 | |
List Price: $14.98 | | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 65544
Released: August 22, 2000 |
| Our Price: $1,999.54 |
| Used Price: $7.61 |
|
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
Brilliant researchers lillian reynolds and michael brace have developed a system of recording and playing back actual experiences of people Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 06/07/2005 Starring: Christopher Walken Cliff Robertson Run time: 106 minutes Rating: Pg Director: Douglas Trumbull
Description of Brainstorm:
Brainstorm is a fascinating but frustrating film, simply because it dabbles in greatness but fails to develop the fullest implications of its provocative ideas. It's a visually dazzling film with outstanding special effects; directed by veteran effects creator Douglas Trumbull, of 2001 fame; but too caught up in marvels of hardware and software at the expense of its characters, who remain interesting but dramatically two-dimensional. The story involves the development of a headset recorder that can replay one person's experiences--even their emotional states--into the mind of another. The device obviously invites corporate or military exploitation, and Cliff Robertson plays a ruthless executive determined to tap into its lucrative potential. But when a scientist (Louise Fletcher) records her own death experience with the device, along with incriminating evidence, the technology's inventor (Christopher Walken) must unlock the mysteries of his colleague's suspicious demise and the very nature of death itself. Punctuated by remarkable sequences from the perspective of those who use the mind-expanding headset, Brainstorm dares to reach for ambitious themes and innovative movie experiences, and that alone makes it eminently worthwhile. But with a conclusion that too literally interprets the afterlife experience with conventional angelic imagery, and a disappointingly thin role for Natalie Wood (who died while the film was still in production), the film strives for profundity and settles instead for an inspirational light show. --Jeff Shannon
Brainstorm Reviews:
About the frame size/aspect ratio 
2009-12-07 - Just an observation about the various aspect ratios and screen sizes used in this film (and associated DVDs.)
(I'll confess, I'm going from memory, here, but it's from a presentation I saw about the film.)
Brainstorm was the first film ever filmed, edited, and completely processed in 70mm. The 70mm prints of the film (and only the 70mm prints. If you saw the film in the theater, you saw a different movie if you saw it in another format.) had a special feature.
All of the "Brainstorm" sequences were filmed in "first person" (where the camera is the character), using an almost "fish eye" lens (so that the camera had "peripheral vision".
All of the "reality" sequences were deliberately printed down to 35mm, then re-enlarged back to 70mm, (to make the resolution worse). The print was leterboxed (the image only filled part of the theater screen). And the sound was monophonic, and only issued from the speaker behind the screen. (The "center channel", so to speak.)
What Trumbull wanted was, when people "put on the helmet" was for the picture to expand, pulling you into the screen. The sound would expand to the sides. The images would become more vibrant, and clearer.
In short, the folks pointing out that in the remastered edition, most of the movie only uses part of the screen, and the sound isn't spectacular, are seeing the film as the director intended them to see it.
Now, you may not WANT to see it that way. Just because something worked (and, IMO, this effect worked very, very, well, in the theater) doesn't mean that it's what you want to see at home. (For example, most people's homes have screens that are just a tad smaller than in the theater.)
So, this effect may or may not be what you WANT. But it ISN'T an error of the transfer. This is a deliberate decision which was made by the film's director and producer, back when the film was originally released.
Natalie Wood's last full-length movie
2009-12-03 - From the earliest sci-fi movies to the latest graphic novel people have been speculating on transferring thoughts and experiences. You may recall, "Total Recall" or a recent independent "Sleep Dealer" where with minimum connections you are lost and possibly endangered by others' thoughts dead or alive.
This is a good presentation of the standard who done it mystery mixes with a tad of sci-fi. The characters and story make the film.
Researchers Lillian Reynolds (Louise Fletcher) and Michael Brace (Christopher Walken) build a though recorder. Now everyone, government, perverts, lost loves, industrialists etc., wants the device for different purposes. Soon someone is dead. Soon someone is dead. Guess how they search for who done it and why.
Sex and the Single Girl
Remastered ruined a good movie 
2009-10-15 - I remember seeing Brainstorm in the theaters and loved it. The VHS was OK, and the first DVD was an OK transfer as well. Then again, the TV I was watching it on was a knob-tuner 19". Again I enjoyed the movie though the heart attack/death scene gave my ex some bad nightmares. Now I have a 50" plasma and wanted a better DVD. This one looked promising but failed. Hopefully they'll bring out a blu-ray and just leave the original movie alone. As some have mentioned, not the greatest of acting but a good story and great effects (remember it was done in 1983).
What I can't understand is why they stripped out scenes for this "remastered" version. The sound is improved but they had no need of removing anything. Not as bad as what happened with the 'Director's Cut of 'Bladerunner', but nearly so. I'm almost sorry I trashed my VHS.
Above average
2009-10-12 - Overall well-done science-fiction for it's time, though seemed pieced together at the end. Good quality DVD & picture.
How can it be bad, it's got Christopher Walken in it! 
2009-10-02 - The concept of this movie is great, although it plays through with a normal storyline; genius' invent something, government takes it, genius' get revenge. Christopher Walken, Natalie Wood, Louise Fletcher and Cliff Robertson are fantastic actors, one and all, and make this movie believeable. The ending will remind you of a Stanley Kubrick epic but how else would you put it? This is a fun movie and worth watching a couple of times to get everything.
