The Man with Two Brains (1983)

Powerful

Load of rubbish!!

Great Film overall

Absolutely Fantastic

Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr (Steve Martin) is a self-proclaimed world's greatest neurosurgeon. He still pines for his late wife Rebecca. He accidentally runs over ruthless gold digger Dolores Benedict (Kathleen Turner) with his car. He uses his cranial screw-top brain surgery on her and then marries her. She's more interested in the lawn boy than him. They go to Vienna for a conference and their honeymoon. Serial killer 'Elevator Killer' is on the loose. Hfuhruhurr is befriended by Dr. Necessiter (David Warner) who has been getting brains from the Elevator Killer and keeping them alive in jars. Hfuhruhurr has had enough of Dolores and finds that he can telepathically communicate with the jarred brain of Anne Uumellmahaye (Sissy Spacek).Carl Reiner and Steve Martin unite in another one of their broad ridiculous comedies. It is non-stop amusement. It's also a matter of tastes. They're smaller laughs but the lines don't stop. The main change I would want is David Warner. He's a great dramatic actor but I wish they had a comedic actor doing something crazier. Kathleen Turner, on the other hand, is the perfect combination of sexy, evil, and comedy.

A delicious black comedy along the lines of "Death Becomes Her", this practically forgotten Steve Martin farce is now going on to my list of one of the best comedies of the 1980s, as well as one of the best comedies you've probably never heard of. Steve Martin plays a widowed doctor who specializes in brain surgery and all of a sudden becomes enamored of the gorgeous Kathleen Turner who has just managed in a hysterical opening sequence to knock off her wealthy older husband. Spoofing her role in "Body Heat", Turner is deliciously evil, and seems to be have a wonderful time in playing this part. Martin, of course, does his usual schtick, but mixing science fiction elements with a spoof of film noir which he had already done recently with "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid", he finds true love with a seemingly still living brain, voiced by none other than recent Oscar winner Sissy Spacek.A film clip of the 1953 science fiction film "Donovan's Brain" cast up his interest in experimenting, and features then first lady Nancy Davis Reagan in the archive clip. Verbal and visual sight gags a la "Airplane!" make this worth seeing over and over again.Among the visual highlights is Martin's checking out of a castle like house he wants to purchase, complete with laboratory and Turner's determination to get rid of anybody whom she can inherit money from. Her obvious plans of seducing the handsome Hispanic gardener is also very funny. Some surprise cameos along the way add to the hysterical moments that are frequent and sometimes pass by too fast to catch up on simply one viewing. Veteran director Carl Reiner practically outdoes himself in the delightful way he takes preposterous situations and makes them laugh out loud funny. I could not have seen this in the theater, because I think I would have been choking on my popcorn or spitting my soda at the unfortunate person in front of me. It is that funny. I won't spoil all the delightful things that occur by saying more, but being available on the Warner Brothers Archive Collection, this was more fun than I expected it to be, although I will give credit to the delightfully annoying voiced prostitutes who Martin encounters during his journey. By the time she came along, I was laughing so hard that I was actually crying.

...Steve Martin's physical humor was the talk of the town. In his early years he was featured on the Sonny and Cher Comedy hour, the Ken Barry Show and the Smothers Brothers Show as a regular. He turned up frequently as host on Saturday Night Live, in every case showcasing his peculiar brand of off-the-wall physical humor and jester-esque feats. The Jerk can probably be considered his first real movie as a vehicle to his humor which is often seen as the first of his classics-trio with Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid second and The Man with Two Brains his third. Although I consider The Jerk to be the best of the trio, The Man with Two Brains is certainly a close second. The cast is brilliant with a sexy yet villainous wife played by Kathleen Turner, one year before her landmark role as the eccentric romance novelist Joan Wilder. David Warner fresh from Tron and Time Bandits who probably has the largest resume of movies and TV spots I have seen yet. Unless you lived under a rock and never turned on your TV during the 80's and 90's you've seen David Warner is some fashion... anyways where am I? oh... he also manages to keep up with the non-stop antics playing a brilliant yet mad scientist who has discovered a way to keep brains alive. Carl Reiner and Steve Martin twist another crazy tale together to showcases the unique humor of Martin. It's not the best Steve Martin has done, nor is it hilarious through and through, it's mostly a hit and miss spoof, The Man With Two Brains is certainly recommended for old time fans of Steve Martin before he traded in his physical humor for more straight-forward gags.

This film by Steve Martin is one of my favourites. I believe it is one of his great films, along side Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Bowfinger and The Three Amigos, but that is my humble opinion! Also, as a musician into electronic, synthesized music, the soundtrack is superb. Trouble is, I cannot find it anywhere. Kathleen Turner plays an excellent role too, and you really start to feel sorry for Steve Martin. The sexual frustration is intense!! I feel it borders on the 'Naked Gun' style, which is a big plus point for me. When all is said and done, The Man With Two Brains is a great & funny film. Even for todays hard to please audience!