File under filmmakers i keep trying to like but can't get into. Tried watching The Brood last night and found it just a brutal slog. I just have no clue what people get out of this movie other than the big gross out at the end. Its like he used up all his imagination on the body-horror stuff and didnt have any left over for the rest of the film. All that brown and beige, all those interminable bland shots of people getting in and out of cars, opening doors, walking down hallways, sitting down in nondescript barely-decorated rooms, slowly reading their lines to each other. Maybe he was going for 'stately pace', but it just gave me Corman vibes instead tbh. I couldnt hold in the giggles during the scene when the father in law is mourning his dead ex wife, which Cronenberg opts to depict by having him literally weeping and caressing the chalk outline of her dead body.
Should I keep going? I've watched just about everything up to The Fly. If thats the only one that I've liked, is there a chance of me finding anything beyond it that'll work for me, or should I just chalk it up as Not For Me?
― turn the jawhatthefuckever on (One Eye Open), Tuesday, 13 October 2020 13:16 (three years ago) link
At least give Naked Lunch a shot.
― OrificeMax (Old Lunch), Tuesday, 13 October 2020 13:20 (three years ago) link
I'm not a big fan of "The Brood." Have you seen Videodrome? If you haven't, you should. If you did and didn't like it, maybe take your foot off the gas a bit, but fwiw "The Fly" and "The Dead Zone" are the first ones (after "Videodrome") where he gets budgets and performances on par with his ideas. HIs post "Fly" work is kind of erratic - sometimes his ideas get the better of him, or at least are let down by their corresponding budgets, like "Naked Lunch" - but "Dead Ringers" is pretty incredible, "eXistenZ" fun, "Crash" worth watching, "Eastern Promises" and "History of Violence" excellent vehicles for Viggo. After that ... eh.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 13 October 2020 13:24 (three years ago) link
IMO none of the movies he made after The Fly (except M Butterfly which I have not seen) are bad, though some are more interesting than others. tough to go wrong w/ Naked Lunch, Crash, or AHOV. the recent ones are stan-only affairs, more or less. I also have a soft spot for A Dangerous Method.
― it bangs for thee (Simon H.), Tuesday, 13 October 2020 13:28 (three years ago) link
All that brown and beige, all those interminable bland shots of people getting in and out of cars, opening doors, walking down hallways, sitting down in nondescript barely-decorated rooms, slowly reading their lines to each other.
Sounds good to me, Cronenberg in a nutshell.
― logout option: disabled (Matt #2), Tuesday, 13 October 2020 13:28 (three years ago) link
Haha, yeah, sign me up for that. (The Brood is my favorite of the early stuff.)
― Get the point? Good, let's dance with nunchaku. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 13 October 2020 13:42 (three years ago) link
But then again Cosmopolis might be my favorite of the post Crash stuff, so I'm probably not to be trusted.
― Get the point? Good, let's dance with nunchaku. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 13 October 2020 13:43 (three years ago) link
I really liked Cosmopolis, but really hated Maps to the Stars, perhaps the first of his movies I thought was outright bad across the board
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 13 October 2020 13:45 (three years ago) link
Has anyone read Steve Bissette's monograph about The Brood?
https://www.pspublishing.co.uk/the-brood-hardcover-by-stephen-r-bissette-4784-p.asp
For me, one of the pleasing bonuses of early Cronenberg is all that beige 70s Canadian decor - I especially love the shopping mall in the opening of Scanners.
― Ward Fowler, Tuesday, 13 October 2020 13:59 (three years ago) link
oh my word, I want that!
― Maresn3st, Tuesday, 13 October 2020 14:15 (three years ago) link
690 pages is ... a lot for a monograph.
― Get the point? Good, let's dance with nunchaku. (Eric H.), Tuesday, 13 October 2020 14:23 (three years ago) link
I watched Rabid a couple of days ago and was pretty underwhelmed. His early films have a slightly boring sameness to me. He really takes off in the 80s though.
