This movie had the most terrifying effect on me. I guess it's the fact that there is absolutely NOTHING he can do to save himself. He's not running away from a killer or trying to slay a villain. It's inevitable and horrifying and heartbreaking. What a movie!
Little story for you. When my brother and I were 6 and 8 years old, respectively, our Father took us to Hollywood Video one weekend night. Wandering indecisively among the aisles, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of potential selections, we couldn't decide what we wanted to watch. Dad had already picked out his own title, and strolled along with us on our Nth trip down the length of the store. Coming through the Horror section, his gaze fell on the cover of one VHS; he excitedly grabbed it, shouted "THIS! This! You're watching this." He'd seen it, evidently, and thus bestowed it with the Dad Seal of Approval. We went home, and he left us in the unlit family room to enjoy the movie while he went upstairs to watch his own. Hesitantly, I put the movie he'd thoughtfully selected for his Elementary-school-aged sons into the VCR. It was David Cronenberg's "The Fly". Single most traumatic movie-watching experience of my childhood. Scrambled my goddamned brain.
"I'm an insect who dreamt he was a man, and loved it. But now the dream is over...and the insect is awake." .. "I'm saying...I'll hurt you if you stay."
No mainstream film has every been simultaneously so viscerally horrific and so emotionally moving. The body horror is still absolutely nauseating but the emotional pain and the chemistry between the two leads is powerful. It is the opposite of an exploitation flick: nothing in it is gratuitous.
I still can't comprehend how a gross-out, horrific, terrifying story can have such a strong romantic angle and an emotional, tear-jerking ending. I so adore this film today, after focusing more on the "body horror" as a youth. Goldblum and Davis are outstanding.
In the first half yeah. Towards the end though he trades that in for the constant wheezing and fast breathing that indicate his mutated respiratory system probably doesn't work properly.
This is such a devastating movie. You'll be nauseated, but you'll have a lump in your throat at the same time, which makes it so much more powerful than most other horror movies.
Great film. Stathis is annoying but he turns out to be an unexpectedly realistic character. It's something you don't see often in film. He starts of being a bit boring, selfish and annoying. But when the shit hits the fan he steps up and does the right thing. It's quite unusual. It's not the classic bad-guy-turned-good, he was never really that bad to begin with, he was just a bit selfish.
Stathis was mostly just a jerk who was jealous of brundle, but he was there to save veronica. In the second film, you see how far he had fallen given what happened and while he was still a bit of a jerk, you understood why he was so bitter and unwilling to help, and why he seemed to spend most of his days drinking to easy the pain of what he lost, his girl, his hand, his foot, and more than likely his job too. But in the sequel he did end up helping Martin by telling him that the answer to reversing his mutation more than likely resided in the telepod technology, and even gives him his car to evade the authorities. My guess is that it was the least he could do to help, cuz in his mind he wasn't helping Brundle's son, he was helping Veronica's son, he owed it to her.
I never hated stathis in the fly and I never thought he was a bad guy! Stathis was just a man still in love with veronica and stathis couldn't handle veronica's rejection and couldn't handle her disappearing from his life forever and you realise towards the climax of the film that he was a good guy the whole time he risks his life to save his ex-girlfriend!
I agree. He obviously starts off as seemingly arrogant, jealous and petty, but still insightful and senstitive past that. As the film progresses, you do see that he's actually a better person than we first see, stepping up to do the right thing for someone he still cares for. Perhaps the speed of the film doesn't allow us to fully see that, but on repeated watchings, I feel like I understand Stathis much better. Also, you probably noticed that Seth and Stathis share the same initials, as do their respective actors, Jeff Goldblum and John Getz. :D I wonder if that was a conscious choice?
The ending with him taking the barrel end of the gun and holding it to his head, signifying his last shred of humanity and wanting the nightmare to end, coupled with her crying and the music, absolutely gut-wrenching stuff
Definitely one of my favorite horror movies of all time,but it's more than that it's also a tragic love story. the love Gina has for goldblum's character is astounding especially with what he's going through. my favorite quote from the movie: jeff: have you ever heard of insect politics? Gina: no. jeff: neither have I (soft chuckle) (serious) insects...don't have politics,they're very brutal. no compassion, no compromise. we can't trust the insect. I'd like to become the first insect politician. you see I'd like to but (pain from suppressing transformation) I'm afraid. Gina: (crying) I don't know what you're trying to say. jeff: I'm saying..I'm saying I'm an insect. who dreamt he was a man,and loved it,but now the dreams over,and no the insect is awake. Gina: no seth(sad). jeff: I'm saying (whispered) I'll hurt you if you stay (dramatic music plays). truly outstanding scene
It's also fantastic because in a sense he isn't talking about his transformed literal self.He just realized who he really has been as a human being in this world..So sad and an awful feeling to have.
