User Reviews

A short word on Brain Donors (1992): Get it. I don't even think it was featured for a full week at the cinemas, but it made cable and that's where I found it. It is truly a great fast talking Marx Brothers movie--but made fifty years later. John Turturro is Groucho, Mel Smith is an English Chico and Bob Nelson is not quite a mute Harpo. But that's all right, we needed a new Marx Brother movie anyhow, and these guys will do. It's truly a clone of "Night At The Opera" but dressed up nineties-style and ballet instead of opera. So get it anyway and be prepared to laugh. By the way it came from the group that did Naked Gun and Hot Shots! movies, so you will know what you are in for. Enjoy!

The story of the underrated comedy gem "Brain Donors" is quite a fascinating tale indeed. Conceived as a throwback tribute to old- school comedy acts such as the Marx Brothers and the Three Stooges, the film was an early effort for writer Pat Proft and director Dennis Dugan, whom worked under the supervision of the wildly famous Zucker Brothers. A cast of talented comedic actors was assembled and the filming commenced under the original working title "Lame Ducks", with the bulk of the plot being very loosely inspired by the classic Marx Brothers comedy "A Night at the Opera."

Then a series of troubling developments ensued, casting the fate of the film into uncertainty. The Zucker Brothers had a falling out with studio Paramount and walked from the project during production, and Paramount responded by purposely changing the film's title at the last moment and tanking the marketing in a ploy for retribution. "Lame Ducks"- now known as "Brain Donors"- bombed at the box office as a result, and was quickly forgotten by film-goers... until its later home-video release eventually found an audience thanks to positive word-of-mouth.

And it's a very good thing that it eventually found an audience. While not a particularly great film by any stretch, the fact remains that "Brain Donors" is a thoroughly endearing, charming and indeed laugh- out-loud hilarious tale that hearkens back to the glory-days of cinema, and the creativity that went into its production deserves all the recognition it could possibly get.

After the death of famed philanthropist Oscar Winterhaven Oglethorpe, a ballet company is set to be founded in the name of his widow Lillian, played by Nancy Marchand. And Lillian's (literal) ambulance-chasing attorney Roland T. Flakfizer (John Turturro), along with his knucklehead associates Jacques (Bob Nelson) and Rocco (Mel Smith), want in on a slice of the action, putting them at odds with the company's slimy, power- hungry director Edmund Lazlo. (John Savident) All the while, the three are also drawn into other assorted shenanigans and comedic mishaps, including attempting to secure a spot for their friends Lisa (Juliana Donald) and Alan (Spike Alexander) in the act.

At a lean 79 minutes, the film is an incredibly efficient comedic powerhouse, packing in the jokes fast and loose at a constant pace. Turturro, Nelson and late and great Smith make for a tremendous trio of likable doofuses, and all get key defining features and moments to shine. Turturro being the fast-talking and neurotic schmoozer, Nelson being a hapless and well-meaning oaf with an obsession towards gadgets, and Smith being a brash and volatile dope who sometimes can't keep his mouth shut. They compliment each other very well and have a great sense of chemistry. It honestly is a genuine shame we never got to see the three together again as these characters... I'd have loved to have seen them thrown into more stories.

Visually, the film is very interesting, with director Dugan giving it all a certain sense of hyper-reality, which I think was an attempt to emulate the glitz and glamour of classic Hollywood comedies. It doesn't quite work in that sense, but it does help to usher the audience into the cartoonish madness that ensues, and it does the job well. I also really got a kick out of the use of stop-motion claymation for the credits, which was a really nice touch. The script by Proft is also really well structured, with the plot being used wisely to set up skits and scenarios to see our three leads make the worst out of. Dialog is played quick and loaded with subtle jokes, gags and double- entendres... you could watch the film a dozen times and still find new laughs that you never noticed before.

It really is a tragedy to watch the film and know the backstory and what could have been had it been given a fair change. It's brutally funny and extremely cleverly assembled. I actually had to pause it several times just so I could catch my breath between cackles. Sure, the run-time is a bit too short, some of the jokes are a bit disturbing and it's not gonna change your life... but it's darned entertaining and well-worth checking out. And I can't help but give it my highest of recommendations to fans of all things funny. I give "Brain Donors" a very good 8 out of 10.

