Videodrome (1983)
Videodrome
”A cable-TV programmer acquires a new show, leading to a terrifying reality.”
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Why watch this film?
It is the first movie produced by Hollywood from director David Cronenberg, alias "the Baron of Blood," and it certainly delivers on spectacular special effects for its time. Despite being a box office flop, 'Invaders' (better known as 'Videodrome', its original title) was well received by critics, as it reflects on topics such as entertainment, technology, and the media. It remains surprisingly relevant even today, in the digital age of social media.
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Plot summary
When he acquires a different kind of show for his station, a sleazy cable-TV programmer begins to see his life and the future of media spin out of control in a terrifying new reality.
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From the same director
Maps to the Stars
A movie about lost souls, portraying some of the profiles that float around Hollywood. However, this isn't an easy movie for everyone's taste. Recommended for those who want something acidic, seemingly aimless, pessimistic, and disturbing.
A History of Violence
From the great director David Cronenberg and based on the graphic novel of the same name by John Wagner and Vince Locke, 'A History of Violence' is a beguiling film that at first appears to have a straightforward and simple story. Nominated for the Palme d'Or at Cannes and two Academy Awards, this is a film with complex characters all expertly acted by an incredible cast led by Viggo Mortensen.
The Dead Zone
A work from the "master of terror" Stephen King in the hands of the "blood baron," David Cronenberg, would seem like a dream come true. 'The Dead Zone' may not be as spectacular as other entries in Cronenberg's filmography, like 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' or 'Scanners: Minds Destroyers', but it is an effective horror thriller in which Christopher Walken is able to submerge us in his madness: that of someone who is able to know the future and all the horrors it holds.
A Dangerous Method
This co-production between Germany and Canada, but recorded in English and with a great international cast, mixes reality and fiction to portray one of the most turbulent relationships in science: between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, with Sabina Spielrein (the first female psychoanalyst) between them. The direction of David Cronenberg (of 'The Fly') is competent, but the highlight is on the performances of the trio of Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley and Viggo Mortensen.
Cosmopolis
Based on Don DeLillo's novel and directed by David Cronenberg ("The Fly"), "Cosmopolis" is a mix of suspense and dystopian science fiction, set in a not-so-distant future. As such, it is a distant and cold portrait of the millionaires and the educated apathy towards the humanitarian crises around them, insensitive to their personal interests and their lavish lives that, paradoxically, leave them hungry for real connections - a fact symbolized, in part, by the protagonist's total isolation in his limousine equipped with state-of-the-art technology and soundproofing. The dialogues are somewhat tense, perhaps to reflect the coldness of an elite obsessed with reason and money, which accentuates the somewhat tedious pace of the movie. Official selection of the Cannes Film Festival 2012, and with the participation of great Juliette Binoche, Paul Giamatti and Sarah Gadon.
Crimes of the Future
In "Crimes of the Future," Kristen Stewart's character Timlin whispers, "Surgery is the new sex." Directed and written by David Cronenberg, the film is situated between "Videodrome" and "Crash: Strange Pleasures." Here, bodily change is something minor. The focus is actually on internal changes within the body, creating new organs and causing an almost artificial "evolution." At the center of attention are Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen) and Caprice (Léa Seydoux), performance artists focused on "producing" new organs, tattooing them still inside people's bodies and then removing them in public exhibitions. It shows not only the ability of this ever-dying man to produce new internal tissues, but also how this woman can make even more artificial modifications (tattoos) perfectly. In parallel to this there is also the plot of Dotrice (Scott Speedman), a man who, after the murder of his son at the beginning of the story, begins to go after Saul. The reason? He wants the artist to do an autopsy as a work of art. With a noir style, with many shadows and this character of Saul transiting in this scenario, "Crimes of the Future" brings some good reflections. Although there is nothing new in this, the search for pleasure through pain is placed in an extreme scenario here, with gore sequences that should make the most sensitive stomachs turn. It is interesting to show this pain and mutilation arriving at an artistic stage in this dystopian future. After all, if pain is pleasure, do we have here profane, perhaps pornographic presentations? It is a new and interesting look at voyeurism, which also raises a pertinent question: how far can we go? Click here to read the full review.
Crash
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The Fly
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Horror
The Vourdalak
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Girls Against Boys
Two female bartenders, (Danielle Panabeker of THE CRAZIES and Nicole LaLiberte of TV’s HOW TO MAKE IT IN AMERICA) are assaulted. Rather than wait for the law, they take matters into their own hands. A story of lust, anger, and revenge. Also starring Liam Aiken (ROAD TO PERDITION).
Apartment 7A
When a struggling, young dancer suffers a devastating injury, she finds herself drawn in by dark forces when a peculiar, well-connected, older couple promises her a shot at fame.
Wake Up
A group of young activists set out to make an environmental statement by vandalizing a home superstore as it closes. But their plan goes terribly wrong when they become trapped inside and must face a deranged security guard with a gruesome passion for primitive hunting. As the night fills with violence and terror, the teenagers find themselves in a desperate fight for their lives.
