Brainstorm (1983) July 10, 2012 Review

[Quad]

Brainstorm Blu-ray

Brainstorm Blu-ray Review

Ok, this wasn't a very good film. It has one of the unintentionally funniest death scenes I can remember but it has some very good special effects which would look great in Blu. Christopher Walken is very good in it.

The director was Douglas Turnbull who as some of you know was the special effects supervisor for films such as 2001, Close Encounters, and Blade Runner. The subject matter is pretty cool, the development of a device that immerses you in the recorded memories of other people, kind of like "Strange Days".

Like I said, not a great film but something I would enjoy seeing again in Blu. Anyone else remember it?

[SeahawxBlu]

Actually, yes. I think I've only seen it a few dozen times. Actually, I do think this would be a good BD transfer, but I wouldn't expect to see if for a long time.

[Ranger-R]

I've had this dang movie in my Online queue forever, I never got it when i was with LackLuster and now on Netflix its still not available... Saw this movie in the theatre as a kid.

I like the older hard stuff to find like, Howard the duck, Up the Creek, Monster Squad, Solar babies.

[wnicholas76]

Originally Posted by Quad

Ok, this wasn't a very good film. It has one of the unintentionally funniest death scenes I can remember but it has some very good special effects which would look great in Blu. Christopher Walken is very good in it.

The director was Douglas Turnbull who as some of you know was the special effects supervisor for films such as 2001, Close Encounters, and Blade Runner. The subject matter is pretty cool, the development of a device that immerses you in the recorded memories of other people, kind of like "Strange Days".

Like I said, not a great film but something I would enjoy seeing again in Blu. Anyone else remember it?

Brainstorm was okay for what it was, although I hated that it was the final film for Natalie Wood.

[Bobby Henderson]

Brainstorm might be interesting as a Blu-ray Disc release if MGM and Sony can find good enough quality film elements to scan and master for 1080p.

Portions of Brainstorm were filmed in 5-perf 65mm format. Some of the movie posters used the "Filmed in Super Panavision" tag line.

Generally, anything filmed in 65mm and stored well should be great for adapting to Blu-ray. I'd like to see other 65mm filmed movies like Tron and Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet given high quality scans and digital intermediate treatment for Blu-ray release.

[Quad]

Originally Posted by Bobby Henderson

Brainstorm might be interesting as a Blu-ray Disc release if MGM and Sony can find good enough quality film elements to scan and master for 1080p.

Portions of Brainstorm were filmed in 5-perf 65mm format. Some of the movie posters used the "Filmed in Super Panavision" tag line.

Generally, anything filmed in 65mm and stored well should be great for adapting to Blu-ray. I'd like to see other 65mm filmed movies like Tron and Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet given high quality scans and digital intermediate treatment for Blu-ray release.

I remember seeing it on one of the biggest screens in NY (Ziegfeld Theater) where I watched some great films. Apocalypse Now being my favorite. I didn't know that this film was shot (partially) in 65mm. Interesting stuff. I wholeheartedly agree about Tron. It should look sick in 1080p.

[bhampton]

I love brainstorm.

I thought I had the DVD... now I'm not sure... I have to go check.

-Brian

[Deciazulado]

Originally Posted by bhampton

I love brainstorm.

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=8416

[bboisvert]

Well, that came out of nowhere... cool.

I'd love to know the logic behind catalog decisions at studios. I applaud this release, but it's a real headscratcher...

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Quad

I remember seeing it on one of the biggest screens in NY (Ziegfeld Theater) where I watched some great films. Apocalypse Now being my favorite. I didn't know that this film was shot (partially) in 65mm. Interesting stuff. I wholeheartedly agree about Tron. It should look sick in 1080p.

Ah, the great days of single-screen movie-palaces in pre-Giulani NYC! (During college.)
it's a bit goofier than it wants to be, but an underrated little piece of 80's sci-fi, and one of Christopher Walken's closest roles to a "normal" character, although it's helped considerably by James Horner's score--He did his best stuff in '83.

Trumbull wanted this to be the movie that introduced hi-speed Showscan, but projection technology wasn't ready yet, so he just settled for the "Partial ratio vs. Widescreen" gimmick. (Which could never be used before on the VHS and TV prints of the movie.) We wouldn't notice it again until it was used on Galaxy Quest, but Trumbull invented it first.
And as for "why"?--Why not? All MGM's got left is a great old catalog to clean up.

[dvdguru]

I LOVED this movie as a kid and will definitely preorder! The "trip through Hell" scenes scared me to death...

[Maggot]

Day one for me. This film is something of a guilty pleasure for me. As has been said, it really wasn't very good, but the premise is excellent and perhaps that's what holds it together enough.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by dvdguru

I LOVED this movie as a kid and will definitely preorder! The "trip through Hell" scenes scared me to death...

Er.... ?
(Do you mean the

[Show spoiler]"Psychotic episode"

, or are we confusing it with Robin Williams films?)

It is nice to see that they remembered it in last Oscar's lifetime-acheivement award to Douglas Trumbull, however.

[dvdguru]

[Show spoiler]No, from my memory Nurse Ratchet dies while wearing the headset. Walken finds it later and plays back her memories and sees her pass through Hell and then on to Heaven.

[amoergosum]

@dvdguru

You should use spoiler tags.

[dvdguru]

Umm, no. This is an 80's movie. Did you not know who Luke's father was either?

[amoergosum]

Originally Posted by dvdguru

Umm, no. This is an 80's movie. Did you not know who Luke's father was either?

That's pretty arrogant. I know the movie but I'm sure many others don't.

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by Quad

I remember seeing it on one of the biggest screens in NY (Ziegfeld Theater) where I watched some great films. Apocalypse Now being my favorite. I didn't know that this film was shot (partially) in 65mm. Interesting stuff. I wholeheartedly agree about Tron. It should look sick in 1080p.

While the Ziegfeld is still my favorite New York theatre to see a film, it's not the biggest screen. It's 52 feet. The AMC Loews Kips Bay has a 62' screen (#10). The Regal E-Walk Stadium #12 and #13 is also 62'. The Loew's Lincoln Square has a 62.5' screen. (I think it's the "Loews" screen, but I'm not 100% sure).

The now-defunct Loews Astor Plaza had a 61' screen.

[willbfree]

Originally Posted by bboisvert

Well, that came out of nowhere... cool.

I'd love to know the logic behind catalog decisions at studios. I applaud this release, but it's a real headscratcher...

The Natalie Wood drowning was in the news a few months ago, so that likely prompted the decision to find a print and make a BluRay.

Brainstorm switched aspect ratios in the theatre, going to widescreen whenever the brainstorm process was underway. I hope they do this properly.

[willbfree]

Originally Posted by amoergosum

@dvdguru

You should use spoiler tags.

I agree, spoiler tags. This film is old and overlooked, so most people here will be hearing about it for the first time.