Videodrome
October 26th 2007 01:09
Videodrome's working title was Network of Blood, a B-movie title if ever there was one. Writer/director David Cronenberg’s first two features; Shivers (1975) and Rabid (1977) owe much to the exploitation genre, but had a socio-political savvy and philosophical streak coursing through their cinematic veins. Videodrome (1982) is deeply entrenched in the social discourse of modern consumerism; it even pre-dates cyber-space and reality television, pushing the sex and violence envelope into the deadly realm of “snuffTV”, where the ante has been inexorably raised.
James Woods as Max Renn and Deborah Harry as Nicki Brand
Max Renn (James Woods in a career-defining performance) runs a television channel – Civic TV, but he’s constantly on the lookout for new and exciting material, stuff that’ll heighten the basic viewing experience, arouse viewers in ways the mediocrity can’t begin to. Basically he’s after the cheap and sleazy suggestive stuff.
Max welding control inside Videodrome
Jack Creley as Brian O'Blivion
Max's desires and reality begin to mutate
Max's body and weapon fuse as one
Much of the symbolism in Videodrome (and again in Cronenberg’s eXistenZ) is sexual. The hand gun that mutates into a handgun, literally, is also an obvious phallic symbol. When a vertical fleshy cavity (read: vagina) opens up in Max’s stomach he has the uncontrollable urge to probe his hand gun inside the orifice. He is intensely aroused, yet in palpable shock.
Nicki wants to give Max head ... literally
Max returns the favour, pushing between Nicki's lips
James Woods commands the screen with such intensity; an unctuous charisma that no one else could have achieved but him, but then Cronenberg has always been brilliant in the casting of his films. Debbie Harry’s Nicki slides beside Max exuding a sensuality and curious vulnerability that perfectly off-sets Max Renn’s arrogance and progressive urgency.
Max is violated - tech-sex style - by a Videodrome crony
And there’s Rick Baker’s outstanding special effects makeup. Current CGI work wouldn’t capture the immediacy that Baker’s prosthetic appliances do, and considering this movie was made in 1982 there is some truly ingenious and graphic stuff that boggles the mind. I still remember quite clearly watching this movie for the first time (and it was the cut version too) back in the mid-80s, and marveling what was being depicted onscreen, just as I was with Rob Bottin’s work on The Thing (1982) and Tom Savini’s work on Day of the Dead (1985).
A Rick Baker special, cut from most prints of the movie
Max has seen the future ... and it works
Here's the original trailer complete with animation not found in the movie:
And here in all its freakiness is the infamous gun/vagina/stomach scene:
To read my Orble buddy John Doe’s review of Videodrome click here
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
A fantastic film that needs to be constantly reassessed.
Here's to the new flesh
Comment by James Rickard
unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
Check this out...
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Yeah, this movie ages like a fine cyber wine.
Comment by Jickle
Comment by Damo
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
I've written a review of Lynch's Inland Empire.
I've also written reviews for Cronenberg's Shivers and Dead Ringers
Damo, get freaky on it dude!
Comment by Luke
Old Movies
Cane Toad Warrior
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile