Brand Upon the Brain! is a searingly original cinematic marvel from visionary director Guy Maddin, one that can only be better when seen the way it was meant to be seen. When I saw the film, the music, Foley sound effects, and narration were integrated into the feature, just like they would be in any other film. Maddin’s vision, one that became reality at film festivals and special engagements around the globe, was to have his autobiographical silent film accompanied live by orchestras, narrators, and Foley artists.
Oh, how I wish I had seen this film the way Maddin intended. As it stands, Brand Upon the Brain! is a brilliantly entertaining masterwork. To see it live must be an experience unequaled by anything in movie theaters today or in years.
To some, the live roll-out may sound a tad gimmicky. Orchestral accompaniments and celebrity narrators like Geraldine Chaplin and Crispin Glover can easily grab headlines in the major newspapers. The film’s story, however, is Maddin’s personal meditation on his past, and that tale entrances as much as its innovative presentation.
We follow the character "Guy Maddin" (Erik Steffen Maahs) as he returns to Black Notch Island to paint the lighthouse/orphanage once run by his parents. The repair job is his mother’s dying wish. As he covers the long-neglected architecture and walks through his childhood stomping grounds, memories of an abusive, unstable mother, innocent friendships, and sexual awakenings flood back. In those memories, young Guy (Sullivan Brown), his sister (Maya Lawson), and a fictional celebrity hero named Wendy Hale (Katherine E. Scharhon) attempt to unlock the secrets behind Guy’s father’s bizarre science experiments.
Article comments
1 - Bryan McKay
The Saddest Music in the World is my favorite, but Cowards Bend the Knee is worth a look as well. I like pretty much everything he's done, but those would both be excellent starting points for exploring his body of work.
2 - Lisa McKay
Congratulations! This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States, and Boston.com, which will allow even more readers to enjoy it.
3 - Lauren
this movie was obscure and unsatisfying not being that experienced of a film critic, i hope no one wastes there time on this movie and sees it for what it is a lame awkward childhood...hey we all have em