Videodrome (1983) directed by David Cronenberg was the first I saw from the Canadian auteur on a late BBC 2 Sunday night showing on the much missed “Moviedrome” presented by Mark Cousins at an age when I should have been sleeping for the school week ahead not watching this brilliant subversive horror tale.
Max Renn (James Woods in a career best performance) president of CIVIC-TV, a UHF television station in Toronto that specializes in sensationalistic programming the type of shows channel 4 & 5 used to get away with in the 90s. Max visits Harlan (Peter Dvorsky), who operates the channels pirate satellite dish which has intercepted plotless show “Videodrome” from “Malaysia” (it's actually coming from Pittsburgh) which depicts the brutal torture and murder of anonymous victims in a reddish-orange chamber which Max believes could to be the future of television much like “Big Brother was seen at its fruition.
Max appears on a talk show with multi tasking sadomasochistic/psychiatrist/ radio host Nicki Brand (Debbie Harry of Blondie) alongside Professor Brian O'Blivion (Jack Creley) who will only appear on television from a remote location where he delivers a speech prophesying a future in which television supplants real life. This TV appearance leads to a relationship between and Nicki is turned on by an episode he shows her of Videodrome.
After Nikki fails to returns back to Toronto after visiting Pittsburgh to audition under the guise of a business trip for the show max goes to investigate the station trying to information from everyone he knows from softcore feminist pornographer Masha (Lynne Gorman), a softcore feminist pornographer to professor's O'Blivion's homeless mission running daughter, Bianca (Sonja Smits) a woman with the goal of helping to bring about her father's vision of a world in which television replaces every aspect of everyday life. Later, Max views a videotape in which O'Blivion informs him that the Videodrome "is a socio-political battleground in which a war is being fought for control of the minds of the people of North America".
Max is told by Bianca videodrome causes viewers to develop side effects which leads to Renn being brainwashed into Max kills his colleagues at CIVIC-TV, attempt to kill Bianca,murders the head of Spectacular Optical, Barry Convex (Leslie Carlson) at a trade show and ultimately himself after speaking the fateful words "Long live the new flesh".
This release from Arrow video gives viewers a chance to enjoy this brilliant intelligent sci fi horror classic from David Cronenberg in a gorgeous looking HD with a well stocked set of extra materials from the commentary by Tim Lucas who discusses the film in great detail along with his personal experiences of visiting the production as it was shot,several documentaries, deleted scenes and trailers.
It's amazing how Videodrome was ahead of its time and is more pertinent today in how all sorts of video material from around the world is affecting people's thoughts and emotions.
Max Renn (James Woods in a career best performance) president of CIVIC-TV, a UHF television station in Toronto that specializes in sensationalistic programming the type of shows channel 4 & 5 used to get away with in the 90s. Max visits Harlan (Peter Dvorsky), who operates the channels pirate satellite dish which has intercepted plotless show “Videodrome” from “Malaysia” (it's actually coming from Pittsburgh) which depicts the brutal torture and murder of anonymous victims in a reddish-orange chamber which Max believes could to be the future of television much like “Big Brother was seen at its fruition.
Max appears on a talk show with multi tasking sadomasochistic/psychiatrist/ radio host Nicki Brand (Debbie Harry of Blondie) alongside Professor Brian O'Blivion (Jack Creley) who will only appear on television from a remote location where he delivers a speech prophesying a future in which television supplants real life. This TV appearance leads to a relationship between and Nicki is turned on by an episode he shows her of Videodrome.
After Nikki fails to returns back to Toronto after visiting Pittsburgh to audition under the guise of a business trip for the show max goes to investigate the station trying to information from everyone he knows from softcore feminist pornographer Masha (Lynne Gorman), a softcore feminist pornographer to professor's O'Blivion's homeless mission running daughter, Bianca (Sonja Smits) a woman with the goal of helping to bring about her father's vision of a world in which television replaces every aspect of everyday life. Later, Max views a videotape in which O'Blivion informs him that the Videodrome "is a socio-political battleground in which a war is being fought for control of the minds of the people of North America".
Max is told by Bianca videodrome causes viewers to develop side effects which leads to Renn being brainwashed into Max kills his colleagues at CIVIC-TV, attempt to kill Bianca,murders the head of Spectacular Optical, Barry Convex (Leslie Carlson) at a trade show and ultimately himself after speaking the fateful words "Long live the new flesh".
This release from Arrow video gives viewers a chance to enjoy this brilliant intelligent sci fi horror classic from David Cronenberg in a gorgeous looking HD with a well stocked set of extra materials from the commentary by Tim Lucas who discusses the film in great detail along with his personal experiences of visiting the production as it was shot,several documentaries, deleted scenes and trailers.
It's amazing how Videodrome was ahead of its time and is more pertinent today in how all sorts of video material from around the world is affecting people's thoughts and emotions.
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