Plot: What’s it about?
Dr. Maxwell Kirshner (Ray Milland) is a very intelligent, wealthy, and racist individual, who has a host of health related problems. As he nears his final days, he uses his money and power to devise a plan to remain alive, even if it means hatching a most unusual plan. This agenda includes taking his own head and putting onto another body, which will give him a new lease on life. But his search is not very fruitful and in truth, yields only one possible choice. The potential donor is not the optimal choice for Kirshner either, as it is Jack Moss (“Rosey” Grier) who happens to a convict on Death Row, as well as a black man. This raises some problems for the doctor of course, but when faced with the alternative, he decides to push forward with the operation. But when Moss discovers what fate awaits him, he makes an effort to evade the most cruel future, no matter what it takes. Now both heads rest upon the same body, while Moss tries to make sure he keeps his body and of course, that means making sure Kirshner ends up where he belongs, in the grave!
What an insane premise, eh? I love the storyline of this movie and with Ray Milland (The Lost Weekend, Dial M For Murder) and “Rosey” Grier (Carter’s Army, The Gong Show Movie) in the leads, it unfolds in terrific fashion. The two have to perform in some unusual situations, but both come up strong and provide memorable turns, very humorous indeed. This one has all the normal elements you’d expect from 1970s low budget cinema, but also some stuff you’d never expect to see. I mean, come on here, there’s a two headed person riding a motorbike and that’s just the back cover! The writing is not classical literature by any means, but it allows for some great moments and of course, some outrageous antics. This is a wild and very fun picture to be sure, but make sure you don’t expect traditional cinema, as this is far from that ideal. If you can turn off your critical intentions and just have a good time, then this film should more than entertain. I do wish MGM had put a little more effort into this disc, but since the price is so low and the movie is so cool, I think this release is well worth every last cent.
Video: How does it look?
The Thing with Two Heads is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. This is a decent looking treatment, but the lack of anamorphic enhancement is obvious. The image lacks the sharpness I had expected, while edge enhancement is frequent, though not to an extreme degree. The colors look good and flesh tones seem natural, although the whole picture seems a little softer than usual. No problems with contrast either, black levels seem solid at all times, with no lost detail I was able to detect. This should have been anamorphic, but I don’t think fans have much else to complain about there.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release uses a mono track, which provides a decent enough audio experience. As you might expect, this isn’t a movie that needs dynamic sound, which means the mono option isn’t too bad in the end. The dialogue is clean and crisp, which is good to be sure, as you won’t want to miss a single line in this flick. I heard no hiss or distortion with this track either, this was a much sharper overall effort than I figured. This disc also includes Spanish and French subtitles, just in case you’ll need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
