The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1959; 1962 release)

Open with black screen. A woman's voice moans, "Let me die. Let me die." This cult classic that's a horror/sci fi/exploitation mashup delivers an unnerving jolt to start. I wouldn't recommend sitting down to spend your time with this flick unless you're a sci fi-horror fan like me. This Frankenstein-inspired tale of scientific experimentation gone awry is missing the ability to laugh at itself, which made Teenagers from Space (see earlier blog post) much more entertaining as a sci fi tale. I must admit that the head in the shallow pan gag never gets old.

A few dialogue lines that grabbed me:

Head: "Results more terrible than your arm of relative beauty" [it makes sense in context ... sort of?]

Head: "I'll show you how powerless I am!" (The head vows revenge against the two mad scientists who torment her by keeping her alive.)

Igor: "While you feed yourself with hate, it prefers food." (The "Igor" character rebukes the head in the pan. "It" is "the thing on the inside" aka the monster in the closet.)

Igor: "I hope he prolongs yr existence into a lifetime of agony." [Igor aka Kurt and the head in the pan do NOT get along.]

Surgeon: "Is it wrong to want to keep you alive?" [Short answer: yes!]

Spoiler: Shock and awe when the mad scientist reaches into the burning car wreck to retrieve his dead fiancee's head, wrapped in his wool blazer. Then he staggers for miles with the wool-wrapped head clutched to his breast.