It's still hard for me to watch this film. But I do every few years. I like the thrill and the horror. (Hwy, this is much for me, moat other horrormovies I can't even stand ^^)
I personally see this version of The Fly as a tragic love story. You feel sorry for the two main characters and watch helplessly as the male lead begins to deteriorate both physically and metaphorically.
I disagree on Stathis. I thought Jon Getz gave a very underrated performance on this film. How often do you have a character who starts off as a creepy stalker develop into a hero? He was a guy who had a lot in common with Brundle. They were both insecure guys who loved the same woman (probably the only woman who ever gave either of them affection). Stathis really loved Ronnie and risked life and limb (literally) to save her.
I can't stand Him, but adore how realistically flawed He is! But, in all honesty, how on Earth did He bag a Goddess like Veronica!? Looks more like a drunken Uncle than a love interest....
Chris82bc I felt the same way. I love complex characters. George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire books are a prime example of taking morally questionable/flawed characters and showing there is something more beneath the surface. When Stathis tried to convince Ronnie to wait on the abortion proved he cared about her--I don't know too many guys who would be thrilled about their love-interest having another guy's baby. His character arc was one of the film's grand achievements. This movie was a success all the way. I remember watching this as a kid. It came on USA at midnight back when USA still aired a lot of films. Loved it. My favorite Goldblum film.
I disagree too. I thought he was a good character and Getz played the character well. There wasn't much for Getz and his character to go on. Stathis was obsessed with Veronica and couldn't let go. Showing up in her apartment taking a shower, following her and appearing at the clothing store...pathetic & creepy really...but many people are like that. That being said, Stathis doesn't seem like would ever hurt Veronica. He even tries to prevent her from having an abortion when he knows it's not his. That says a lot. Stathis walked into Brundle's den alone after watching the vomit drop video and being there when Seth broke through a fucking thick glass window and abducting Veronica. Stathis really loved Veronica. How could he not do the right thing?
chromeinox def agreed I'm from America and his english accent and presentation make for excellent content. I also love the choice in films as well 90 % of the films are films I grew up loving but we're never explored enough. Kudos Oliver and keep doing what your doing.
I love how Cronenberg is accepting of different interpretations of the film. He understands why the movie reminded people of AIDs, but states that he was going for a more universal theme.
You have no idea how much your reviews impact me. They give me a sense of nostalgia and joy. Thank you so much. You are doing a fantastic job. I can feel the love for cinema in all your segments
The thing I love most about this story is how real it feels. Brundle is a good man and only wants to better the world through his research. The best monsters or villains to me are always the ones you can identify with and didn't start out evil. In fact, Brundle even dies with his goodness somewhat intact. His last wish is a noble one. I cried when I saw this at 13. You know a film has done something right when you cry for the creature in the feature.
My dad let me watch this with him when I was about 7yrs old with the intention of scaring the crap out of me,yet my reaction surprised us both...I cried my eyes out not through fear but sadness. When he places the shotgun barrel on his forehead with the powerful orchestral score in the background I cried for fucking hours afterwards. Cronenberg is a genius and no horror film 30yrs later has come close to affecting me the same as The Fly. Great review buddy,your channel is the shit!
this fucking movie is the tits! one word: Cronenberg! Genius! this movie scared the living shit out of me as a kid, but now when I watch it, I actually cry because of the underlying themes of Addiction/disease/aging in death.. like i said absolutely amazing film!
What I think is unique is how close-knit the film is. The Brundlefly doesn’t go on a killing spree like most monsters, he just wants a family. The greatest threat is that Veronica would be lost in the process but not the surrounding city.
Hey, Hollywood! If you must do remakes, look to this film as the standard bearer on how to approach them. Do something different and high quality with the material, stop treating it as a property to be exploited for a quick buck.