You'll have to watch BRAIN DONORS two or three times to pick up on all the zingers and zaniness thrown your way. John Turturro, Bob Nelson and Mel Smith are modern-day Marx Stooges who team up to run a business in one of the many things they know nothing about: ballet. In doing so, they fulfill the will of a millionaire, give their dancer friends a shot at the big time, and make smoke pour from the ears of the grumpy and villainous John Savident.

But the plot merely serves as background to the antics of our three lovable heroes. Parts of BRAIN DONORS are gut-burstingly hilarious. Their efforts to sabotage the performance of snooty ballet hotshot George De La Pena include sending a man in a duck outfit on stage and inserting a whoopee cushion in the star's tights at a key moment. It's not highbrow comedy, but it nevertheless leaves you rolling in the aisles. Turturro's Roland T. Flakfizer's I-just-got-that-one quips are often priceless, and big Nelson's Jacques nearly steals the show.

Even when it's not laugh-out-loud, BRAIN DONORS is good for a chuckle or at least a smile. Incredibly, despite its joke-a-minute pace, none of the humor is lame or feels forced. Much of the credit goes to director Dennis Dugan, better known for HAPPY GILMORE and BEVERLY HILLS NINJA, who keeps things rolling at a good pace and kept the running time under 80 minutes.

BRAIN DONORS is not the greatest comedy ever, but it is in its own way an overlooked gem.

This movie is funny, not ha ha funny, but stop breathing turn blue fall on the floor pass out funny.

Whether you find it funny at all will depend on one thing, do you think that a Marx Brothers style movie could be made now? If you don't think so or hate the Marxes then don't bother seeing it, you'll be wasting your time. However, if you like comedy that's both clever and stupid in the classic Marx sort of way, see this film.

The plot has Groucho, er...John Turturro playing a shyster lawyer who is trying to bilk a rich widow of her money by fronting for a ballet. Add to the madness Mel Smith in the Chico role and the incredibly under rated Bob Nelson in a role Harpo would have played if he talked. Its all madness, mis-representation and misdirection that ends up on stage in a ballet only an insane person could have come up with (its at this point breathing becomes optional).

See this movie.

Its simply one of the greatest screen comedies, even though almost no one has seen it.

10 out of 10.

This movie makes you cry you're laughing so hard. I've seen it countless times, and it just gets better and better each time I see it. The writing is brilliant and the acting is just as good if not better. John Turtturo was born to play this part, just like all his other roles, but excellent in this one in particular. A take off on the Marx brothers' Animal Crackers (1930), it captures a more modern feel, only being twelve years old.

So many great moments and lines it's hard to pick a favorite scene or dialogue. I think that my favorite part of the movie if forced to choose would have to be one of the last scenes, when they are at the ballet and the two guys come out on stage and start hunting swans and ducks with rifles and blood hounds! Every time I see that I think I'm going to faint I'm laughing so hard! One of the best all time movies ever made, and should have one an Academy Award for best comedy of it's time. A classic that will most assuredly go down in history!

I give this movie a 10 out of 10.

End of review.

Most people will probably not have heard of, Brain Donors, a spoof comedy which was inspired by the early 'Marx Brothers' movies of the 1930's. Starring the great John Tutorro, British comic and director Mel Smith, (most famous in his native Britain as one half of the famous comedy double act, Smith & Jones) and the more obscure Bob Nelson, the movie was an attempt to update the comedic formula of the Marx brothers to a nineties audience. Written by Pat Proft probably most famous for writing the Police Academy series , the project was a monumental flop and this has been mainly attributed to the fact that Paramount studio's who had backed it weren't sure how to sell it to movie audiences.

