On B List of Movie Reviews

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Brainstorm (1983)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 7/15, 10/21

BStorm
7/15: I tried hard, but Brainstorm consistently failed to grab my attention.

The concept is cool, and I love the cinematography of virtual reality. But the overall output isn't engaging enough to draw me into the story which can be choppy at times. Unsurprisingly, because some of the photography shots were familiar, director Douglas Trumbull previously worked on the special effects for 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Andromeda Strain.

Meanwhile, the characters are cold and distant for me to care about. It's like they live in another world that feels corporate, and I don't have much in common with them. At any rate, the acting is fair. I'm surprised at how limited Natalie Wood is. Looking back to her work such as Splendor in the Grass and This Property Is Condemned, Natalie Wood was dominant and assertive, yet in Brainstorm, she's subdued and impassive. It would be the final film of her career as she died in a boating accident under mysterious circumstances.

All in all, Brainstorm proves that Douglas Trumbull isn't cut out to be a movie director, but he's one of the best when it comes to special effects; ironically, the film's message is how he felt about Hollywood, leading him to quit the business.

10/21: Brainstorm is a high-concept sci-fi picture about ethical issues of emotional manipulation through virtual reality.

Of course, the military has to get involved. It's all about the brainwashing. So does the porn industry but for a different reason: big bucks. In fact, porn has been the leading leader in cutting-edge video and internet technology. If not for it, there'll be no Super 8 projector, Polaroid camera, VHS, Betamax, DVD, Blu-Ray, or quick transmission of information over the internet through high bandwidth. By the end of the 70's, porn accounted for over 50% of videotape sales. If they're the first to come up with whatever, the rest of the entertainment industry follows.

On the same level as 2001: A Space Odyssey, the visual effects, especially when they're more real and high-impact, are mind-blowing as ever. The film was actually made in 1981, but its release was delayed for two years due to Natalie Wood's untimely death. MGM was going to pull the plug for good, but director Dalton Trumbull convinced the studio that Brainstorm was salvageable. Okay, who cares if it ultimately didn't make money? It's a good film, regardless.

The cast of headliners is impressive as it includes three Oscar winners: Christopher Walken, Louise Fletcher, and Cliff Robertson. All are excellent. Yes, the pace is a bit slow, but they, along with Natalie Wood and Joe Dorsey, succeed in pushing the ideas through.

All in all, Brainstorm was ahead of its time, and the movie still works today.