Brainstorm

1983
PG
1h 46m

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

13K

YOUR RATING

Play trailer3:21

1 Video

59 Photos

Conspiracy Thriller Cyberpunk Sci-Fi Thriller

Researchers develop a system where they can jump into people's minds. But when people involved bring their personal problems into the equation, it becomes dangerous - perhaps deadly.Researchers develop a system where they can jump into people's minds. But when people involved bring their personal problems into the equation, it becomes dangerous - perhaps deadly.Researchers develop a system where they can jump into people's minds. But when people involved bring their personal problems into the equation, it becomes dangerous - perhaps deadly.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

13K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 6 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 3:21

Trailer

Photos59

+ 51

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Because of the immensely troubled production and disagreements with MGM, Douglas Trumbull opted never to direct a Hollywood film again. In 1983 he stated, "I have no interest . . . in doing another Hollywood feature film . . . Absolutely none. The movie business is so totally screwed-up that I just don't have the energy to invest three or four years in a feature film. Moviemaking is like waging war. It destroys your personal life, too. The people who can survive the process of making films have largely given up their personal lives in order to do that, just because it's such a battle to make a movie. And in doing that, they've isolated themselves from the very audience that they're trying to reach."

Goofs
Several of the tapes play back from a third-person perspective, which would be impossible if the tapes were actually a person's recorded memory.

Quotes
Dr. Michael Anthony Brace: [whispers to statue] That's the girl I'm gonna marry.

Crazy credits
After the final credit has rolled, 'TO NATALIE' appears for a couple seconds

Alternate versions
In the psychotic episode sequence when Michael's (Christopher Walken) son Chris (Jason Lively) wears the headset, there's a slight difference between the 70mm version and 35mm version. In the 70mm version of Chris's hallucination when Michael flips a lever presumably sending an electrical current to Chris's head, the camera cuts to and remains on a shot of a circular device with electricity running through it, as Michael is heard to say, 'Now you're gonna find out it's mine!' In the 35mm version, the shot arrangement is the same except that it cuts back to a closeup of Michael saying the line 'Now you're gonna find out it's mine!'

Connections
Edited into Trumbull Land (2018)

User reviews111

Review

Featured review

Difficult, but Talented

First off, let's get a few things out of the way:

Yes, "Brainstorm" is marred by uneven acting and the death of its lead actress, Natalie Wood, under circumstances that to this day are still the stuff of speculation.

Yes, Louise Fletcher's death scene is overacted to the point of parody.

Yes, it's not easy to accept Christoper Walken in a role of a semi-normal person.

Yes, "Brainstorm" was only Douglas Trumbull's second film as a director, and some might argue that it was little better than "Silent Running."

But, even despite all of that, the story is incredibly engaging, the visuals are striking (what else would you expect from the wizard responsible for "2001" and "Blade Runner"?), James Horner's music is absolutely divine, and the film is quite enjoyable.

Also, in its favor, a great deal of the credit (or blame, as many would say) for the final result lies squarely with MGM/UA. Still dealing with United Artists' financial baggage after their merger, the company all but took the film away from Trumbull after Wood's death--not to mention the studio's lack of support for Trumbull's plan to film the "helmet" sequences in his ultra-realistic Showscan process.

So, in point, I highly recommend this movie, but just be aware of what you're getting into...