Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		2.0

Brain of Blood Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman May 30, 2019

Note: This film is also available as part of The Hemisphere Box of Horrors and Al Adamson: The Masterpiece Collection.

For certain lovers of cult cinema, the name Hemisphere Pictures will most likely forever be linked to The Blood Island Collection, and perhaps more generally to Philippine shot outings in general, but as the movies collected in Hemishpere Box of Horrors make clear, this relatively small scale independent “studio” (if it could even be called that) at least attempted to try a few (marginally?) different things through the years. The five films assembled for this set document an approach that might be thought of as part Hammer, part Roger Corman (especially his Poe adaptations), but with a very peculiar, and some may reasonably feel distinctive, air. Part of that is due to the features shot in the Philippines, but there’s a weirdly exotic feel to even the stateside shot, admittedly low budget and often generally lo-fi offerings. One of the fun supplements on some of the Blood Island Collection discs were the reminiscences of Hemisphere marketing guru Samuel S. Sherman, and Sherman is back with more background information here, helping to explain how Hemisphere was seeking some kind of identity on the grindhouse and/or drive-in circuit(s), finding some unexpected success along the way. There's little doubt that any, and indeed probably all, of these films fits rather snugly into the confines of "cult cinema", but even devoted acolytes of this particular cult may need to temper expectations based on the source elements Severin was able to procure.

Brain of Blood may try to evoke Hemisphere’s most famous “series” by including “Blood” in the title, but it’s actually a goofy Al Adamson film that uses the oft used conceit of a brain transplant. In this case, it’s kind of “the flip side of Frankenstein” (so to speak), in that a “normal” brain is stuffed into a hulking monster (so maybe it’s only half of a flip side). This effort may evoke a certain Lynchian response in some, with a gonzo cast of characters (including “small person” Angelo Rossitto in a completely insane performance). This effort actually managed to attract at least B-movie level “names”, including Grant Williams (as one of the medical staff attempting the transplant).

Brain of Blood Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Brain of Blood is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.33:1. Severin's back cover lists this as "now featuring a new 2K CRI scan", and that CRI source accounts for what is probably the best overall color reproduction in this set, while also perhaps contributing to some slightly off kilter looking darker moments, where what is almost a scrim lake haze can hover over the image. The more brightly lit moments actually pop relatively well, even if contrast can look slightly askew. Blues and reds are especially vibrant in this presentation. Detail levels are still pretty highly variable, as with some of the other films in this set, though this element does not have the levels of damage seen in either The Blood Drinkers or Curse of the Vampires. Grain looks generally organic, but when combined with the haziness in the darkest sections, can seem slightly noisy.

Brain of Blood Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Brain of Blood's DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track is probably the best sounding of the three films included in this set which are also available as standalone offerings. That said, there is a very noticeable boxiness to the presentation, with a somewhat muffled midrange and upper register. Dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly enough, and the score doesn't provoke the same overly bright ambience that I mentioned in our reviews of The Blood Drinkers and Curse of the Vampires.

Brain of Blood Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Memories of Blood (1080p; 7:29) is a retrospective featuring interviews with director Al Adamson, producer Samuel M. Sherman, associate producer J.P. Spohn, actors Zandor Vorkov and Sean Graver, and filmmaker Fred Olen Ray. This comes with a preliminary text card saying these interviews are culled from a forthcoming documentary about Adamson.


• Partial Audio Commentary by Producer / Co-Writer Samuel M. Sherman


• Trailer (1080p; 2:51)


• Radio Spot (1:00)

Brain of Blood Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This is yet another Al Adamson film that kind of wallows in its own peculiar gonzo proclivities. It's silly of course, and never really scary, but for those with a certain jaded sensibility, it will no doubt scratch a particular itch. This has the best overall technical presentation of the three "main" films in this set, but expectations should still probably be tempered. The supplements, while not bountiful, are also interesting.