I saw this and Aliens and Predator at the same theater when I was a kid. I remember the crowd groaning and laughing in disgust at various scenes in The Fly, especially when shit was falling off of poor Seth. The favorite scene iirc was the arm wrestling scene. I remember a reaction. Those were all 3 some large turnouts because that was a huge ass theater. Predator got a standing O at the end by a full crowd on opening day.
@Robert Paulson Did Raiders/Ark, Ghostbusters 1, E.T., Back To Future 1. Ghostbusters was huge. Casino when I was older, but sadly didn't get GoodFellas on the list. That's my one regret. Another was not being able to get anyone to take me to see The Return Of The Living Dead in 85 . Wanted to see that one BAD. One of my fave horror/comedy flicks to this day. Waiting for movies to go on VHS and then finding them not all rented out at the video store sucked. That was the basic format even to the late 90s. I remember getting one of the last Casino double tapes on the first day the video store had them. Watched it with my pops.
That's what remakes are supposed to be, fixing something that is BROKEN! But now, it's the other way around, it's seen as a cheap way to scam movie goers.
The original source material doesn't have to be broken. The original The Fly wasn't bad. A bit cheesy, but definitely not broken. The War of the Worlds', and The Thing's original source material weren't broken, just cheezy.
@@hoganholo99 I would agree that The Thing from Another World isn't broken exactly, but it was definitely a product of its time, both in the themes it espouses and how the technical limitations of the time forced the rewriting of the story. John Carpenter's film is in some ways far more faithful to Who Goes There, but in others it's even farther out there because of Carpenter's own love for Lovecraftian elements changing the nature of what the creature is, in some ways for the better.
This is one of the best films I've ever seen. Everything about it worked so well. I can imagine some awful attempt if it were to be remade today. A total classic from start to finish :-)
I remember seeing this when I was 8 or 9. Scared the living shit out of me! Yet, I could not be helped but drawn to it. I kept talking about it, and thinking about it. I thought, "eh, maybe when I'm older I will think differently." Nope, it still grips me to this day. Such an amazing film!
yeah the casting is almost always terrible these days. Teenage models that cant act or pretending to be funny or a tough guy or convincing. Other than bad CGI, the biggest grip I find myself bitching about in movies all the time over the last 2 decades is casting.
If you're talking about mainstream horror you're mostly right. But let me just get out my booklet from this year's Imagine film festival in Amsterdam and let's see... (tldr: films i recommend most: _The Endless_ (but watch _Resolution_ first), _Tragedy Girls_ , _Ghost Stories_ (if your'e into that) *_Ravenous (Les Affamés)_* (2017): zombies but different enough in style to be a worthy addition to the genre. *_The changeover_* (2017): yup, supernatural. But it's from New Zealand, might be a bonus? :P *_The cured_* (2017): Zombies, but with more psychological depth and shows us the world after the zombie plague has been cured. *_The endless_* (2017): A must see, but you have to watch the film before it first (Resolution, 2012) because of the story. Not a lot of visual horror, more psychological and Lovecraftian horror. *_Ghost stories_* (2018): Definitely supernatural, but extremely scary (at least to me). Three stories within a story. A masterpiece and a must see for fans of this sub-genre (not me :P) *_Incident in a ghost land_* (2018): despite the name, not supernatural and definitely worth a watch. From the makers of Martyrs. *_The lodgers_* (2017): Supernatural. Still entertaining to watch. *_Mom and dad_* (2017): Admittedly light on the horror and leaning more toward comedy. With Nicolas Cage and a small role as the grandfather by Lance Henriksen *_mon mon mon MONSTERS!_* (2017): a monster film (of course), but focusing heavily on the choices and morals of the human characters who might be the real monsters. *_Pyewacket_* (2017): Supernatural, but with one of the most heartbreaking endings i've seen in a while (to do with mother and daughter). *_Terrifier_* (2017): If you don't like clowns, don't watch this. Otherwise, watch this. *_Tragedy girls_* (2017): Seriously, watch this. It's a fresh, original take on horror comedy and you'll love it. *_Unsane_* (2018): More of a thriler than a horror. Woman fleeing from her stalker tries to build a new life, then gets locked up against her will in a mental institution. One of the staff is her stalker, or her mind may be playing tricks. I've also recently rewatched a New Zealand horror comedy called *_Housebound_* (2014). It's still one of my favorite movies. If you don't like this, you don't have a soul. It's funny, has some scary moments and an engaging story and you'll grow to LOVE the characters (and the actors, who do a wonderful job). Want more? Here are some from earlier: *_They look like people_* (2015). Scary, but makes you wonder whether what you see is real or imagined by one of the characters. I really like this one a lot to the point it's one of my favorites. *_I am a ghost_* (2012). Sounds cheesy, i know. But it isn't. It's so interesting and, to me, heart-warming (although others might not see it). An engaging story about the journey of a ghost who hasn't accepted her death. *_What we do in the shadows_* (2014). Hilarious New Zealand film about vampires and werewolves. Did i mention it's hilarious? I could go on, i've seen so many great horror films over the last decade and more. Some with small budgets, some with big budgets. Some real turds and some rare gems. But definitely not "only supernatural stuff".If you look outside of Hollywood there's a rich variety of horror even today.
