Videodrome - 1983

What It Is: One crazy fucking Cronenberg film...

Why I Watched It: I liked all the Cronenberg stuff I had seen so far.

What I Thought: Videodrome was exactly as I suspected... weird.

Videodrome features James Woods as the sleazy president of a sleazier local TV station. He's searching for the "next big thing" that will provide his viewers a more potent thrill. He eventually hacks in to a private TV show called Videodrome that features nothing but plotless Snuff. After watching the show, Woods discovers that the Videodrome signal is hostile and begins transforming him into something... new.

Videodrome included the usual amount of strange, gross, horrific, and violent that pops up in a Cronenberg film. Plotwise, the movie felt like an obvious predecessor for the much slicker eXistenZ. Existenz is a personal favorite of mine and I was a little underwhelmed when Videodrome felt too similar.

Aside from that, Cronenberg's usual thrills, chills, and retches were all there. However, I was pretty disappointed when the film just ended, right at the climax. Part of me felt like I was only treated to half a deranged story when I had signed on for the whole thing!

More on Cronenberg coming soon...

Highlights: Televisions that coo, chest wounds opening for VHS tape deposits, handguns, and "Death to Videodrome! Long live the new flesh!"

Who Should See It: Cronenberg fans and other connoisseurs of the fucked up and surreal.

How Soon: When you want a good visceral thrill, but you don't need a satisfying ending.