Videodrome (1982)

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Directed by David Cronenberg.

Starring Les Carlson, Peter Dvorsky, Sonja Smits, Deborah Harry, James Woods.

Hardcore pornography, sadomasochism, mind control, and living televisions all play crucial roles in Videodrome, one of director David Cronenberg's explorations of dangerous sexuality and technological obsession. The morally questionable hero of the tale is one Max Renn (James Woods), a television executive searching for an intense new program for his sex-oriented network. He ultimately discovers an underground program called "Videodrome," which appears to broadcast pornographic snuff films of actual murders. Horrified but perversely intrigued, Renn sets out to find the truth behind the program. During his search, he meets alluring femme fatale Nicki (Blondie lead singer Debbie Harry), technology cult leader Bianca O'Blivion, and other mysterious figures. Things become even more disturbing for Renn as his addiction grows, and the program begins to infect the outside world -- or perhaps merely destroy own his sanity. Cronenberg mingles his cerebral concerns about the nature of reality in the video age with enough visceral gore (courtesy of Rick Baker) to satisfy the film's intended horror audience. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

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Reviews and discussions

Re:has anyone seen Cronenberg's ...
by Puhnner in TEETH the Movie

loved it.

"I cannot wait to see Teeth!!!Shivers or They Came from Within; a completely excellent and unsettling film. A great part by Barbara Steele. The effects may be dated as you would expect, but Cronenberg's exploration of the themes of invasion, mutation, and complete take over, etc. continue through much of his work. Rabid ( don't get too close to Marilyn's underarm, thoroughly nasty indeed ) may offer a good segueway to Teeth. Casting,Marilyn Chambers, one of the biggest porn stars at the time, in a role full of sexual undertones seemed perfectly fitting. From what I read about Teeth, it operates on literal and metaphorical levels and hell, maybe allegorical level too as do many of Cronenberg's films. " [More]

Re:Top 31 Horror films of the p ...
by Puhnner in HORROR MOVIES 101

loved it.

"Here is my list, although it is a bit different in that the list allows only one Film from each of the 31 years, which believe me, limits the choices; for instance 1986: The FlyFrom BeyondHenry: Portrait of a Serial KillerThe HitcherInvaders from MarsManhunterNomadsVamp1987 is just as hardI am working on another one, which is just my 31 favorites regardless of how many a year. These choices listed, fit my definition of horror. They are horrifying and extremely unsettling, but may not be, in the strictest sense, horror. but well, here it is. Oh, I also did not not include the Alien films which although 'monster goes boo!', even though I love every one of them, fall somewhere in the realm of Science Fiction to me...enough gibberish, here it is:By the way, I want 'Mommie Dearest' to be No. 1, but that is another story.Years 1976 through 2007 ( the Spout year listings are a bit different than Wikipedia's which I used ) 31. 1984 A Nightmare on ... " [More]

Cronenberg Crash Course. Clip o ...
by SpoutBlog in SpoutBlog on spout.com

hasn't rated it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"“No filmmaker has more daringly and relentlessly explored what it means to be human than David Cronenberg,” writes Jim Emerson at Scanners. He’s put together a 12 minute highlight reel to prove that point. Written in the Flesh: A Crash Course in David Cronenberg incorporates images from nine Cronenberg classics, including Videodrome, The Fly and A History of Violence.?? It doesn’t seem to be embeddable, but you can watch it here. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog " [More]

movie year countdown #24 - 1983 ...
by Risselada in Risselada Blog

liked it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"This blog entry is part of my “movie year countdown”. To read more about that check out my first Spout filmblog entry.VideodromeI feel like I've discussed this film a fair amount already in different groups around Spout, but I'll try to do a little recap here.I've only seen three Cronenberg movies but I get a sense from them and from hearing him and other people talk about his movies that his movies are spread out with intellectual ideas both wide and deep. And as is often a virtue in art, it is open to many different interpretations and can lead to many different fruitful discussions. But I am finding that the discussions and ideas his movies lead to are often much more interesting than the movies themselves.Do you ever find yourself talking and thinking about a filmmaker quite often, but not necessarily ranking them amongst the best or your favorites if you had to make a list? I think Cronenberg may be like this for me. Maybe also Peter Greenaway. Or ... " [More]

Re: Videodrome
by Risselada in Gorrible

liked it.

"I don't know if there is necessary a single "point" to be made. Although I think there are some definite themes or concepts that are explored. Videodrome definitely has a number of different themes it explores and weaves together and many of them seemed ot be relevent here. Max Renn is trying to find the next most schocking image on screen. The relationship between a society that continues to seek this kind of more extreme images and a section of the media that is determined to bring it to that society seems like something pretty relevent to this Gorrible group.Naked Lunch might make more sense to you if you have read the book and done a little bit of research about the life of William S. Burroughs. I still don't think it's that great of a movie though.I'm not sure about whichever one has Robert Blake. I haven't seen it. " [More]

Re: Videodrome
by Phantasma-gore-ia in Gorrible

is neutral about it.