The line, "I'm saying, I'm an insect who dreamt he was a man and loved it, but now that dream is over, and the insect is awake." is a reference to author Zhuangzi's famous Butterfly Dream story. It's also a reference to Franz Kafka's famous short story, The Metamorphosis. David Cronenberg was surprised when the film was seen by some critics as a cultural metaphor for AIDS, since he originally intended the film to be a more general analogy for disease itself, terminal conditions like cancer and, more specifically, the aging process. The Fly's vomit was made from honey, eggs and milk. Seth's saying, "Drink deep, or taste not, the plasma spring", is a reference to a famous quote from Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Criticism". The full quote is: "A little learning is a dang'rous thing; drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring: Their shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again." tag line for this movie; "BE AFRAID. BE VERY AFRAID!" became an instant catch phrase in the culture at large and people still use it today for a variety of reasons. Geena Davis claims that the only time she felt "grossed out" by the amount of gore was in the scene where Seth's ear falls off and she holds him. She states that her reaction to holding her face up to Goldblum's was not acting and that she was indeed really grossed out. Jeff Goldblum was often wearing as much as 5lbs of prosthetic makeup during his fly transformation. The infamous cat-monkey scene where Brundlefly fuses a cat and the remaining baboon and then beats it to death with a lead pipe was cut following a Toronto screening. According to producer Stuart Cornfeld the audience felt that there was no turning back for Seth and they lost all sympathy for his plight, which caused the rest of the film to not play as well. In Cornfeld's own words: "If you beat an animal to death, even a monkey-cat, your audience is not gonna be interested in your problems anymore". Seth's saying, "Drink deep, or taste not, the plasma spring", is a reference to a famous quote from Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Criticism". The full quote is: "A little learning is a dang'rous thing; drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring: Their shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again." David Cronenberg named Seth Brundle after racing driver Martin Brundle. After their metamorphosis, adult flies break out of their pupa by inflating their heads to crack it open, something they are only able to do at this stage of their life cycle. Though not apparent on-screen, Seth's head is pushed off in the same way. The mechanical head underneath the prosthetic Brundle face was built to expand from human to insect proportions in order to push off the human skin. In the bathroom scene, as Seth's gradual transformation into Brundlefly begins, Seth has lesions on his face. Lesions are a skin condition related to HIV/AIDS. The film was released during the dawn of the AIDS epidemic and the film was seen by many as a metaphor for the disease and the film deals with even more basic issues that everybody can identify with. For Chris Walas, one of the most important lessons he learned from Gremlins "was the fact that there is always more than one way to do an effect. There's always another option. We developed a lot of our own technology for Gremlins that we adapted to The Fly, particularly along the animatronics line, so we had an existing library of hardware available. That became critical on The Fly as we had to rethink some effects due to the tight schedule." Stathis's melting hand effect was created by sculpting the mutilated hand, then building up an intact hand on top of it out of gelatin. The gelatin was then melted using stage lights and a hair dryer, and filmed at low speed. Chris Walas essentially recreated the same effect he had used earlier for Toht's melting face in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).
The Fly is a classic. Jeff Goldblum gave a brilliant performance as Seth Brundle and it's a real shame he was not nominated for an Oscar for his brilliant performance as Seth Brundle. The makeup effects was outstanding.
The Fly 2 is probably the only film I've seen so far that had me bursting out crying on the infamous dog scenes and still gives me a huge lump in my throat every time I watch those scenes.