The film's plot is clearly taken from, A Night at the Opera which is arguably the brothers most famous film to this day. Tuttorro plays Roland T. Flakfizer, a small time ambulance chasing attorney who is summoned by his biggest client, Lillian Oglethorpe to hear the reading of her late husbands will. Lillian sent out her late husbands most loyal and faithful employee, Jacque (Bob Nelson) to bring Roland to her mansion where it's contents were to be read out. On the way the pair of them meet cab driver, Rocco Meloncheck (Mel Smith) who also happens to have had a number of other professions going at the one time.

Upon arrival and the reading of the will it's revealed that most of Lillian's late husbands money will go to her, while the rest will go towards the running of a ballet company which is to be run by her other "trusted" lawyer, Edmund Lazlo played here with oily, snide brilliance by John Savident. A British actor who would come to be best known in his native homeland for his career defining role as Fred Elliot in, Coronation Street he is something of an undervalued talent. But of course Roland convinces the naive Lillian that he should also run the opera, and in doing so he employs both Rocco (who Roland is obligated to do a favor for) and Jacque in the process. It's only the beginning of the comedic insanity that's set to come.

Brain Donors marked something of a brave attempt by Proft to update the Marx Brothers formula, primarily because these 'classics' are held in such high regard by critics and fans of the movies. Personally I find them to be all too dated and can't compare now to some relatively contemporary comedies, which is partially why I fairly enjoyed this brave experiment. While by no means a classic movie in It's own right. It's never the less an entertaining all be it rather short affair, combining crude, schoolboy humour and innuendo much in the similar vain of previous spoof movies which include, Airplane and 'The Naked Gun'.

The casting although not entirely inspired is by no mean without notable credit. John Tutorro who heads the main cast is an inspired choice as the Groucho of the picture, making Roland T. Flakfizer the character the most manically hilarious. He commands each scene with his comedic presence, wisely opting not to impersonate Groucho but cherry pick certain aspects of Marx's mannerisms and apply his own unique style. This culminates in possibly the most satisfyingly eccentric and ribald performance of the whole movie. Mel Smith offers solid support although his general acting is nothing spectacular. He is more or less competent as as one half of Flakfizer's employee's. However that's the best what can be said as he phone's in his performance, delivering his quips with rehearsed methodical precision. Bob Nelson on the other hand handles the more physical humour as the Harpo of the team. Performing each clown like gag to the best of his well honed ability. It doesn't always pay off but It's for the most part endearing and on occasion brings a little smile to your face.

This brings me nicely to the script. Proft's little attempts at a tribute to, Night of the Opera' is a rather patchy affair. The gags at best are gut-wrenchingly funny, moderately amusing or barely raise a smile, and It's this lack of consistency that most effects the picture as a whole. The direction from Dennis Dugan is more than accomplished and while the lead trio make a cohesive comic team, as hard as they try they can't prevent everything descending in to mediocrity.

The supporting players for the most part offer sterling support. Late veteran actress, Nancy Marchand is superb as Lillian Oglithorpe who is partially the butt of many of Roland's knife edged quips. Imbuing Lillian with good natured naivety as well as notable grace, Marchand was a pro and she is is a character that allows the veteran to show off her skill as an excellent foil to Tutorro's fast paced delivery. John Savident as I mentioned previously is fantastic as Edmund Lazlo, a thoroughly objectionable wolf in sheep's clothing while American Ballet dancer, Geroge De La Pena offers fantastic egotistical smarm as Roberto Valare, the experienced performer who Flakfizer wishes to front the Oglithorpe Ballet company.

So there you have Brain Donors, a notable flop and a movie that might have been better suited to the small screen given It's relatively small length of 77 minutes. It's perhaps a little disheartening that It's become so obscure considering there are those lesser, abysmal excuses for humor which are at times thoroughly pretentious and just plain unfunny. It's a film that although not a complete success as a tribute film to a bygone era. Is never the lass a nice little time waster.

