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The Movie:
For those who aren't familiar with, or never watched the cult series, what's wrong with you? Just kidding. Although the show is no longer on the air after the sci-fi channel cancelled its run, Rhino has thankfully given it a second life on DVD, with "The Brain That Wouldn't Die" as the second of two efforts.
Unlike the other episode that was just released ("Eegah!") this is a later show in the series, with replacement host Mike Nelson taking over the duties from creator Joel Hodgeson. One of the first shows with Nelson, "The Brain That Wouldn't Die" does provide the occasional big laugh, but it doesn't take its place among the series's best.
"The Brain That Wouldn't Die" is the usual awful sci-fi that the show goofed on during its run, a film about a doctor who keeps his wife's head alive after a horrible car accident. It doesn't quite provide the opportunity for the usual commentary, and I thought the other episode out on DVD ("Eegah!") was funnier. Still, for fans of the series, the opportunity to own these shows on DVD is fantastic, and even some of the weaker epsiodes like this one still have their moments.
The DVD
VIDEO: MST3K has never looked wonderful and "The Brain That Wouldn't Die" is no exception. An old black and white film, "The Brain" looks worn, with a rough look that includes a number of scratches and marks on the print used. Of course, the film also is certainly a low budget effort, so it doesn't look that great to begin with. Pair that with the fact that no restoration was done on this film (nor did it deserve it), and you've got a goofy looking bad flick. The skit scenes on the ship also have a few little problems, with a little bit of shimmering. For MST3k though, it's the usual look.
SOUND: Just like the image quality, the sound quality is pretty funky at times as well. Although we can always hear the comments of the gang about the movie, the movie itself sounds very thin and occasionally harsh. It's supposed to be this way, though.
MENUS:: The main menus are wonderful! They open up and offer animation, as well as the theme music from the movie in the background. The other episode on DVD has the MST3K theme playing in the main menu, and I wish they'd have had that again here.
EXTRAS: The ability to watch "The Brain That Wouldn't Die" without the MST3K commentary, although I'm not sure why anyone would want to watch this movie on its own.
Final Thoughts: Not one of the best episodes of the series, but with Rhino's low price, it's still worth a look.
Grade:B-
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