+Yeth both (YethBothONE) Yeah I honestly don't know why people hate it, I mean, I think it's fine: It has everything you could hope: An interesting story not too complicated, romance, shitty but it has one, sorrow in the form of a touching relationship between the dog and Martin that goes wrong, awesome special effects. I mean, for me if the original is a 10/10 (which it is) this must be a 7... I love them both.
First time I saw this as a 10-11 year old boy, I hated it because there wasn't enough of the Brundlefly creature, and I wasn't really bothered by the gross-out stuff. Then I watched it many years later, fell in love with it, and the effects bow make my curl up i the sofa and cover my eyes.
I totally agree with Goldblum and Davis should have gotten nominations for their performances. In many occasions, the nominees (and winners) are those actors, who are willing to undergo real-life transformations (ie. lose/gain substantial amount of weight) but performing so well in a costume or body make-up is also a feat that deserves recognition. Also, fact is that the leading couple´s chemistry works so well throughout the movie and the latter half of the movie is really sad to watch and leaves the viewer feeling bad for what happens to them. Great retro/review!
I've seen this film a grand total of twice - once when I was 11 back in 1989 and again a year or so ago. It genuinely traumatised me and I had solid nightmares for about 3 months. As a film it's fucking fantastic though! The character arc (or should I say character disintegration) is one of the most brutal that's ever been put on screen, and not just due to the physical body horror, but the actual mental breakdown that Seth goes through. The second viewing I had as a 40 year old wasn't so bad, but it still left me with a really uneasy feeling which didn't dissipate for a day or so. All credit to Jeff Goldblum for an outstanding performance, and proof that he's not just a lovable and kooky personality, but a bonafide dramatic leading man with some serious acting chops.
Great chemistry from Davis & Goldblum, but they had work previously together in the early 1988 comedy Earth Girls Are Easy. It's where they're both the romantic leads with Jim Carrey & Damon Wayans co-star. Very of its time...good for a fun Saturday night. If you liked Mannequin, Weird Science, or John Malkovich's Making Mr. Right...you'll like this one.
After months hassling me to review the film Im very happy you enjoyed it mate. Youngers audiences will definitely click and associate Goldblum with Jurassic Park but The Fly is what really gave him the attention he needed from the industry and critics. Oh when researching this video I came across a number of stills from what looked like a Broadway version of The Fly!. Your dreams have been answered! lol
I always enjoyed the technical "sci-fi" aspect to this film. It's a very sad story, though, and just like something like Requiem for a Dream you'll feel emotionally drained afterwards
I think the character of Stathis is actually very well written. He is emotionally torn apart. He is scorned, hurt by Veronica (even it is not her fault for them breaking up), but he obviously still loves her, so he can't just leave her to her fate. Even when it was not meant for their relationship to work as long as his his love is genuine he will try to help her. So the "insult" of being dupmed by her makes him act like an asshole, makes him jealous, makes him want payback (running the story about Seth without her approval), but his love for her makes him ignore all the pain he has suffered and come to her rescue.
My Dad took me to see this at the theater when it first came out! I was 10 at the time! Let’s just say I was horrified but loved it at the same time! Brilliant film!
Hollywood reached their creative peak in the 80s (with a couple notable shout-outs to the late 70s). We got the Thing, the Fly, the Alien, the Predator, the Terminator. We got Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers, Leatherface. Heck, even amongst kids - we got ET and Gremlins. Pop-culture-wise, it was a good time to be a kid.
Thanks Oliver, your reviews are excellent and so entertaining. This film, in my view, is not only the best horror film of all time but amongst the best films of all time. If anyone asks me if I have ever cried during a film I always quote this one. The emotional power and the obvious portrayal of losing a loved one to disease is incredible. The ´insect politics´ speech gets me every time and the use of the score and the amazing acting is quite sensational. Jeff Goldblum definitely deserved an oscar and it´s criminal that they overlook horror so often. I watch this film at least twice a year and always am in awe of it´s staggering power. Thanks again for your reviews.
This is probably one of the movies I'm still afraid to watch til this day! I remember renting it from a near by library and still couldn't bring myself to watch it. But good review. Keep them coming!
The Fly... One of greatest horror throw back remakes of all times... Right along with The Blob, The Thing 1982 remake that is and the 2010 Wolf man... I'm still waiting for Creature of the Black Lagoon remake...
