need for me is a brain’
You’ve probably spotted the logical flaw here;
if it’s someone else’s brain in his body, he’s still effectively dead.
‘It could be made to change its way of thinking?'
You’d still be dead
‘It’s alive! My brain!’
It’s not your brain!
‘Yes it makes sense’
It really doesn’t, but to be honest the rest of his plan is no great shakes either.
‘Grave robbin is a crime’
'Not for some people.'
Brussard doesn’t want just any brain ‘But you would need an intelligent brain, a brilliant brain’
He wants a great brain.
‘Nostradamus’
What was the one thing the doctor emphasised?
‘You keep emphasising well preserved.'
I hardly think an unfrozen, unembalmed brain that’s been in a crypt since 1566 is going to cut it.
‘Michel de Notradame’
My mistake, he seems fine and is taking this very well.
‘I have always lived in the future.’
Also seems to have learnt English while he was dead.
I guess it’s important to keep busy.
‘Do you realise what we’ve done’
I do. I sort of feel like a doctor who can resurrect the dead ought to be able to cure a tumour but okay.
'This is scientific laboratory and we don't work on timetable.'
So, Brussard starts training his new brain using a highly sophisticated medical technique.
‘Not Nostradamus! Karl Brussard’
Called shouting.
‘Karl Brussard!’
Again; you’ll still be dead
‘Why have you done this?’
Good question. That is one smart head.
‘Oracle, prophet, physician, mathematician, astronomer’
and stock market analyst.
‘Sell’
How to get a head in business! No?
'I will destroy Brussard.'
To save his brain, Nostradamus gives Brussard bad business advice,
and I can’t believe I just said that sentence
‘You tricked me, you ruined me.’
This drives Brussard crazy.
'Hello?'
Although, let’s be honest, it wasn’t a long drive,
and he shoots Merritt’s assistant.
Leaving only one course of action.
‘Brussard wanted this brain, now we may have to use it to save Lou’
It won’t save him! His brain will still be dead!
See! Does he look like he’s been saved?!
Now you’ll have to bring the police into it this.
‘Remarkable it’s alive, this head mounted on your assistant’s body’
Yes, that is remarkable, one would almost think it was worthy of some reaction!
‘It seemed demented, maybe because of the shock of energy’
Yes it’s all been a bit of a cock up really.
‘No, no, I know what I’m doing!’
Still the film manages to redeem itself with the pure hilarity of the creature’s attempt to hang itself with a bell rope.
Tch, poor quality stitching on the neck
If you've got a film you'd like us to review leave a comment below and don't forget to subscribe