Natalie Wood’s Farewell in “Brainstorm” 1983

Natalie Wood completed all but two scenes in "Brainstorm" before her untimely demise.

While 1983’s Brainstorm is not flawless filmmaking, the sci-fi film was made with good intentions, talented artists, and some intriguing ideas. Given the circumstances that Brainstorm was made under—the battling director and studio plus the death of a star—it’s a miracle that the resulting movie nearly two years later was even completed.

Christopher Walken plays the scientist husband of Natalie Wood in "Brainstorm."

Brainstorm is about research scientists who devise a system that allows people to experience recorded events, thoughts, and feelings of others—virtual reality. The military wants in on this government project and they don’t want to use the innovation for good, of course. The two lead scientists are Christopher Walken as Michael Brace and Louise Fletcher as Lillian Reynolds. Natalie Wood is Walken’s estranged wife, Karen, who is the project’s designer. Cliff Robertson is their boss, Alex Terson, who gives in to the government.

Christopher Walken and Natalie Wood play an estranged couple in "Brainstorm."

Though Natalie Wood had done some fine work in television after her return to acting, The Cracker Factory and a mini-series remake of From Here to Eternity, Wood sought to make her mark again on the big screen. Two prior efforts, Meteor and The Last Married Couple in America, despite good directors and co-stars, could not elevate the weak material. Though Wood had kept her face and figure, Natalie was acutely aware that she was now over 40, tough for golden era stars.

Natalie Wood hoped "Brainstorm" would be a step in the right direction
for her film career, but admitted the special effects were the real star.

Christopher Walken was then a hot young star, on the verge of becoming a leading man, like DeNiro or Pacino. Instead, Walken became a quirky star character actor. Did the Wood scandal taint Walken and give his odd looks and peculiar persona an even more sinister edge?

There's times when Christopher Walken's nerd scientist looks like Dwight Schrute.

First time director Douglas Trumball was prior a special effects director on classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Blade Runner. Trumball had a vision for the film, with use of a new process called Showscan. This was a high-speed, large-screen process that would show a picture with absolute clarity. The process would also require theaters to be retrofitted to accommodate this film. MGM was a studio that seemed to be strapped for cash many times over the years, and not the studio to foot the bill. But that’s never stopped a problematic production from getting the green light in Hollywood.

Louise Fletcher, excellent as Walken's co-scientist, Lillian Reynolds, in "Brainstorm."

Ironically, the studio's attempt to stop the film maker parallels Brainstorm's major plot point, when the scientists get their project taken away. When Natalie Wood died, MGM had already gotten cold feet over this expensive production. Even though all but two of Wood’s scenes were shot, they seized on her tragedy as an excuse to shut down production. The studio even locked the sets, much like when Brainstorm’s scientist gets locked out of his lab.

Cliff Robertson, as Alex, the smiling bad guy, in "Brainstorm."

Insurance company Lloyds of London offered to pay out for the completion of the film, instead of the whole write-off that MGM wanted. Trumball's fight with the studio to finish embittered him from directing again, and the studio dumped the film after the fact. Ultimately, the standoff was a lose-lose, but along the way, Brainstorm became a bit of a cult classic.

The premise is fascinating; the effects are terrific and imaginative for their time. The fine cast does what they can with the film's biggest problem: a script and characters that feels like a sketch, not a full-bodied portrait. The dialogue, especially in some of the crucial scenes, feels very flat-footed. There's a lot of short-hand for characterization, like Cliff Robertson's old-school rich alpha male wardrobe, Louise Fletcher's incessant smoking, and Chris Walken's absent minded professor routine. Natalie Wood has nothing to work with, but the star is warm, sincere, and beautiful, so that's something. More than a few film stars have gone out with far less fanfare.

Christopher Walken's scientist "sees" a sad memory via his wife in "Brainstorm."

Louise Fletcher has a beautiful death scene, elegantly depicted by the actress and director. Robertson’s got the smiling villain down pat, since Three Days of the Condor. Walken is perfectly cast as the brilliant but tunnel vision scientist. The actor plays his part well, not afraid to look like a nerd or a jerk in flashbacks.

The supporting cast is particularly good. Note that one of the “food fantasy” girls is 19-year-old Lana Clarkson, who would come to her own tragic end, murdered by Phil Spector in 2003.

Lana Clarkson, center, was just 19 in this food fantasy scene in "Brainstorm."

Trumball was admired by his stars, gave his all to the produce a breakthrough in special effects, fought the good fight with the studio, and he deserves great credit for that. I can only fault Trumball for not paying as much attention to the script as the special effects. Yes, the final result falls short of the original vision. But the story still has resonance. 

In happier times: Christopher Walken and Natalie Wood in "Brainstorm."

Natalie Wood was having better luck on television than film, and that is probably where she would have ultimately worked. Would Nat have settled for quality work on TV or would she have ended up as a guest star on one of the ‘80s many night time soaps? Wood was also exploring theater; Anastasia was to be her stage debut in early 1982.

Like other stars that died young, Natalie's death has kept her in the public eye. Sadly, that tragedy at times overshadows the legacy of Natalie Wood. And while Brainstorm is no classic, at least Natalie exited the big screen with her class intact.

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Encouraged by friend Elizabeth Taylor's success in "The Little Foxes,"
Natalie Wood had planned to make her stage debut in 1982 with "Anastasia."