The crazies, night of the living dead, dawn of the dead, hills have eyes, last house on the left and maniac are good remakes. Yet I don’t consider the thing as a remake of the earlier thing from another World but rather a new adaptation of the original novella
I was in a room with Cronenberg in 1988 or 89 when I was an usher at the Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto. That was the best thing that happened at that shitty job. This is still one of the best films ever made IMO.
I saw the original "The Fly" on TV in 1963 when I was 7. I had seen it scheduled in the TV listings for that night (after my normal bedtime). My mom had gone out for the evening to her Bridge Club, and dad was tired from the day's work, so he went to bed early. I sneaked into the living room and watched the movie, with the lights and sound turned low. Lemme tell ya, that image of David Hedison in the spider's web at the end of the movie has stayed with me for nearly 50 years. Yeesh!
I love how Stathis Borans goes from being a selfish and cocky son of a bitch, but as the film progresses he becomes a more sympathetic and kind hearted character. It always fascinates me how the hero becomes a disturbed monster and Borans turns into the hero
I remember seeing this in the Theater when it came it. It freaked me out(I think I was 17 or so). It was during the day and not many people were there but I do remember two young girls getting up and leaving(never to return) about half way through the movie, so I think it freaked a lot of people out at the time.
As a 3 year old kid who musta came from the scary realm, no movie really scared me like this one. This one was good. Exorcist was scary too only because the sound matched the crazy visuals. Two scariest movies of all time. Any other really scary movies other than these two??????????????
These retrospectives have taught me that test audiences are invaluable. Some really necessary changes seem to have been done thanks to them. Like the ending of this film. I think it's perfect, and having Geena hook up with Stathis and go through a dream scene would've kinda lame. I recently rewatched the movie on a huge outdoor cinema festival, and the ending was epic, cutting it exactly where they did wrapped the film up nicely and made it a powerful experience.
This movie is why I love transformation of all shapes and forms. The body melting away to reveal a true form is something I always look forward to and too often do not get to enjoy. Modern movies need to step up their game.
This movie had the most terrifying effect on me. I guess it's the fact that there is absolutely NOTHING he can do to save himself. He's not running away from a killer or trying to slay a villain. It's inevitable and horrifying and heartbreaking. What a movie!
I watched the film for the first time in 2004 and I really never seen a film like The Fly before. It was a real classic.
Nicholas Joost Indeed, it's horrifying because it deals with the fear of decay of our bodies, something David Croenberg is a Master of.
That, and the fact it's such a tiny, innocent mistake that totally destroys him
Little story for you.
When my brother and I were 6 and 8 years old, respectively, our Father took us to Hollywood Video one weekend night. Wandering indecisively among the aisles, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of potential selections, we couldn't decide what we wanted to watch. Dad had already picked out his own title, and strolled along with us on our Nth trip down the length of the store. Coming through the Horror section, his gaze fell on the cover of one VHS; he excitedly grabbed it, shouted "THIS! This! You're watching this." He'd seen it, evidently, and thus bestowed it with the Dad Seal of Approval.
We went home, and he left us in the unlit family room to enjoy the movie while he went upstairs to watch his own. Hesitantly, I put the movie he'd thoughtfully selected for his Elementary-school-aged sons into the VCR.
It was David Cronenberg's "The Fly".
Single most traumatic movie-watching experience of my childhood. Scrambled my goddamned brain.
@@Vindsvelle i think i discover time travel sometime in the future, go back in time, and end up being ur dad.
"I'm an insect who dreamt he was a man, and loved it. But now the dream is over...and the insect is awake." .. "I'm saying...I'll hurt you if you stay."
That bit always kills me
Causes goosebumps just to read
His line of the instinctual uncaring cold world of the insect always had an affect on me. As that must be how their world truly is.
"Have you ever heard of insect politics?"
Remembers me of the idea behind Alan Moore's Swamp Thing.
The end where she doesn't want to shoot him and he grabs the gun and holds it up to his head is always so heartbreaking
That scene never made sense to me, if she loved him why would she want him to live on as a fly
@@Fury851 I imagine shooting your lover is pretty difficult even if they're a fly
@@Fury851 love is complicated man
@@mistabruhmoment8688 or you mean lust. Maybe she was attracted to the fly body, found it sexy
@@Fury851 I guess firing a shotgun into a loved one's face doesn't come easy.
