Videodrome

[unclejack]

Hey peoples, I'm new to this site, so like welcomes to me and stuff. Anyway, for all you sci fi fans out there I have an inquiry for ya if it's not too much trouble. I'm seriously considering renting the movie Videodrome, for some reason it has caught my eye lately. Problem is, I'm pretty good about screenin my movies for content before I watch em but in this case the movie is too old and I know of no sites that have screened it and reviewed what it has in it in the way of profanity and nudity and such. I try to avoid excessive profanity in movies but nudity is the main thing. If anyone has seen this movie please tell me if it has alot of nudity and other crap in it that may make me regret rentin it. Thanks.

[Foxbat]

It's quite a while since I've seen this one but I don't think there's any nudity in it. Given the subject matter, there might be a bit of swearing but I can't honestly say for certain. It's a pretty bizarre film (as with most of Cronenberg's work) and heavily flawed, but worth a watch in my opinion.

I'll move this to the main film section (more folk will see it there and may be able to give you more in-depth info than I can).

[j. d. worthington]

It's been a few years since I saw it as well, but I think there is one nude scene in there, as I recall. However, the thing about this (as with so many of Cronenberg's films) is that the subject matter is often very sexual, but handled in unconventional ways -- through metaphor and often very graphic violence. He's interested in exploring various darker aspects of the human psyche; the flesh/machine merge/dichotomy, and various other things that are rather difficult to do in a conventional sense. There's nothing particularly explicit sexually, as I recall, though; and the swearing (as I recall) is rather mild, comparatively speaking. It's the graphic violence in Cronenberg that may be the sticking point, as it's not the usual graphic violence, but genuinely disturbing because of the element of surrealism in it... it hits at deeper psychological levels than the "buckets of gore" stuff in most films....

[ravenus]

Definitely not a date movie

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by ravenus

Definitely not a date movie

Not unless you're with a really unusual person, no.....

[unclejack]

lol, well I have to admit that I've been referred to as unusual from time to time. But just to clarify, i wasn't seekin it out as a date movie. lol. I just wanted to watch something trippy and freaky.

[unclejack]

Okay well I finally watched videodrome last night and I have to say that it was actually pretty good. It wasn't quite as freaky as I was expecting it to be though and it took a long time to get to the good parts. I was a little dissapointed by the ending (spoiler here) because when he killed himself on the premise of transforming into the videodrome made flesh I was expecting to see that transformation or at least to know if that was true or was just videodrome making him crazy and resulting in the end of his life. I guess I have to draw my own conclusions on that one. Overall a good film. I have to say the freakiest part of the movie for me was when he shot that guy on stage and he turned to mush. Very gross and very bizarre. Anyway, thanks for the recomendation.

[ravenus]

Glad you liked the movie. You might also try Dead Ringers.

[unclejack]

Thanks for the recomendation, I've actually taken an interest in David Cronenburg since I watched Videodrome. But I have to say that I just watched the trailer for dead ringers and I can't really tell much about what it's about. If you could tell me more about the premise I would appreciate it. Thanks.

[ravenus]

DR is about twin brothers (played by Jeremy Irons in a bravura performance which is unofficially considered the reason he was given the Best Actor at the Oscars for Reversal of Fortunes, Cronenberg's film being somewhat edgy for the Academy) who are gynecologists and who are inextricably linked to each other in more ways than they realize. They stand in for each other on various occasion, and carry out affairs in tandem.

Trouble occurs when one of them falls in love with a client. Therein begins a saga of emotional chaos and self-destruction that will...see the film for the rest

[unclejack]

Thanks, I'll check it out. Croneneburg seems to have a gnack for creating a very disturbing and shocking feeling on film as in the case of Videodrome and if my memory serves me correctly, scanners. I havent seen scanners in so long I think I'm going to rewatch it pretty soon. And I'll check out dead ringers too, it looks pretty good.

[j. d. worthington]

Yes, that's sort of his metier, I'd say.... it also applies to Naked Lunch and even to his remake of The Fly... which is actually a very good film, but emotionally draining.....

[ravenus]

The Fly was probably one of the most mainstream films DC did...till A History of Violence (which was meh IMO), but very beautifully made with a terrific mixture of romantic pathos and creepiness...and you can really believe the chemistry between Jeff Goldblum and (sigh) Geena Davis...the DVD making of says that they were actually dating at that point of time so that may have a bit to do with it.

[j. d. worthington]

That it was... sort of like Altered States for Ken Russell. And if I remember correctly, it was when they were making that film that they became involved... much like Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steenburgen when making Time After Time.

As far as Cronenberg's films... is it just me, or do his films seem to be somewhat closer to mainstream technically than they used to be?

[unclejack]

I actually don't find the fly to be that emotionally draining. Granted it's not the best date movie in the world, but I think it's one of the best mixes of sci fi and horror that I've ever seen. It's pretty freaky and disturbing the first time you watch it but not so much that I find it hard to watch. The second one though, which I honestly don't know who directed it, I never stopped to notice, that one is a step up on the freakometer. The part in the end where the old guy morphs into that hideous creature, I just can't watch that part. It's a bit too much for me.