Review of Videodrome (1983) by Matt B — 01 Dec 2009

A strange movie, yes, but I was actually a little disappointed. I was expecting David Lynch surrealism, but at least it was more cohesive. The film provides some powerful imagery and James Woods to make for quite the interesting film.

The film largely succeeds due to Cronenberg's direction and the fantastic makeup and effects. For basically the last hour of the movie, it is not clear if anything that is going on is real. One may get a general outline, but specifics are out of the question.

Does Max actually kill anyone, and how? In one instance he blows a hole through a wall, but people walk by as if nothing happened. These subtle hints allude to the fact that we are seeing the story through the main character's eyes, and as such nothing is reliable.

And while not explicitly said, I think it is interesting that Max is turned into something of a videotape himself, as he is recorded and then rerecorded to enact some demand. A clever comment on the power of television.

This film is unsettling and disturbing, and not exactly clear. Essential Cronenberg.