No mainstream film has every been simultaneously so viscerally horrific and so emotionally moving. The body horror is still absolutely nauseating but the emotional pain and the chemistry between the two leads is powerful. It is the opposite of an exploitation flick: nothing in it is gratuitous.
This and John Carpenter's The Thing have the best practical creature effects ever!
Anteye LaVey and the blob!!!!
Anteye LaVey I'd argue that _Alien Predator, Fright Night, American Werewolf in London,_ and _Gremlins_ should be up there, too
And Dune. The sandworms in that movie are awesome.
...and Tremors (1990).
MadCap Productions Except Videodrome (still a great movie though)
Cronenberg actually fought to keep someone else's screenplay credit intact?? wow. THAT'S certainly refreshing. good man, Cronenberg.
Q: How do you take a classic, do a remake that's almost nothing like the original BUT do it better?
A: Ask David Cronenberg . . .
X-Ray Vision don't forget John Carpenter as well
X-Ray Vision agree. also Brian Depalma who directed Scarface.
It wasn’t based on the classic movie dude
Only reason Im watching this review is to see how terrifying it is since this movie and its sequel are on Film4 at like 2-3 am
@@JayDee284 YES!!
Jeff really deserved the oscar for this
Still feel that way now?🤨
hjames78 what
Yeah and Davis for supporting actress she was unreal
Lol, no
@@jessebrown7626 yes lol
I still can't comprehend how a gross-out, horrific, terrifying story can have such a strong romantic angle and an emotional, tear-jerking ending. I so adore this film today, after focusing more on the "body horror" as a youth. Goldblum and Davis are outstanding.
Veronica is willing to hold him even after he has become physically grotesque. That's love.
"Uh."
-Jeff Goldblum
James Bootywolfe HAHAHAH!
LMFAO!
Uhh. I guess you could uhhh say that uhhh life uh finds a uhh way.
In the first half yeah. Towards the end though he trades that in for the constant wheezing and fast breathing that indicate his mutated respiratory system probably doesn't work properly.
This is such a devastating movie. You'll be nauseated, but you'll have a lump in your throat at the same time, which makes it so much more powerful than most other horror movies.
Great film. Stathis is annoying but he turns out to be an unexpectedly realistic character. It's something you don't see often in film. He starts of being a bit boring, selfish and annoying. But when the shit hits the fan he steps up and does the right thing.
It's quite unusual. It's not the classic bad-guy-turned-good, he was never really that bad to begin with, he was just a bit selfish.
I thought it was great that they brought Stathis in the sequel...and that he displays a similar moment of heroism, and I guess mercy to Seth's son.
Stathis was mostly just a jerk who was jealous of brundle, but he was there to save veronica. In the second film, you see how far he had fallen given what happened and while he was still a bit of a jerk, you understood why he was so bitter and unwilling to help, and why he seemed to spend most of his days drinking to easy the pain of what he lost, his girl, his hand, his foot, and more than likely his job too. But in the sequel he did end up helping Martin by telling him that the answer to reversing his mutation more than likely resided in the telepod technology, and even gives him his car to evade the authorities. My guess is that it was the least he could do to help, cuz in his mind he wasn't helping Brundle's son, he was helping Veronica's son, he owed it to her.
Totally agree. Being an asshole doesn't automatically make him a bad person.
I never hated stathis in the fly and I never thought he was a bad guy! Stathis was just a man still in love with veronica and stathis couldn't handle veronica's rejection and couldn't handle her disappearing from his life forever and you realise towards the climax of the film that he was a good guy the whole time he risks his life to save his ex-girlfriend!
I agree. He obviously starts off as seemingly arrogant, jealous and petty, but still insightful and senstitive past that. As the film progresses, you do see that he's actually a better person than we first see, stepping up to do the right thing for someone he still cares for. Perhaps the speed of the film doesn't allow us to fully see that, but on repeated watchings, I feel like I understand Stathis much better.
Also, you probably noticed that Seth and Stathis share the same initials, as do their respective actors, Jeff Goldblum and John Getz. :D I wonder if that was a conscious choice?
