Dr. Bill Cortner and his fiancée, Jan Compton, are driving to his lab when they get into a horrible car accident. Compton is decapitated. But Cortner is not fazed by this seemingly insurmountable hurdle. His expertise is in transplants, and he is excited to perform the first head transplant. Keeping Compton's head alive in his lab, Cortner plans the groundbreaking yet unorthodox surgery. First, however, he needs a body.
Practical Effects
The pan-head rig is genuinely impressive for the budget.
Acting
Virginia Leith's disembodied head acting—extra points for commitment.
Production
The sleazy strip club location shooting adds accidental authenticity.
Director
Joseph Green
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The film was shot in 1959 but sat unreleased until 1962 when AIP picked it up, explaining why Dr. Cortner drives a 1959 Cadillac through the whole movie.
This was one of the last films before the Production Code fully collapsed—notice how the strip scenes push boundaries while the violence stays oddly restrained.
US
