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The Man with Two Whats?
The Man with Two Brains is most certainly an absurdist classic. Among the likes of Monty Python and Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner (The Jerk 1979) created a hilarious sci-fi classic.
Two Brains Doesn’t Exactly Mean More Genius
In The Man with Two Brains, Steve Martin (Only Murderers in the Building 2022) plays Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr, an innovative and by his own words “brilliant” brain surgeon having developed a screw-top method for brain transplants that don’t cut the hair. Dr. Hfuhruhurr is a widower still feeling the loss of his wife when he runs into (literally) gold-digging black widow Delores Benedict (Kathleen Turner Serial Mom 1994); with whom he thinks he’s found love. Delores also has a nasty habit of torturing her prey before dealing the final blow. Withholding physical intimacy from him successfully winds Dr. Hfuhruhurr up to the point where he takes a colleague’s suggestion that the couple honeymoon.
The newlyweds find themselves in Vienna, where a serial killer taking victims on the elevator runs rampant. It’s also here, that Dr. Hfuhruhurr meets Dr. Alfred Necessiter (David Warner The Omen 1976), a fellow “brain man” with an even more unique and controversial brain transplant technique relying on what’s essentially telepathy; or more specifically consciousness transference.
Maybe Not More Genius, but Definitely More Laughs
At Dr. Necessiter’s lab, Dr. Hfuhruhurr meets Anne Uumellmahaye (Sissy Spacek Carrie 1976), a brain in a jar that he seems to have a telepathic link with. And it just gets even crazier and more ridiculous from there. Jeffrey Combs (Re-Animator 1985) even has a fun cameo! Although at that point in his career it may not have really been a cameo so much as it was definitely foreshadowing!
Now, The Man with Two Brains is absolutely a product of the 80’s meaning, there’s no regard for sensibilities. There’s a lot of dialogue and references that may offend some. But if you’re able to watch older films and cringe at those moments then roll right along, and have a love of absurdist humor, you’ll do just fine.
Final Thoughts
There are themes in The Man with Two Brains that I actually really appreciate, but honestly, it’s just so ridiculous and fun that I still love it today.
Currently, the only way you’ll be able to watch is by purchasing VOD or a rental. But in the past, I’ve seen it on Tubi and rotating on a few other streaming services. Blu-ray, DVD, and VHS releases are available on Amazon.
