Inspired by Shivers (spoiler alert)

Has anyone else noticed Brain Damage was inspired by David Cronenberg's first film, 1975's Shivers? I just saw Shivers at a small independent cult theater in Nashville. While the storyline is completely different, the Aylmer looks a lot like the parasite in Shivers. Some of the scenes/shots are taken directly from Shivers. Here's a list of similarities.

1. Shivers: tubular parasite travels from host to host, usually inside the body; Brain Damage: Aylmer sometimes travels inside Brian's body
2. In both movies it changes hosts inside an apartment building
3. Shivers: parasite comes out of the bathtub drain and attacks a woman; BD: the old couple search the building looking in a neighbor's bathtub and Brian takes a bath with him
4. Shivers: scene with the guy in bed talking to the parasite bulging up and down in his stomach, saying "Here boy. Come here boy. We're going to be good friends;" BD: Brian and Aylmer become very close. There's a scene with Brian in bed and Aylmer is moving on top of him under the covers. And when Brian is searching for him in the flop house bathroom he calls him saying "Aylmer, Aylmer. Here boy. Aylmer."
5. Both movies: the security guard characters, the "old world" couples.
6. Shivers: when the two women are kissing, the parasite passes by mouth from one to the other, bulging in the 2nd woman's throat; BD: on the subway when Brian and Barbara are kissing Aylmer is in Brian's throat and sucks out Barbara's brain by entering her mouth.
7. Shivers: the parking garage; BD: auto salvage yard
8. Shivers: the doctor and nurse are sitting next to each other in the mechanical room of the apartment building and you hear the hum of the building's HVAC and electrical equipment; BD: the shot is almost identical to the subway scene with Brian and Barbara sitting next to each other and you hear the subway sound.
9. Both movies: the parasite and Aylmer's venom is called it's "juice"

There are probably even more similarities that I didn't even catch.