This is by far one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. John Turturro (one of my favorite actors) was hysterical. Bob Nelson and Mel Smith were great as well. I have a few of Dugan's movies. I love his work with Sandler and I also enjoyed Beverly Hills Ninja, but this movies blows them all way. Hollywood needs to make more silly slapstick films like this one. I believe a good Comedy needs 2 things. 1. The Comedy has to be consistent and 2. The Conclusion of the Movie has to be the funniest part of the movie. Brain Donors delivers well on both of these accounts. I also respect that this is a clean comedy (PG). Being able to make someone laugh now a days without the use of fowl language is remarkable. Without thinking twice this movie is a definite 10 out of 10

I won't repeat the obvious, but for kids who still don't know the unique original, this really is a hilarious movie: great comedic actors, brilliant dialog, excellent physical comedy, although a bit too cartoon-like and hard to believe in places. All in all, it's a fine, zany entertainment, sort of the Marx brothers for the 90s.

Of course, when you know the original, it's not quite the same. Still funny, but it plays too hard on the remake note. Maybe if they had only transplanted the style and not the plot or even some scenes (who could ever dare to re-do or even to allude to the contract scene or the stateroom scene), it would have been really great.

Brain Donors is one of the Zucker brother's best kept secrets. Featuring a great cast, this film pays tribute to the Marx and Ritz brothers and slides in a few jokes that Groucho couldn't get away with.

This movie contains about 20 good laughs per minute and a finale that rivals "A Night at the Opera" in hilarity. Anyone that doesn't hurt from laughing at the end of this film is either cold-hearted or clinically brain dead.

I had heard and read so many great things about this movie over the years that I finally decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, it didn't even come close to the hype. I only laughed a couple of times during the entire movie and nearly every time there was a joke that missed the target I thought to myself, "Groucho/Chico/Harpo would have pulled that one off easily."

The actors just don't have the timing nor mannerisms necessary for this to succeed.

Don't waste your time with this one.

I heard about Brain Donor's and thought that it was a joke that someone told me. I didn't even think that this existed. Man! What a comedic-hammering I got when I saw this. This has to be up there as one of the slap stick funniest of all-time. If it's not something is truly wrong with our critic-rating system. These guys, who i wasn't aware of except Turturro from Miami Vice and William Friedkin's "To Live And Die In L.A." and those certainly weren't comedy. So I had no reference for him to gage in a comedy. These other two Bob Nelson and Mel Smith where outstanding! Thy were unbelievably funnier than other comedies that were in the theater then. I am just astounded that there are no reported awards for these guys in this film. From all the other stuff that wins and for this not a 'wink' 'nod' or 'whisper' to speak of. Dennis Dugan has a great sense about him in comedy story telling. And for all I can remember, of seeing his movies, he always has, hence : 'Problem Child' etc.

I was glad to see that this is now out on DVD. As before I was wearing out the VHS that I had with it playing so much. Yet it has been years since I have had the enjoyment of this.

For a real comedy-face slapping good time, I recommend these guys to only those with a sense of humor. Those without need not apply. Now this is one that you have a sequel for or two or three.

Ten out of a comedy ten (*****)

"Brain Donors" is a sporadically funny but stale comedy. It has some creative visual gags and some clever wordplay. Still, I can't think of one good reason why anyone would choose to watch this half-hearted ("Harpo" talks??), lame "homage" instead of an authentic Marx Brothers picture. Unless of course he/she has something personal against black-and-white films. (**)

A lot of critics moaned when this movie came out that its characters were pale imitations of the Marx Brothers. Fine, that might be true. But this movie is still hilarious. On the surface, it appears to be a very dumb comedy, but if you listen to John Turturro's constant string of dialogue, you'll realize that his insults are the most sharp-edged one-liners since Groucho died. Obviously it's not as good as any Marx Brothers comedies, but it's not bad either.

i can't believe the ratings this movie is getting. they should all be 10's!!!! this movie is absolutely one of my all time favorites. everyone i recommend it to loves it and i end up scrapping the internet trying to find a copy. i really believe that the only reason people don't care for this movie is because they don't have the brain capacity to see the funny in it. some of the funniest one-liners and catch phrases i have heard come from this movie. "i hope you like it, it reminds me of you." "WATCH OUT FOR THAT TRUCK!!!" and last but not least "A woman voted by her senior class, most likely to go up a few dress sizes"AAAAAHHHH .. i love that one. if you are looking for just a downright funny movie, this is it!! RENT IT, BUY IT .. Borrow it... I'll lend you mine. i've watched this movie more than a few dozen times and still gets funnier every time i see it. One review i read said that the movie shifts into Neutral .. what is that guy on .. this movie is 150% the whole way!!!

