Darkman (1990)

Jenny Agutter: Burn Doctor

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Quotes 

• Burn Doctor : Next, we have a 30-35 year old male, no I.D., no medical history. He was found on the riverbank just south of the city. There's a sizable population of homeless and indigents there. We get at least three no names like him every week. Nobody does anything about the homeless until they become train-wrecks like Mr. John Doe here. He's got burns covering over 40% of his body. The hands and the face are the most severe. Ten years ago pain from the burns would have been intolerable. This man would have spent the rest of his life screaming. Now we use the Rangeveritz technique. Quite simply, we sever the nerves within the spinothalamic tract. There

  [points to the side of his head] 

  Burn Doctor : which as you know transmits neural impulses of pain and vibratory sense to the brain. No longer receiving impulses of pain, you stick him with a pin

  [sticks pin into Darkman's leg] 

  Burn Doctor : and he can't even feel it. As in many radical procedures, there are serious side effects to this operation. When the body ceases to feel, when so much sensory input is lost, the mind grows hungry. Starved of its, uh, regular diet of input, it takes the only remaining stimulation it has-- the emotions-- and amplifies them. Giving rise to alienation, loneliness. Uncontrolled rage is not uncommon. Now surges of adrenaline flow unchecked through the body and brain, giving him augmented strength. Hench, the restraints. Naturally we give them every chance of recovery. Remain optimistic. Inspire confidence. Talk to him about rehabilitation potential. Personally, I give him a nine on the buzzard scale.