Dial in your settings for teleportation, declare your love for Geena Davis, and be afraid… be very afraid. Yes, it’s that time of year again. Gulp your pumpkin spice, carve your jack-o-lanterns, and blast your favorite Halloween novelty hits.
Horror movie #1 of 2018’s 31 Days of Horror flicks is 1986’s science fiction/body-horror… The Fly.
The legendary David Cronenberg directs.
Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum star.
Tale as old as time: a goofy scientist has a secret project and some quirky habits and then ends up stealing stockings, turning canines inside out, liquifying apes, falling in love, teleporting, synthetic steak sampling, getting involved in unholy gene-splicing, doing gymnastics routines, acid-vomiting on the hands of a cuckolded shotgun-wielding magazine editor, and hatching out of his own skin (thus becoming one of film’s truly horrifying monsters).
The Fly is one hell of a ride visually, emotionally, psychologically. Hard to believe that such a nuanced and wildly intelligent movie was also a commercial success.
“I must not know enough about the flesh. I’m gonna have to learn.” -Seth Brundle
A remake of the campy 1958 film featuring one of film’s finest ghouls, Mr. Vincent Price.
Cronenberg spares no one and pulls no punches… so get ready to deal with larval nightmares of the highest caliber.
It features one of the top 3 most gynecologically horrifying moments in cinema history.
While it may be a bit disturbing for some young whippersnappers and the faint of heart…
The Fly is without a doubt the sweetest romantic tragicomedy you’ll ever see.
And with that… a still of Jeff & Geena grabbing some food.
“Cheeseburger.”
Produced by Mel Brooks.Yes, that Mel Brooks.
When the first credit is the special effects team/creature designer, you know you’re in for a treat…
That (by the way) would be Chris Walas — the fella responsible for Gremlins and, of course, a partial designer of the famous scene of the Nazi’s melting face in the Spielberg classic Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Currently streaming on Hulu as part of Huluween*.
Confession: I saw a copy last night projected on 35mm and then watched it again today on Hulu. Is it better huge? Sure. Is it great on Hulu? Absolutely.
The characters and the story and the effects are perfect.
Cronenberg, Geena Davis, and Howard Shore did a Q&A last evening and among the tidbits gleaned; Cronenberg was at one point asked to direct Top Gun and Flashdance. Geena Davis developed a reputation for being able to act with non-human characters (see also: Beetlejuice and Stuart Little) and Howard Shore turned The Fly into an opera.
My what different films those would have been…
Well worth one dollar and owning it on VHS/DVD/Blu-Ray/a 35mm film print.
Recommendations for further viewing: Scanners (1981), Re-Animator (1986), Beetlejuice (1988), Freaked (1993)