"Honestly, it's been a fair bit since I've seen it, but I do recall a few things, one of them being that it was extremely difficult to discern any "messages" at all. I've found Cronenberg films (with the distinguished due exception of Dead RIngers) to be characteristically pointless. Existenz was frustratingly inconclusive, meandering and underdeveloped; Naked Lunch was...everything (disorganized, complicated and impossible to follow and Videodrome: incomplete, convoluted and frustrating.So, as far as its messages on violence and its role in media and popular culture including television and film, more meaningful, direct and coherent stories on this, I reference The Running Man and, perhaps more to the point, the brutally fearless Series 7: The Contenders and The Last Horror Movie. They more purposefully address the issues concerned than Videodrome, and their stories are complete, fully thought out and provocative. " [More]

Videodrome
by Risselada in Gorrible

liked it.

"I just saw Videodrome not too long ago and found it very interesting in that it seems to make some comment on schock and gore in the media. Well it's interesting because it seems to be an indictment of this type of thing in a way. But also as we know Cronenberg has made movies himself that often show extreme shock and gore. This movie itself may be one of them? I feel like this movie has something very relevent to say in regards to a lot of the discussions and fascinations that go on at this site with gore and the extremity of violence and horror. Does anyone have any feelings about this movie? Robert? Dr. Gor? Anyone? " [More]

Re: Top 10
by halo1205 in The Quintessential Collection

loved it.

"Easily, my Alien Quadrilogy! Two disks per movie, two editions per movie, bonus disk of extras, beautiful packaging. These are some of my favorites films, but Fox went over-the-top when putting this collection together and as far as I am concerned set a benchmark no other collection has even come close to achieving before or since. The work put into Alien 3 alone rivals anything Criterion has done.My Criterion edition of Videodrome would be worth a burn or two as well.From all i have heard the upcoming Blade Runner special edition is going to be a necessity, especially if the include all three versions (Original Theatrical, Extended Cut and Director's Cut). " [More]

Rabid
by HairyLime in HairyLime Blog

is neutral about it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"Aside from laughably horrible acting and low budget production values, this is actually a pretty decent horror concept. An early effort from David Crononberg that echoes a lot of his recurring themes, disquieting bodily transformations, disease and societal breakdown.A young woman undergoes "radical plastic surgery techniques" and as a side effect ends up growing a strange little bloodsucking orifice in her armpit. This portion of the story is less interesting than the side effect of her 'victims' who get a rabies-like disease that causes them to go on murderous rampages and as a result martial law is declared and the victims are shot down in the street. Similar in many ways to 'Night of the Living Dead', and while there are certain scenes will provoke laughter and disbelief, there are also some very effective suspense scenes, and the final shot with the garbage truck is quite memorable. Better than I was expecting, but not by much.Cronenberg is not my favorite dire ... " [More]

Movie year countdown viewing pr ...
by Risselada in Risselada Blog

liked it.

Was this review helpful? [Be the first to tell us!]
"Here’s the dilemma. I have a list of well over three thousand movies I want to see saved on IMDB. I have a subscription to Netflix and recently every time I return a DVD it has been an extremely arduous task to make the decision as to which movie I should see next. In an effort to narrow down my choices and make the process of choosing slightly less overwhelming I have devised a system, almost a bit of a game for me. Here’s how it goes.For my first film selection, I have narrowed the options down to only films that were released in the year 2006. Then after I have watched that movie, my next selection would have to be a film released in 2005. Then I would see a film from 2004, then 2003, etc. The process of deciding is still laborious, but actually quite a bit more exciting. (I'm going by IMDB as my source for release years)I have already been making a list and have also already begun watching the films. I decided this might be a good time to start fooling ... " [More]

Review by All Movie Guide

All Movie Guide

liked it.

Well before he adapted William S. Burroughs' Naked Lunch, David Cronenberg's debt to the beat writer was laid bare with Videodrome, a phantasmagoric journey through fractured psyches and cathode tubes. The film features several of Burroughs's trademarks, including a stream-of-consciousness narrative, a paranoid, conspiratorial tone, and overriding themes of desire and addiction. At the same time, this movie is perhaps the best articulated vision of Cronenberg's ongoing exploration of the edges of technology and human physiology. Detailing the transformation of a sleazy television producer into literal media terrorist, Cronenberg presents a world of pulsating videotapes, televisions that undulate like flesh, and large, vagina-like abdomen slashes that function as a biomechanic VCR. Though the technology, special-effects, and fashion sensibilities all seem dated, Cronenberg's basic questioning of the media through Max Renn's particular psychological affliction seems more relevant today than it did when his film was first released. As technology becomes more advanced, Cronenberg explores not only whether it will affect our sense of reality but also our evolution as a species. His Videodrome is a postmodern masterpiece that unsettles, shocks, and provokes. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

Tags: visceral , television , violence , consumer , death
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