Bad Biology (2008)

"Completely Nuts"

If a David Cronenberg film were to be given a frontal lobotomy and then have electrodes wired to its testicles, the result might be something like Frank Henenlotter's BAD BIOLOGY, now  getting a dual format UHD and Blu-ray release from Severin Films.

Jennifer (Charlee Danielson) was born with seven clitorises and is on a constant search for sexual satisfaction. If impregnated she brings to term, and gives birth to, a monstrous deformed baby within a matter of minutes. Meanwhile Batz (Anthony Sneed) was the victim of an unfortunate accident at birth where his penis was amputated. It was reattached but failed to function. Now, through the application of growth hormones, steroids, and erectile dysfunction medication, his penis is enormous and has developed a mind of its own. When the two get together, hilarity of a type only Henenlotter can realise ensues.

BAD BIOLOGY is very funny, but only if you're on Henenlotter's outrageous wavelength. Otherwise steer clear because many will find the subject matter offensive to the point of disgust or just plain silly to the point of ridiculousness. Suffice to say if you liked BASKET CASE or FRANKENHOOKER you'll want to check this out. In fact you've probably already seen it.

If you're a fan of BAD BIOLOGY you'll be pleased to know Severin's UHD transfer looks fabulous and is a step up from the Blu-ray that's also included in the package. Two commentary tracks (one archival with Henelotter and producer R A Thorburn, the other with Henelotter, Sneed and DP Nicholas Deeh) are on both discs with all the other extras on the Blu-ray.

These consist of 'Spook House - Interviews with the Crew and a Retired Detective' which is 30 minutes of chat about the allegedly haunted filming location with Henenlotter, Thorburn, Deeg and others. The retired detective is Frank's brother Dave who has also brought along Zeus the dog for his interview.

'In the Basement with Charlee Danielson and a Basketball' is four minutes of exactly what it says, while 'Swollen Agenda' gives us 12 minutes with Gabe Bartalos talking about his special effects for the film. Sneed and Deeg chat with each other about their careers and the film for a whopping 66 minutes. There's also 32 minutes of behind the scenes footage, Sneed's short film Suck, eight minutes of 'O' faces, a music video and still gallery.

 

Frank Henenlotter's BAD BIOLOGY is out in a dual disc UHD and Blu-ray set and a single Blu-ray edition from Severin Films on Monday 26th February 2024

Brain Damage (1988)

“Riotously entertaining”

         Frank Henenlotter’s second feature film (after 1982’s BASKET CASE) gets the special edition dual format DVD & Blu-ray treatment from Arrow, in another of these releases that, back in the late 1980s, we would have fallen off our chairs if we had been told you would one day be able to own a package like this.

Hello Elmer!

         The Aylmer (or Elmer as he is ‘affectionately’ known) is a smiley, winky, worm-shaped parasite that resembles what might result from an unholy union between William Castle’s THE TINGLER and one of David Cronenberg’s venereal parasites from SHIVERS. He’s been around for centuries, which is surprising considering how many brains he needs to eat. Of course, he does have a human servant to help him, whom he rewards with injections of a substance that induces euphoric hallucinations.

Is Frank saying 'Don't Do Drugs'?

         At the start of BRAIN DAMAGE, Elmer escapes from the elderly couple who have ‘adopted’ him and finds a new ‘owner’ in the form of Brian (Rick Herbst). Brian likes Elmer’s drug but he soon gets tired of having to find victims for Elmer to eat the brains of. Trying to go cold turkey after a few shots of Elmer’s joy juice leads to unfortunate side effects for Brian, however, including a scene where he hallucinates pulling his own brain out. Meanwhile, the elderly couple are in hot pursuit because they want Elmer and his happy drug back from themselves.

Scratching one brain and holding another

         Embracing the same kind of lurid trash aesthetic as the films of John Waters, but with an emphasis on monsters rather than deviant behaviour (although there tends to be a fair bit of that too), Frank Henenlotter’s movies succeed mainly on their bouncy charm and over the top enthusiasm for material that, if it were shot straight, would be unbearable on so many levels. Here, though, Elmer (voiced by John Zacherle, a US television personality virtually unknown in the UK) is lots of fun, his outrageous antics are lots of fun, and while there’s a lot of shouting and screaming and brains pulsating on a dinner plate, it’s all very much in the style of a (very twisted)  Warner Bros. cartoon brought to life. 

What's in the basket?

        Arrow’s disc contains enough extras to satiate the needs of any BRAIN DAMAGE fan. Henenlotter himself provides a very chatty commentary track, there’s a brand new making of, a piece on Gabe Bartalos’ effects, the animation of Elmer, locations for the movie, a Henenlotter Q&A, and an interview with assistant editor Karen Ogle. 

A typical Frank Henenlotter movie toilet

         Bygone Behemoth is an animated short film by Harry Chaskin featuring John Zacherle, and Tasty Memories is an interview with BRAIN DAMAGE superfan Adam Skinner who does indeed have a lot of memorabilia. If you run this through to the end the menu switches to bonus music tracks Adam put together for a BRAIN DAMAGE tribute album. 

Are you ready for the main course?

         You also get a reversible sleeve, a limited edition artwork card, a collector’s booklet with Michael Gingold writing about the film, and if you buy BRAIN DAMAGE from the Arrow store, Diabolik DVD or the Texas Frightmare weekend 2017 you also get an exclusive Elmer enamel pin badge. 

Arrow are releasing Frank Henelotter's BRAIN DAMAGE in a dual format special edition on Monday 8th May 2017