The Head, but no body

We've all done it. In our secret laboratories, deep in our basements, we have dabbled in human experimentation.  Sure, finding subjects are difficult.  The hindrances encountered in securing human subjects among people who will not be missed, are numerous.  Sanctioned by no medical school or government, our experiments (without federal funding), will never be appreciated the way they should. For all of us basement genius', branded mad-scientists by a puritanical society, here is a film for you...1959's "The Head" (made in West Germany).

Ood, Irene, and Abel 

We've all done it, but in 1959 this was a big deal. Professor Abel (Michael Simon) decapitates a dog and keeps the head alive for weeks. Next step...a human!  On cue, Abel gets a mysterious visitor, Dr. Ood (Horst Frank). Familiar with Abel's experiments, Ood is just the guy to, not only to keep a human head alive, but to attach it to a new body.  Remember, this is 1959, and many of you basement genius' have already done this with annoying neighbors.  Enter Nurse Irene (Karin Kernke). She is a doll...from the neck up, that is.  This unfortunate hunchback, with a heart of gold, has been promised by Abel, surgery that will cure her hunchback.

Stella

Abel's heart gives out, and now Ood must act...and he does.  Now Abel is back...at least from the neck up.  Now a disembodied head, Abel is not happy at his new predicament.  Ood, on the other hand, is in mad-scientist (excuse this judgmental term) paradise.  With Abel's head attached to a machine, and complaining non-stop, Ood plots an operation for Irene.  First, Ood visits a strip club and finds an exotic dancer, Stella (Christine Maybach).  Unbeknownst to the virtuous Irene, she is about to get a stripper's (excuse me, dancer's) body. As you can imagine, difficulties will arise. As Abel continues to complain, and heads and bodies keep filling up swamps, Ood goes to work.

Irene's new body

Will the virtuous Irene come to like her new scandalous body?  What of Stella's head?  Will her head have any chance of being attached to Abel's old body? Okay, now I'm getting silly.  For those of you who love mad-scientist flicks, "The Head," directed by Victor Trivas, is for you.