The Thing with Two Heads (American International Pictures) (1972)

SYNOPSIS (Not for Publication) Dr. Max Kirshner (RAY MILLAND) the director of the Kirshner Hospital and Transplant Foundation has had to restrict his professional activity to directing surgeons from a wheel chair in the operating rooms because of crippling arthritis. Another, more serious obstacle which he has managed to keep secret is a rampaging case of cancer. And a third problem, an emotional hangup, is a hatred for the black race. In fact, it complicates a recent appointment to his staff of Fred Williams (DON MARSHALL), a young doctor, with an advanced knowledge of tissue rejection control he had hired sight unseen, not knowing he was black. Despite his infirmities, Kirshner continues his specialized transplant work on his own in secret in his basement laboratory. He now has succeeded in transplanting the head of one gorilla to the body of another. His method is a two-stage process in which the new head is first attached and, when firmly grown into position, the old head is removed, completing the switch. His ulterior motive is to one day find a donor with a fatal head injury whose healthy body could be substituted for his own diseased frame, thus prolonging his life. But the onrushing malignancy robs him of time and he is forced to reveal his plan to his colleague Dr. Philip Desmond (ROGER PERRY) and pleads with him to canvas every source for a donor. Desmond agrees and instigates a wide spread search, advertising it as necessary for an unstated scientific experiment. Just as Kirshner’s plans appear to have failed and he lies comatose at death’s door, a break comes in the huge muscular form of a black convict, Jack Moss (ROSEY GRIER), whose sentence to death for a murder is about to be carried out in the electric chair. The doomed prisoner proclaims his innocence and begs for time to prove his case... time which now has run out as the electrodes are attached. Desperate, he declares himself a volunteer for the mysterious experiment, hoping to add enough hours to his life to find the proof of his innocence. Jack is rushed to Kirshner’s basement operating room and, following the gifted surgeon’s technique, Dr. Desmond successfully completes the first step of the operation, transferring Kirshner’s head to Jack’s neck so that both heads share the big black body. Kirshner is first to regain consciousness and is initially overjoyed that he can sense a certain amount of control of his borrowed body, but, when raising his arm, he is incensed to find that it is black and he is co-owner of a black torso. Now coming awake, Jack is equally upset on learning the nature of the experiment. It doesn’t help to find that his once exclusive body now boasts the additional head of a confirmed bigot. Thus, the two heads lie cheek to jowl in glowering fury. Still eager to prove his innocence, Jack takes control of the body from Kirshner and charges from their mutual bed, grabbing a gun from a police guard. Commandeering Williams’ car, he directs the young black doctor towards the home of the escapee’s girlfriend Lila (CHELSEA BROWN). However, the pursuit of police makes him head for the hills. A hectic chase follows as more police cars mass and are joined by a helicopter. During the chase, Jack explains to Williams his aims to clear his name and asks for his help. But Dr. Kirshner warns the young physician that he would be committing a crime and reveals his intention to eventually dispose of Jack’s head in the second phase of his surgical technique and become sole owner of the mammoth body, despite its color. As the chase progresses they are soon forced to abandon the car and race through the brush on foot. A motorcyclist taking part in a nearby dirt bike regatta sees them and, falling off his bike in astonishment, takes to his heels in fright. Jack mounts the bike with Dr. Williams straddling behind him and they continue their flight from the police. The chase now becomes a mad melee of narrow escapes, screeching rubber, flying dust and tortured metal as motorcyclists scatter before the ghastly apparition on wheels of the two-headed body and squad cars crash and pound across the hills in pursuit of the fugitives. Finally eluding the police, they arrive at Lila’s house. Lila welcomes them but the warmth of her welcome is somewhat frustrated by the critical eyes of Dr. Kirshner atop her boyfriend’s body. She claims she can prove Jack’s innocence and Dr. Williams declares he will help Jack by surgically removing Kirshner’s head. They proceed to a drug warehouse where Williams locates the medications and drugs necessary for the operation. But Kirshner now takes control of the body and hits Jack in the jaw, knocking out his head and escapes Williams. Kirshner heads for his laboratory where he prepares to remove Jack’s head. Just as he is about to make the incision, the young black doctor and Lila enter the room and, taking over the operation, Williams removes Kirshner’s head instead. Jack is now sole owner of his torso again and the three drive off to freedom. Dr. Desmond rushes to the laboratory and finds Kirshner’s head attached to the life support equipment. Kirshner and Desmond must once again begin the search for a body. CAST Maxwell Kirshner __..............---------------------RAY MILLAND TACK, MOSS) wscececn cscs bc fvnsnccdvceessinxstccyseiuswekae “ROSEY” GRIER Dr. Fred (WiliGims: 2. ...22.--2.cc.ececdeeteewdhandene DON MARSHALL Dis Philipp DeSmOn o.2eccc ese ceesecesenctestcanecscsen ROGER PERRY RNG atetie nc pies tddee ceonacaseictantceuckaioncresatynsndeaseen: CHELSEA BROWN PORICIA: isc e cece ieceenenstdunrdsocsaaaencncenducneeras KATHY BAUMANN WHOWROS fo scvec shes olacin tsitponcaw eens stagesteds JOHN DULLAGHAN DOW 263 sed thoes eee JOHN BLISS Police Lieutenant _._.................-..2------------+BRUCE KIMBALL Miss: MONO oo 2occcccccice en ceenceessesgcesectecncdenseeees JANE KELLEM Sergeant Hacker: 22.2226... .sscccesacncidceceeeeenceneedveeee LEE FROST Dis SOW: cedencadecedacccecnccadcnimeniwdenesrasteerscesseaee WES BISHOP Police Sergeant ____.............--.--.2----2--------ROGER GENTRY US nsec ene iceseesemereseeee BRITT NILSSON GOFIIO) Scccencescoe ee sas essence ynegengel tanaceeeectnte esa tuts RICK BAKER PONCENVON: co o2esecanctewnalesaciadeseccsuiewndeineiadeouss PHIL HOOVER Medical Salesman: .2...2<2.2.-6 42. 2e edness ROD STEELE PHISH COUR G) sc s senc Sedexawesee einen ties MICHAEL VINER CREDITS Executive producer __................-..--------JOHN LAWRENCE Produced by ........-. eerie hen settee esas Peasee ce WES BISHOP Dir@ClOG DY. wccidece cn ciecheteeeeeesescbicactcanencupedbaansees LEE FROST Screenplay by ............-------------LEE FROST, WES BISHOP and JAMES GORDON WHITE Cinematography by _...............-.-----2-----------JACK STEELY Editorial supervisor _.............2..2..---2---2-----2---ED FORSYTH ort 12 il: Geer eae ee eR Ones AP REO Nene eed CLARK WILL Stunt coordinators ______.. BUD" EKINS and PAUL NUCKLES Mr. Milland’s and Mr. Grier’s heads re-created by DAN STRIEPEKE, GAIL BROWN, TOM BURMAN, CHARLES SCHRAM, JAMES WHITE and PETE PETERSON Music produced and supervised by ....-..MICHAEL VINER MUSIC SOOTE. DY 22 cc. csccnsicickseereutes ROBERT O. RAGLAND Additional music composed and arranged by ___... DAVID ANGEL and PORTER JORDAN Songs: ‘“OH HAPPY DAY”’ by The Mike Curb Congregation (Courtesy of MGM Records) ‘*A PRAYER” by Jerry Butler (Courtesy of Mercury Records) “THE THING THEME POLICE CHASE” Composed and performed by PORTER JORDAN Samuel Z. Arkoff Presents A Saber Production Running time: 93 min. Rating: PG Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 Color by DE LUXE® An American International Release