Videodrome

( 13 )

Overview

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. ...
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More About This Product

Overview

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.
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Special Features

New high-definition digital transfer, with restored image and sound and enhanced for widescreen televisions; Audio commentaries by director David Cronenberg, actors James Woods and Deborah Harry, and director of photography Mark Irwin; Camera, a short film starring Videodrome’s Les Carlson, written and directed by David Cronenberg in 2000 as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of the Toronto Film Festival; Forming the New Flesh, a new half-hour documentary featurette by video effects artist Michael Lennick about the creation of Videodrome’s landmark video and prosthetic makeup effects, featuring new interviews with Rick Baker and others; Samurai Dreams, the complete and unedited faux Japanese AV feature seen in the film; Fear on Film, a 26-minute roundtable discussion from 1982 between filmmakers David Cronenberg, John Carpenter, John Landis, and Mick Garris about censorship, special effects makeup, and horror cinema; Original theatrical trailers, plus a promotional featurette; Stills gallery featuring hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes production photos, special effects makeup tests, and publicity photos, many never before seen. English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired; Essays by film critic Carrie Rickey and Videodrome expert Tim Lucas.
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Jonathan Crow
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.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 8/31/2004
  • UPC: 715515015424
  • Original Release: 1982

    • Rating:

  • Source: Criterion
  • Region Code: 1
  • Presentation: Special Edition / Wide Screen
  • Time: 1:29:00
  • Format: DVD

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
James Woods Max Renn
Sonja Smits Bianca O'Blivion
Deborah Harry Nicki Brand
Peter Dvorsky Harlan
Les Carlson Barry Convex
Jack Creley Prof. Brian O'Blivion
Lynne Gorman Marsha
Julie Khaner Briley
Lally Cadeau Rena King
Sam Malkin Bum
David Bolt Rafe
Harvey Chao Japanese Salesman
Bob Church Newscaster
Jayne Eastwood Caller
Henry Gomez Brolley
Kay Hawtry Matron
Rainer Schwartz Moses
Technical Credits
David Cronenberg Director, Screenwriter
Rick Baker Makeup Special Effects
Frank Carere Special Effects
Pierre David Executive Producer
Claude Heroux Producer
Mark Irwin Cinematographer
Lawrence Nesis Associate Producer
Ronald Sanders Editor
Howard Shore Score Composer
Victor Solnicki Executive Producer
Carol Spier Production Designer
Delphine White Costumes/Costume Designer
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Scene Index

Side #1 -- The Film
1. Opening Credits/Wake-Up Call
2. Max Renn
3. Something Tough
4. The Rena King Show
5. Transmissions From Pittsburgh
6. "Got Any Porno?"
7. Subterranean Connections
8. "It Has a Philosophy"
9. Cathode Ray Mission
10. Hallucinations Begin
11. Brian O'Blivion
12. "Careful. It Bites."
13. Perceptions of Reality
14. Barry Convex
15. Rude Awakening
16. "Savage New Times"
17. Handgun
18. Assassin
19. Reprogrammed
20. "See You in Pittsburgh"
21. Death to Videodrome
22. "Long Live the New Flesh"
23. End Credits
1. City TV
2. Samurai Dreams
3. Satellite Nerd
4. Marshall McLuhan
5. Debbie Harry
6. Soft Light
7. Porno Beginnings
8. Devil's Advocate
9. Prophets
10. First Person
11. Jack Creley
12. Evolutionary
13. Technology and the Body
14. Electrocution
15. Classic Scenario
16. The Moral Right
17. Incubating
18. Time
19. Cinematography
20. Boston Preview
21. Ready for Anything
22. Fearless Leader
23. Hope
1. A Chance
2. In the Zone
3. Toronto
4. Virtual Character
5. Violence
6. Dark Moments
7. Questions
8. Hidden Agenda
9. Felliniesque
10. The Video Flesh
11. Lips
12. Auteurs
13. A Great Day
14. Nothing Normal
15. The Method
16. The Rule Structure
17. The Slit
18. Mass Murders
19. The Bible
20. Moral Availability
21. The Mainstream
22. A Trap
23. Beyond Language
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Menu

Side #1 -- The Film
   Play the Movie
   Chapters
   Chapters: Color Bars
   Commentaries
      David Cronenberg/Mark Irwin Commentary
         Off
         On
         Index
         Index: Color Bars
      James Woods/Deborah Harry Commentary
         Off
         On
         Index
         Index: Color Bars
   Camera
      Play
Side #2 -- The Supplements
   Forging the New Flesh
      Play
   Effects Men
      Play
         The Golden Age
         James Woods
         Collaboration
         David's Stories
   Bootleg Video
      Samurai Dreams
         Play
      Transmissions From Videodrome
         Play
      Helmet-Cam
         Play
   Fear on Film
      Play
   Marketing
      Trailer 1
      Trailer 2
      Trailer 3
      The Making of Videodrome
         Play
      Marketing Gallery
      Publicity Stills
   Stills Galleries
      Special Effects
      Cast and Crew
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 13 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(6)

4 Star

(3)

3 Star

(2)

2 Star

(2)

1 Star

(0)

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Sort by: Showing all of 13 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Long Live the New Flesh

    As cliche as this headline is for any Cronenberg familiar, it's still a very apt title for any sort of synopsis of the film. Videodrome is Cronenberg's defining statement on a variety of subjects he's covered throughout his career, including effects of mass media, the relation of violence and sexuality, and ultimately, the actual physical evolution of the body due to these and other factors into a "new flesh". Though his mid to late 80's films (and especially his most recent films) deals with these ideas in more subtle ways, nothing quite compares to these 70's and 80's experiments in body-horror for philosophy wrapped in viscerality, of which I consider Videodrome to be the crown jewel. Very highly recommended.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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    Posted January 2, 2010

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