― (show hidden tics) (WmC), Tuesday, 13 October 2020 14:32 (three years ago) link
Scanners suffers from a boring lead and leans hard on its gonzo climax, but it's more than worth it to get there imo
― it bangs for thee (Simon H.), Tuesday, 13 October 2020 14:39 (three years ago) link
yeah I think part of my trouble is ive had a hard time with some of the milquetoast leads in these pre-Fly ones. I always forget he did those 2 with Viggo, I should probably check one of those out
― turn the jawhatthefuckever on (One Eye Open), Tuesday, 13 October 2020 14:43 (three years ago) link
The only thing I like about his early horror films are the brown and beige hallways and the people getting in and out of cars, largely out of Canadian nostalgia. Once the gore starts, I lose interest.
Admittedly, my taste in his films is unusual. I love Stereo, Crimes of the Future, Crash and Spider. I hate The Fly, Dead Ringers and Naked Lunch (though the latter is my favourite book).
― Halfway there but for you, Tuesday, 13 October 2020 14:48 (three years ago) link
Rabid and Shivers are both A+ ideas with the best execution money can buy, which is to say, no money, so shaky execution. Sort of like Romero's "The Crazies." "Videodrome" is his great leap forward in conception, ambition and execution.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 13 October 2020 15:19 (three years ago) link
Steve Bissette's Brood bk, mentioned above, is currently one of the publisher's Black Friday specials:
https://pspublishing2.com/?fbclid=IwAR1EJehuL_QH4fffDSn0E8ofawi6qW0oa6X24L04mo3d84LsGoiwDGBk4Ls
― Ward Fowler, Friday, 27 November 2020 00:46 (three years ago) link
His son's in on the act now!
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/nov/26/possessor-review-brandon-cronenberg-andrea-riseborough-sc0fi-horror
― xmas with hatt mancock (Matt #2), Friday, 27 November 2020 00:58 (three years ago) link
I watched Possessor a few weeks ago and it was really fucking great. Highly recommended.
― akm, Friday, 27 November 2020 02:04 (three years ago) link
hmm -- I don't agree. It's humorless and rather derivative. But keep your eye on him.
― Patriotic Goiter (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 27 November 2020 02:06 (three years ago) link
I laughed a few times
― it bangs for thee (Simon H.), Friday, 27 November 2020 02:14 (three years ago) link
Somehow I'd enjoy it more if Cronenberg's offspring made fluffy romcoms.
― xmas with hatt mancock (Matt #2), Friday, 27 November 2020 09:20 (three years ago) link
Crash Into Me
― Lover of Nixon (or LON for short) (Neanderthal), Friday, 27 November 2020 15:06 (three years ago) link
saw The Dead Zone for the first time, liked it more than I though I would
― Dan S, Thursday, 17 December 2020 00:50 (three years ago) link
It's my favourite Cronenberg, and would be my favourite King adaptation if The Shining didn't exist.
― Langdon Alger Stole the Highlights (cryptosicko), Thursday, 17 December 2020 00:51 (three years ago) link
To this day, my sister still refers to The Dead Zone as "that movie with the scissors."
― Langdon Alger Stole the Highlights (cryptosicko), Thursday, 17 December 2020 00:52 (three years ago) link
it has an unsettling mood, like the moment WAlken gets a headache on the rollercoaster.
plus we have our own President Stillson now
― Lover of Nixon (or LON for short) (Neanderthal), Thursday, 17 December 2020 00:59 (three years ago) link
Except Tr*mp would feel no shame about having used a toddler as a human shield.
― Langdon Alger Stole the Highlights (cryptosicko), Thursday, 17 December 2020 01:01 (three years ago) link
THAT BABY WAS A RINO!!!