When I first saw the cover of the video tape for Brain Donors, I thought "Groan, it's some guys who think they can be the Marx Brothers". Then I watched it, and laughed till I choked. Yes they imitate the Marx Bros. BUT they do it well, John Turturro as Flakfizer is a perfect heir to the Firefly/Captain Spalding characters portrayed by the late Groucho. I hope someday there will be a sequel to Brain Donors, even if it is another remake.

I like dumb movies- Vampire's kiss is my favorite, but this movie is excruciatingly horrible. It is on my list of worst movies ever made. John T. can usually make me laugh- in fact I loved him in Big Lebowski, but in this movie he is a pale imitation of Groucho. Only Nancy Marchand saved this from being a total waste of time.

I saw this movie for the first time today on danish TV. Who has hidden this gem in all these years. Most recommendable, if you are a Marx Brothers fan, and who isn't ? The one-liners are great and the story is ridiculous. I love this film. When is it released on DVD ? I'll be the first in the queue to buy it. The film is full of wacky scenes, the acting is brilliant, especially Margaret Dumont, (sorry Nancy Marchand) but you almost can't tell it's not good old Margaret. John Turturro is far away from Barton Fink here, but most certainly very good. Bob Nelson does a Harpo Marx like no one else but Harpo. If you haven't seen this movie, do it and do it NOW !

I never do this (in fact, this is my first time), but I read the glowing reviews and bought the VHS and watched it...and it was awful. A sad, pathetic attempt at humor, seriously miscast and poorly written/directed. The pacing is turgid, the 'fast paced patter' is...well, awful. It makes those of us who love the Marx Bros (which means the mindset of the 1930s) cringe; you can't bring back what's gone. This is a vapid attempt to revive a sensibility that died over 70 years ago. Watch it if you want; in fact, my copy is for sale.

If you really want to watch something funny, why not try one of these: Funny Bones (with Jerry Lewis); The Cat and the Canary (with Bob Hope); My man Godfrey; Along Came Jones (Cooper); The Big Liebowski, and The Nutty Professor (Jerry Lewis again), just to name a few.

If you have a sense of humor, you'll love this movie! What a hoot! Yes, I love the Marx Bros, but they're dead. This is a remake of Night at the Opera, 90's style. You'll laugh till you weep....unless you're a critic and can't enjoy a funny movie. The cast is great and the dancing duck will slay you. Rent it, tape it, whatever. I guarantee!

Would Marx brothers style humor stand up in a modern setting? In this case, yes.

No attempt was made to hide the obvious influence. That's in it's favor. A denial would have been insulting.

Turturro did Groucho perfectly. Snappy quips all over the place. And his name (Roland Flakfizer) was another connection.

Mel Smith had the Chico character down pat. Trade the Italian accent for a British one and ditch the piano playing, and there we are.

Bob Nelson, a VERY underrated comedian, did a semi-verbal Harpo. His act has always been physical and it fit perfectly here.

And Nancy Marchand did her best Margaret Dumont.

As good as the originals? Impossible. But still funny as hell. You can't watch it just once I bet.

Well first of all let me just state that I'm not a fan of The Three Stooges or The Marx Brothers. That kind of silly stupid humor is just not my thing. It's okay to have a ridiculous scene every now and then but not for all the time and that's exactly what this movie is about. Endless silly scenes that make absolutely no sense at all, not immediately something I would call fun. I admit that I smiled like four or five times but that's about it, for the rest it's just too dumb to make me laugh. Mel Smith always made me laugh in Alas Smith & Jones so he was the main reason why I watched Brain Donors but maybe I should just have skipped it when I read that it was humor à la Marx Brothers. My bad!