Sunday 30 October 2011

Videodrome

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Year:1983
Country of origin:Canada
Director:David Cronenberg
Genre:Mind control, S & M
Starring:James Woods, Deborah Harry
Rating:5/5
IMDB link:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086541/
Tagline:First it controlled her mind, then it destroyed her body... Long live the new flesh!
Favourite line:"I believe that the growth in my head-this head-this one right here. I think that it is not really a tumor... not an uncontrolled, undirected little bubbling pot of flesh... but that it is in fact a new organ... a new part of the brain."

Possibly Cronenbergs finest movie (though I said that about The Fly!).

Surreal and disturbing, with some genuinely shocking images depicted, this is about a cable channel owner who is forever on the lookout for something more and more extreme to tempt viewers to watch his channel. He happens upon a bizarre depiction of a woman being tortured, and thinks that it is just the thing for his audience to sink their teeth into.
Eventually, he discovers the source of the videos, and orders a supply.
What he doesn't realise is that by watching the movies - which are actually real snuff films - the TV screen itself becomes a functioning part of the brain, causing a brain tumour in anyone watching but, more importantly, a slavish addiction to the content.
His girlfriend, a sado-masochist played with some relish by Debbie Harry, is besotted by the stuff, and auditions herself to be in the next batch of movies.

This is just repulsive at times, and Cronenberg again makes us question our devotion to technology, as well as playing out some of his usual themes of degradation of the human form, as well as mutation.
Visually superb, this is menacing and a must see for all horror fans.

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