The Brood

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Horrorphile - November 2008

The Brood

November 26th 2008 01:19

David Cronenberg’s The Brood (1979) is his version of Kramer vs. Kramer, as he’s been quoted. He wrote the screenplay not long after a bitter divorce and child-custody battle from his wife, Margaret Hindson, and the lead character Nola, played by Samantha Eggar, apparently bears some similarities. If the movie is anything to go by Cronenberg was indeed bitter, and just a little twisted. Curiously though, the same year as the movie was released he married his assistant editor on the film, Carloyn Zeifman, and they are still together.

Nola Carveth (Eggar) is under the care of an unconventional psychologist, Dr. Hal Raglan (Oliver Reed), at his isolated clinic. Dr. Raglan uses progressive, but controversial techniques involving intense confrontations in front of audiences that result in physical manifestations of the patient’s emotional fragility; namely rage.

The Brood Samantha Eggar and Oliver Reed

Samantha Eggar as Nola and Oliver Reed as Dr. Raglan

Art Hindle as Frank

Cronenberg calls the scientific process psychoplasmics, and Raglan is trying to breach the mental blocks in his patients but forcing their bodies to betray them. Nola is his star patient. Frank Carveth (Art Hindle), Nola’s estranged husband, arrives at the clinic to pick up their young daughter Candice (Cindy Hinds). Later while giving her a bath Frank notices welts and bruises on Candice’s back. He is furious and attempts to bar his wife from seeing Candice, only to run into resistance from Dr. Raglan.

One of the brood broods

Later when Candice is being babysat by Nola’s (alcoholic) mother Juliana (Nuala Fitzgerald), a mutant child attacks the grandmother and bludgeons her to death. After Candice’s schoolteacher Ruth Mayer (Susan Hogan) is hammered to death by two of the deformed, hooded children, who then calmly lead Candice from the scene (a disturbing scene which takes place in front of other kids in a classroom), Frank has to try and free Candice from the clutches of Raglan … and more importantly, Nola, who’s metaphysical power has given humanoid shape to her rage.

Lil' brood 'un kills Juliana (Nuala) and leaves its mark

Dr. Raglan's book on psychoplasmics

The Brood was Cronenberg’s third major feature following Shivers (1975) and Rabid (1977). It fits snugly into his oeuvre of body horror and his fascination with teratology, however it is a more insular and character-based movie than the previous films. He attempts to ground his narrative and the material in as much realism as possible, although essentially the concept of “the brood” is about as morbidly zany as any of Cronenberg’s ideas.

Innocence masks evil

Although not as explicitly grotesque as his next movie Scanners (1981), The Brood is definitely the darker. Not as hysterical as the sexual chaos of Shivers and Rabid, but The Brood is more defined, and ultimately more cohesive. Where it’s let down is in the character (and arguably the performance) of Oliver Reed, one of the most gamey hams in cinema history. His dreadful whispering of lines with that God-awful “aristocratic” accent, and those piercing, sozzled eyes is enough to make anyone break out into a cold sweat.

The killer brood

Samantha Eggar’s not much better (another thespian thinking she's on stage not on-screen), although she handles herself well enough in the movie’s controversial climax which had censors in a flurry. Most prints of the movie had the two most disturbing scenes cut; the schoolteacher being brutally murdered in front of her class (by what appears to be children), and Nola tearing the placenta-foetal sac open and “licking her pup” in the graphic birth scene of another addition to her deadly brood (I have an uncut version on DVD which was released by MGM in 2003).

Candice (Cindy Lind) in jeopardy

Robert Silverman as Jan

In a small support role is Robert Silverman as Jan Hartog, an ex-patient of Dr. Raglan’s who is seeking revenge over what he essentially sees as malpractice. Jan’s body is revolting against him, his lymphatic system has broken down and cancerous tumours have begun to form on his body. Silverman is a Cronenberg regular, and he’s always a scene-stealer.

Nola displays her motherhood ...

... and exhibits primal behaviour

The theme of child abuse inflicted from parent to child; the subsequent trauma being bottled-up, only to emerge again later within the adult as rage directed to their own children, is a vicious cycle that is deeply prevalent. Cronenberg takes it several steps further by suggesting that this uncontrollable wrath is a form of mismanaged adult anger and is one of the most destructive forms of humanity, one that perpetuates domestic violence and cannot be easily healed or stemmed. This theme of irrational violence; that manifests both psychologically and physiologically permeates all of Cronenberg’s movies. Also significant is Cronenberg’s exploration of evolution, a kind of Neo-Darwinism that also dwells within all his movies. In France and Spain The Brood was re-titled Chromosome 3.

Welts on Candice's arm suggest bad things to come

I don’t think The Brood is one of Cronenberg’s best films - although many critics and fans champion it - but it’s a unique and powerful story, with memorable scenes (including a curiously “Hollywood” ending which almost suggests a sequel). However Cronenberg rarely makes a movie that is less than interesting, and The Brood is definitely a study in relationship dynamics worth investigating. Puffy winter jumpsuits on kids will never look the same!

Here's the terrific, of-its-time, trailer:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

2 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Movie Mall

November 26th 2008 02:21

Movie Catcher
The Invisible Sky

It was one of the few movies that genuinly scared me while watching it as a kid - and it was those brood kids mainly. Man they were ugly. I remember the classroom scene the most.
I might have to go and rent now, have another look.
Cronenberg got up to some sick shit. Scanners was awesome.

Comment by Bryn

November 26th 2008 04:39

Horrorphile

Movie Mall,
I love Cronenberg. One of my favourite directors. I didn't end up seeing this movie until I was much older, after having seen numerous other Cronenberg movies first. My three faves of his are: Dead Ringers, Videodrome, and probably The Fly.

[ Previous - La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast) ]

[ Next - Quarantine ]

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