The Cronenberg Thread

i'd be curious to know what clemenza hated about ahov - it really feels to me like something by the same guy who did the Dead Zone, really confident and scary and funny. makes for an interesting comparison w/road to perdition, the other paradox press funnybook turned 'serious' movie. neither flick cares much about the comics they're based on, but cronenberg is much more comfortable working with the pulpiness of the material. mendes clearly looks down on it, and he has a very primitive point of view and a very ponderous and self-serious way of expressing it. the result is one of the crappier movies ive seen in the last decade.

have you seen Malcolm X lately? doesn't hold up imho

― I can feel it in my spiritual hat (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, August 31, 2011 7:02 PM (13 minutes ago) Bookmark

yeah, i actually havent seen it in quite a while. still feel like i'd take most of the 90s stuff over inside man though (which i think is good, dont get me wrong!). inside man's story is such gimmicky bullshit, but the movie comes to life whenever spike finds time for his little asides - clive owen sitting down with the kid playin a video game, denzel's interactions with white cops, the sikh in the restaurant. but i wouldn't take it over clockers or crooklyn. those movies didnt have to smuggle in those cool little moments.

okay so maybe I should have said in 15 years. now are you happy

One specific thing I hated about History was something many people liked: William Hurt. I do understand that he gave the kind of florid performance that divides reaction--there are similar performances in other movies I like a lot. Speaking just generally--I haven't given the film a second thought since it was released, and I don't remember a lot--I found it very dull. All through the '80s, Cronenberg's films were really interesting to me, like nobody else's. I felt at the time that History was drained of all that, and could have been made by any skilled technician.

The Bello-Viggo scenes are as good as Irons-Bujold's.

William Hurt only has a few minutes at the end, so you're lucky.

I've got it on the shelf, so I'm going to take another look. I often set myself up for disappointment with favourite (or at least one-time favourite) directors.

Disappointment is more edifying than fandom, thankfully.

the bello-viggo stuff IS great, and led to me being disappointed that bello hasnt appeared in anything substantial since then...

william hurt's one of those guys who i think is a considerable actor within a certain range, but if you get him in the wrong role it's usually a disaster. i would've expected this to be one of those wrong roles, but i loved him in it

He's unusual, isn't he? When cast to project plodding WASP intelligence, he can be affecting.

Crash was funny, you dingalings

like jizz on vinyl

agreeing with morbs omg

i feel dirtier than anything j.g. ballard ever cooked up

"Crash" is awesome if only for the pull-quote emblazoned on the DVD: " ...sex and car crashes ..." I chalk the movie up as a failed attempt at filming the unfilmable, a la "Naked Lunch," but like that one is has a lot going for it.

I've pretty much found something to like or love in all his films, save "Spider," which I never finished, and "M. Butterfly," which I've never seen. I think his somewhat overlooked masterpiece may be the short "Camera."

Hey, look!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQlQgzRyBfY

I've never seen History, for exactly the criticism Clemenza levels at it –– it seems technically skilled, elegant, and dull. I'll take unskilled, ugly, and interesting any day; somebody like Araki or Korine, even if I end up hating the film.

"technically skilled, elegant, and dull"

are yo usaying the first 2 ensure the 3rd?

I don't much like it, but it springs to life occasionally (eg, on the stairs).

I've avoided Eastern Promises, for the violence.

Well, I'd hold out for the hat trick (skilled, elegant, and exciting) but ... I wouldn't be watching a lot of movies. What I mean is that if I'm deciding between two films, and one of them is technically skilled and classically beautiful and looks a little inert, it would be a trailing second choice behind a movie that appears ugly, amateur, and exciting. I guess my main film-selecting rubric (especially given my background in LA) weighs dramatically/narratively interesting films more heavily than technically sparkling and well-composed ones.

I also hate being "shocked" or "moved" by watching people doing new iterations of old terrible things to each other. My taste doesn't see it as enlightening, just as shit-wallowing. I love Cronenberg's early career, but he lost me with Spider, and History of Violence didn't seem to be the film to bring me back into the fold.

the bello-viggo stuff IS great, and led to me being disappointed that bello hasnt appeared in anything substantial since then...

US prime suspect! cautiously optimistic over here.

aaaand 'the cooler' heh

"The Cooler" was 2 years earlier, even.

Remember Hello in Towelhead? No? You're lucky then.

Bello. Stupid phone.

"Cosmopolis is an upcoming drama film starring Robert Pattinson and directed by David Cronenberg"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmopolis_%28film%29

"do the worm on acropolis. slamdance cosmopolis."

on Freud, Jung etc:

http://www.villagevoice.com/2011-11-16/film/freudian-trip-in-dialogue-with-david-cronenberg/

has anyone seen that Last Jew in the World short that's mentioned?

I can guiltily say I enjoyed Cosmopolis as a book and await Cronenberg's treatment

NYC retro in a few weeks kicks off w/ appearance by the man himself:

http://www.movingimage.us/films/2012/01/21/detail/david-cronenberg/

I'm really bummed that we're heading to a city big enough to show his new one, but two weeks before it opens. ;_;

i watched rabid p recently -- was impressed @ how many set ups, etc there were, it seemed v v professional for an "early" work. think i like shivers more though

also cronenberg talks abt marilyn chambers boyfriend being around the set @ carrying a gun -- i think this is artie mitchell right? idk i thought that was interesting

Rewatched Eastern Promises over the festive season and liked it as much as the first time round. Going to rewatch A History Of Violence before the Freud/Jung one reaches here in February.

There was definitely money behind Rabid. Even the choice of Chambers...I remember reading that the producers or whomever really thought it was going to be a big smash. Cronenberg wanted Sissy Spacek for the role.

yeah Shivers is better

finally seeing A Dangerous Method on Tuesday

On the differing "impossible adaptations" of Naked Lunch and Crash

http://www.movingimagesource.us/articles/migrating-forms-20120203

I should rewatch Crash. I really like Cronenberg's Naked Lunch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DCFB-WPe9Ic

HAahah .... ok but guys what was that fucking dinosaur was doing there.....hats off 2 u robbiiiee love u
Rafarish1 26 minutes ago

holly freaking molly!!! is this R-rated or what?? .. It'd be so awkward to watch this with my buddies. They will think that I am sexually addict...lol!!
jpattzlovevampz 2 hours ago

*HYPERVENTILATES* ROBERT! ooh I am so dead just looking at him in this teaser trailer! 
gshivy123 2 hours ago

Well I'm sad now I'm only eleven can't see it :( get the trenchcoat
MissBethanyCullen 1 minute ago

Back on track.

nah, I don't see many boring horror tropes there

http://www.criterion.com/current/posts/2193-notes-from-a-videodrome-test-screening

^3rd time this has been posted

Is it just me or has David Cronenberg, in an inversion of the Soderbergh formula, been making intellectually-minded critical favorites in order to gain the room in his career to produce what he REALLY loves, schlock exploitation flicks

'cause those are what brings in bank

man this looks sick as hell. i dont even like the book and had no expectations for this, but now...

for real

daaaaaaamn

what are the "schlock exploitation flicks"?