Favorite David Cronenberg Film

[rushgoober]

Here's my take on most of these (I haven't seen The Brood or M. Butterfly):

 

Scanners - Awesome B paranormal horror movie. Ridiculous, but way fun - great soundtrack.

 

Videodrome - Saw this when I was a kid - don't remember it too well. Something about people coming out of television sets or sucking people in?

 

The Dead Zone - one of the best Stephen King movies starring Christopher Walken - a classic!

 

The Fly - Jeff Golblum & Geena Davis - brilliantly done, but ultimately just too disgusting for me to watch it.

 

Dead Ringers - Very good psychological weirdness.

 

Naked Lunch - The EXTREMELY twisted world of William S. Burroughs. A total mindf*ck of the highest order.

 

Crash - Sex and car crashes, huh? This movie is truly odd. I've probably seen it 10 times - I love it way too much.

 

eXistenZ - Great twisted sci-fi with Jennifer Jason-Leigh & Jude Law. Another must see.

 

Spider - Awesome performance by Ralph Fiennes, but depressing as hell.

 

A History of Violence - Great and disturbing like most of his films. Great performances by Viggo Mortensen & William Hurt, among others.

 

Eastern Promises - another amazing turn by Viggo Mortensen - gritty and brilliant.

 

 

In the end, I went with Naked Lunch, but Crash is a VERY close second, followed by The Dead Zone & eXistenZ a VERY close third. Cronenberg is a demented genius.

 

[ifloveremains]

I sadly haven't seen any of these save for The Fly. I have the soundtrack for The Fly as well, by the same composer as for LotR (Howard Shore!). Good stuff.

[Stormtron]

Videodrome is my favorite, but Naked Lunch is close. Brilliant director.

[The Owl]

I went with History of Violence. Great film.

[rushgoober]

Man, all we could scare up were 5 votes, huh?

 

I guess there aren't as many Cronenberg fans around as I thought. He's one of my all-time fave directors though. The guy is seriously twisted and f*cked up. I love how so many of his movies are so cold. I don't know why that appeals to me, but often he goes for a real cold, detached, lack of emotion that is somehow alluring. Then again, I really dig dark, twisted films done with intelligence. Cronenberg is one of the few masters of that and a true artist IMHO...

[PanaceaFish]

My vote went to "Other" cos They Came From Within (aka Shivers) wasn't on the list!

[ReRushed]

I voted for The Fly. I also really liked Dead Ringers.

 

Is They Came From Within the one that took place in the apartment complex? If so, I liked that one too.

 

Naked Lunch was crap, just like the book.

[Rushian King]

I picked A History Of Violence based on it's straight ahead entertainment value. Dead Ringers would be second.

 

Naked Lunch is probably his least watchable work. Depending on my mood I'd even be willing to go so far as to call NL total crap. That said, it still takes a genius to make something like NL.

[rushgoober]

Crap??? WTF?

 

Naked Lunch is total surrealistic insane briliance!

 

Dark twisted madness and genius!

[PanaceaFish]

QUOTE (ReRushed @ Aug 25 2008, 08:41 PM)

Is They Came From Within the one that took place in the apartment complex? If so, I liked that one too.

Yeah, that's the one, ReRushed...

 

I was lucky enough to find a VHS copy of that movie on eBay for rellatively cheap...

[ReRushed]

Rabid, the one with Marilyn Chambers was pretty good too.

 

Oh yeah, Naked Lunch is crap! The book, too!

[Shifty]

A History of Violence. The Fly probably comes in 2nd. Haven't seem most of those others for a long time though.

[Rushian King]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Aug 25 2008, 10:31 PM)

Crap??? WTF? Naked Lunch is total surrealistic insane briliance! Dark twisted madness and genius!

Surrealism is hit and miss with me. I haven't seen it in a long time so my thoughts on it could change. And I did say a movie like NL still required a genius to make it, regardless of the end result.

 

Since you love NL so much have you splurged on the Criterion edition of it?

[Stormtron]

QUOTE (Rushian King @ Aug 26 2008, 07:26 PM)

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Aug 25 2008, 10:31 PM) Crap??? WTF?  Naked Lunch is total surrealistic insane briliance! Dark twisted madness and genius!  Surrealism is hit and miss with me. I haven't seen it in a long time so my thoughts on it could change. And I did say a movie like NL still required a genius to make it, regardless of the end result.   Since you love NL so much have you splurged on the Criterion edition of it? I have the Criterion, and it's one of my favorite DVDs. Essential for any Cronenberg fan. Same with the Videodrome Criterion DVD. The booklets are worth the price alone for me.

[GeddyRulz]

I have a soft spot for "The Dead Zone," and voted for that. Walken's performance was perfect.

 

I also love "The Fly." Be afraid. Be very afraid.

 

 

[PanaceaFish]

QUOTE (ReRushed @ Aug 26 2008, 12:43 AM)

Rabid, the one with Marilyn Chambers was pretty good too.

Oh wow, that's a Cronenberg film, too!? Cool!

 

Add that one ot my list of Other...

 

 

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (Rushian King @ Aug 26 2008, 05:26 PM)

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Aug 25 2008, 10:31 PM) Crap??? WTF?  Naked Lunch is total surrealistic insane briliance! Dark twisted madness and genius!  Surrealism is hit and miss with me. I haven't seen it in a long time so my thoughts on it could change. And I did say a movie like NL still required a genius to make it, regardless of the end result.   Since you love NL so much have you splurged on the Criterion edition of it? No, I've never even seen it on DVD!   Honestly, I'm not much of a DVD owner as I never seem to watch them that often, but it is one I should own.

[rushgoober]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Aug 26 2008, 06:02 PM)

I have a soft spot for "The Dead Zone," and voted for that. Walken's performance was perfect.

I haven't seen The Dead Zone in WAY too long, but it is a GREAT film. I totally need to see that again.