― Lover of Nixon (or LON for short) (Neanderthal), Thursday, 17 December 2020 01:02 (three years ago) link
i watched shivers the other day and thought it was excellent
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Thursday, 17 December 2020 01:48 (three years ago) link
gooood that one creeped me out
― Lover of Nixon (or LON for short) (Neanderthal), Thursday, 17 December 2020 01:58 (three years ago) link
https://www.indiewire.com/2021/04/david-cronenberg-sci-fi-movie-crimes-of-the-future-shoot-1234633841/
― In my house are many Manchins (WmC), Wednesday, 28 April 2021 17:39 (three years ago) link
The original Crimes of the Future is my favourite film of his, maybe my favourite of all time. The article implies the new film only shares its title, but doesn't provide any other details?
― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 17:43 (three years ago) link
Here to remind you that David Cronenberg had the best and most David Cronenberg take on streaming vs. theatrical: pic.twitter.com/3rkKsweHxB— Jane Schoenbrun (@janeschoenbrun) April 28, 2021
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 18:27 (three years ago) link
I still can't figure out if this new one relates at all to the old "Crimes" which is awesome
https://variety.com/2021/film/global/david-cronenberg-crimes-of-the-future-viggo-mortensen-1235033420/
According to promotional materials, the film takes a deep dive into the not-so-distant future where humankind is learning to adapt to its synthetic surroundings. This evolution moves humans beyond their natural state and into a metamorphosis known as “Accelerated Evolution Syndrome” that alters their biological makeup. While some embrace the limitless potential of “transhumanism,” others attempt to police it.
― reggae mike love (polyphonic), Wednesday, 4 August 2021 21:40 (two years ago) link
From the list of performers, it sounds as if he is reusing the general premise of biological metamorphosis, but not that all the women in the world have died from "Rouge's Malady".
― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 4 August 2021 21:57 (two years ago) link
So I guess the "Dead Ringers" series is really going forward, huh?
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 4 August 2021 22:18 (two years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVX7df79BNo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGwtPfjt9Zc
― ArchCarrier, Thursday, 14 April 2022 13:04 (two years ago) link
amazing.
like how the international trailer has more sex...but also more "techno" music.
― dan selzer, Thursday, 14 April 2022 13:26 (two years ago) link
With opening credits just like The Patty Duke Show, I assume.
― clemenza, Thursday, 14 April 2022 22:30 (two years ago) link
"Gynos . . . Identical gynos . . ."
― nickn, Friday, 15 April 2022 00:12 (two years ago) link
It looks like one of his more extreme gothic retro-future body horror films. I know I will have to watch it but this stuff makes me feel bad
― Dan S, Friday, 15 April 2022 00:20 (two years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veBhrS9Dkmk
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Monday, 16 May 2022 18:52 (two years ago) link
so great
― dan selzer, Monday, 16 May 2022 19:31 (two years ago) link
It looks like one of his more extreme gothic retro-future body horror films. I know I will have to watch it but this stuff makes me feel bad― Dan S, Thursday, April 14, 2022 8:20 PM (one month ago) bookmarkflaglink
― Dan S, Thursday, April 14, 2022 8:20 PM (one month ago) bookmarkflaglink
I know just while watching it I was worried whether my tetanus booster was up to date.
So wait, Lamarck was right?
― Infanta Terrible (j.lu), Saturday, 4 June 2022 22:15 (one year ago) link
tomorrow!
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 4 June 2022 23:02 (one year ago) link
Second-tier Cronenberg, but what a treat to watch a film interrogating what constitutes sexual pleasure and why we would want to munch on plastic.
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 6 June 2022 22:00 (one year ago) link
this made me lol
This guy is up to NO GOOD pic.twitter.com/taAe0SNhSq— Patrick Fisackerly (@fisackerly) June 5, 2022
― a superficial sheeb of intelligence (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 6 June 2022 22:10 (one year ago) link
Hey that's me! (Not really, but I shouldn't be surprised I couldn't meet a single guy even if I offered a finder's fee.)
― Infanta Terrible (j.lu), Monday, 6 June 2022 23:53 (one year ago) link
just rewatched the trailer and that's probably enough for me
I'm glad he's revisiting the early material, but...
― Andy the Grasshopper, Tuesday, 7 June 2022 00:35 (one year ago) link