Get Ur Body Horror: Cronenberg Films Ranked

[Ralif Redhammer]

The Fly is notable in that despite being both a remake and Cronenberg's first major studio work, it did gangbusters without sacrificing Cronenberg's aesthetic one bit. Critical acclaim, Academy award nominated, and a major financial hit. Yet it's just as gruesome, disturbing, and cerebral as anything he did prior.

I'd swap places on The Fly and Dead Ringers. The Fly is near horror perfection,

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

The Fly is notable in that despite being both a remake and Cronenberg's first major studio work, it did gangbusters without sacrificing Cronenberg's aesthetic one bit. Critical acclaim, Academy award nominated, and a major financial hit. Yet it's just as gruesome, disturbing, and cerebral as anything he did prior.

The Dead Zone?

(A Hollywood big-budget film starring Christopher Walken and distributed by Paramount)

 

[payn]

eXistenZ (1999).

The best movie you have never heard of!

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

The best movie you have never heard of!

For some reason, I have always felt that Naked Lunch and eXistenZ share a film universe.

Like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but, uh, squishier.

 

[Bedrockgames]

The Fly is notable in that despite being both a remake and Cronenberg's first major studio work, it did gangbusters without sacrificing Cronenberg's aesthetic one bit. Critical acclaim, Academy award nominated, and a major financial hit. Yet it's just as gruesome, disturbing, and cerebral as anything he did prior.

First Cronenberg movie I saw, and made a massive impression. I either saw it in the theater or on VHS right when it hit the video store (I remember seeing an ad in the paper for it but I think I would have been too young to see it in the movies). It is one of those rare bigger budget studio films done well. It was the kind of movie you just kept thinking about even years after watching it.

 

[Bedrockgames]

For some reason, I have always felt that Naked Lunch and eXistenZ share a film universe.

Like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but, uh, squishier.

Where do you rank his performance in Nightbreed?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Where do you rank his performance in Nightbreed?

I thought he was great. Cronenberg has ... there is such a presence about him. If he wasn't so dang good at directing, I'd be curious to see what else he could do as an actor. Of course, look at the roles he has attempted- I'm not sure he is, exactly, a method actor.

I had this weird moment a while back. I had been watching ST: Discovery, and there was this cameo character that I absolutely loved; totally mesmerizing. And I was having trouble placing the actor. Of course it was Cronenberg. I literally couldn't place him because I wasn't expecting him. Strangest thing.

 

[JAMUMU]

He's hardly in it, but Cronenberg's cameo in To Die For is a masterpiece in menace.

 

[Deset Gled]

The Fly is notable in that despite being both a remake and Cronenberg's first major studio work, it did gangbusters without sacrificing Cronenberg's aesthetic one bit. Critical acclaim, Academy award nominated, and a major financial hit. Yet it's just as gruesome, disturbing, and cerebral as anything he did prior.

For trivia, I also like to point out that The Fly is a Mel Brooks film. He was an executive producer, but left his name out of the credits (as he did on many movies after The Twelve Chairs) so people wouldn't expect it to be a comedy. See also: The Elephant Man.

 

[Bedrockgames]

I thought he was great. Cronenberg has ... there is such a presence about him. If he wasn't so dang good at directing, I'd be curious to see what else he could do as an actor. Of course, look at the roles he has attempted- I'm not sure he is, exactly, a method actor.

I love Nightbreed (both the movie and the book Cabal), but thought his performance was one of the things that really made it work. It is perfectly sedated and calm (I've met more than one psychiatrist who speaks that way)