Videodrome
Betamaxdrome was a complete failure
The 80's were a crazy time. The Cold
War was still raging, Ronald Reagan was convincing people that greed
was good, and cable television began to reach a bigger audience. It
seems almost quaint now, but back then, not everyone had 500
channels, computers, and cell phones. Getting cable television was a
big deal with specialized programming and movie channels such as HBO.
There has always been, and still is, a concern that television will
corrupt the youth and will cause them to do all sorts of horrible
things. Video games like Grand Theft Auto and music, particularly
heavy metal and it's subgenres, get their share of the blame as well,
but TV is still the big culprit. Too much violence and sex, they say.
It'll rot your brain, they say. It will make you hallucinate and turn
you into an assassin. What, they don't say that?
Videdrome is a 1983 Canadian horror
movie written and directed by David Cronenberg (The Fly, Scanners)
and starring James Woods (Any Given Sunday, Vampires) as Max Renn.
Max is the president of a sleazy television station, Channel 83,
CIVIC-TV. The channel specializes in sex and violence and Max is
looking for the next big thing. He meets with Harlan, the station's
satellite pirate who comes across a television feed supposedly from
Malaysia that shows people being tortured on a show called
Videodrome. He defends himself on a talk show panel across from radio
host Nicki Brand (Deborah Harry) and philosopher/television
televangelist, Professor Brian O'Blivion. Max begins to see Nicki
who, it turns out, is into sado-masochism and is turned on by
watching Videodrome. Harlan informs Max that the video feed of
Videodrome is actually coming from Pittsburgh, exciting Max with the
possibility of acquiring the show for his channel. Nicki tells Max
that she is visiting Pittsburgh and, despite his wishes, is going to
audition to be on Videodrome. Max contacts Masha, a softcore
pornographer, to find out what she can about Videodrome. She
discovers that the show is not scripted and is in fact real, and the
face of a new philosophy and political movement. She tells Max to
speak with Brian O'Blivion to learn more of what Videodrome really is
all about. At the Cathode Ray Mission, Max speaks with O'Blivion's
daughter, Bianca, who informs Max that her father only speaks to
people through video tape and never in person. He later receives a
tape from O'Blivion explaining that Videodrome is actually the
beginnings of a war to control the minds of the masses. Max begins to
have very real and very disturbing hallucinations, including a scar
on his stomach suddenly opening up as a gaping wound and a pulsating,
throbbing television. He learns from Bianca that these hallucinations
are due to a tumor in his brain cause by a malicious broadcast the
emanates from Videodrome. Max is contacted by Videodrome's producer
and the head of Spectacular Optical Corp, Barry Convex who has been
secretly working with Harlan to expose Max to the broadcast, in order
to brainwash him and gain control of his station, thus unleashing
Videodrome onto the world. Under Convex's influence, Max becomes an
assassin, killing his partners at the station. Will he be able to to
break free and stop Convex from taking over the world, one television
screen at a time.
"I knew I shouldn't have eaten Arby's."
This movie may be one of the craziest
things I've ever seen and I mean that in a good way. It is so far out
there that I'm not even sure what else to compare it to. Some have
described it as “techno-surrealist” and “cyber-violent” but
it all adds up to a wild horror/conspiracy movie that keeps the
audience glued to the screen for the entire movie. The audience is
sucked in to the mystery of what and who is behind Videodrome and is
right beside Max when everything goes down. I was concerned that this
would be a torture-heavy movie (I don't need to see someone
brutalized. I watch these movies to be entertained), but thankfully
it's only a small part of the movie and really just serves as a
catalyst. There is a good amount of violence and plenty of scary
moments. The makeup and effects are impressive and would only be
ruined in the CGI era.
David Cronenberg does an excellent job
in the director's chair, really capturing the bizarre nature of the
entire story. I don't say that lightly because I fucking hated
another one of his movies, A History of Violence. FUCKING HATED with
the fury of a thousand suns being hit by a thousand nuclear bombs.
Seriously, fuck that movie. Regardless, Cronenberg is masterful in
Videodrome. James Woods, despite being a dick in real life from what
I've heard, is really convincing as Max Renn. The other real star of
the movie is the music; a mixture of creepy, steady synth along with
a small string section. It fits perfectly with the entire feel of the
movie and adds to the overall horror.
It's rude to point
Videodrome is weird, bizarre, and
disturbing, but for all the right reasons. There is a good amount of
social commentary, which is an element that brings the movie to a
whole new level. There is lots of action and a fun conspiracy
combined with great effects and solid music. The directing and acting
is spot on, fitting well with such a different story. Videodrome is
not for everyone, and certainly not for little kids. It's worth going
out of your way to see it, but make sure you buckle in for a strange
ride. Long live the new flesh.
8.5/10
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