The ending with him taking the barrel end of the gun and holding it to his head, signifying his last shred of humanity and wanting the nightmare to end, coupled with her crying and the music, absolutely gut-wrenching stuff
I never thought of his skin as a cocoon, that's pretty clever
Definitely one of my favorite horror movies of all time,but it's more than that it's also a tragic love story. the love Gina has for goldblum's character is astounding especially with what he's going through. my favorite quote from the movie: jeff: have you ever heard of insect politics? Gina: no. jeff: neither have I (soft chuckle) (serious) insects...don't have politics,they're very brutal. no compassion, no compromise. we can't trust the insect. I'd like to become the first insect politician. you see I'd like to but (pain from suppressing transformation) I'm afraid. Gina: (crying) I don't know what you're trying to say. jeff: I'm saying..I'm saying I'm an insect. who dreamt he was a man,and loved it,but now the dreams over,and no the insect is awake. Gina: no seth(sad). jeff: I'm saying (whispered) I'll hurt you if you stay (dramatic music plays). truly outstanding scene
That scene gets me.Its totally heartbreaking.Its hurts them both so much and you real feel for them.
The ending was really sad when Veronica is forced to kill Brundle.
Insect politicians? Oh we already have plenty of those, and it's true, they have no compassion!
It's also fantastic because in a sense he isn't talking about his transformed literal self.He just realized who he really has been as a human being in this world..So sad and an awful feeling to have.
Amazing dialog and performances.
It's a goddamn MASTERPIECE!!!
I make you right sir
One of the relatively few films that uses gore to do more than provide shock value.
It's still hard for me to watch this film. But I do every few years. I like the thrill and the horror. (Hwy, this is much for me, moat other horrormovies I can't even stand ^^)
Best film ever....between this and the thing
Absolutely!
Its even more frightening when you realize that Brundle's body was a cocoon for the monster.
The Fly and The Thing are the best horror films of the 80s.
The 80s had some spectacular remakes.
The 80s were the best decade for movies in general. So many ground breaking masterpieces were made during that time.
@@furorteutonicus9045 movies, music etc. now everything sucks since the 90's
The Blob
Scarface for example
@@besteverepicmillennial5927 the early 2000s was the last time movies were good.
I personally see this version of The Fly as a tragic love story. You feel sorry for the two main characters and watch helplessly as the male lead begins to deteriorate both physically and metaphorically.
I disagree on Stathis. I thought Jon Getz gave a very underrated performance on this film. How often do you have a character who starts off as a creepy stalker develop into a hero? He was a guy who had a lot in common with Brundle. They were both insecure guys who loved the same woman (probably the only woman who ever gave either of them affection). Stathis really loved Ronnie and risked life and limb (literally) to save her.
Chris82bc I agree! He was a complex character, I like the way his traits weren`t set in stone. He could be an arsehole & an angel, like most of us
yep, agree as well, he was great
I can't stand Him, but adore how realistically flawed He is! But, in all honesty, how on Earth did He bag a Goddess like Veronica!? Looks more like a drunken Uncle than a love interest....
Chris82bc
I felt the same way. I love complex characters. George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire books are a prime example of taking morally questionable/flawed characters and showing there is something more beneath the surface. When Stathis tried to convince Ronnie to wait on the abortion proved he cared about her--I don't know too many guys who would be thrilled about their love-interest having another guy's baby. His character arc was one of the film's grand achievements. This movie was a success all the way.
I remember watching this as a kid. It came on USA at midnight back when USA still aired a lot of films. Loved it. My favorite Goldblum film.
I disagree too. I thought he was a good character and Getz played the character well. There wasn't much for Getz and his character to go on.
Stathis was obsessed with Veronica and couldn't let go. Showing up in her apartment taking a shower, following her and appearing at the clothing store...pathetic & creepy really...but many people are like that. That being said, Stathis doesn't seem like would ever hurt Veronica. He even tries to prevent her from having an abortion when he knows it's not his. That says a lot.
Stathis walked into Brundle's den alone after watching the vomit drop video and being there when Seth broke through a fucking thick glass window and abducting Veronica. Stathis really loved Veronica. How could he not do the right thing?
As crazy and bizarre as Goldblum can get in his roles, I will always respect him for this one. He did a fantastic job with it.
Sir, discovering your channel was like discovering my old box of toys, and recover fond memories that I tought I'd forgotten. Great, great work.
chromeinox def agreed I'm from America and his english accent and presentation make for excellent content. I also love the choice in films as well 90 % of the films are films I grew up loving but we're never explored enough. Kudos Oliver and keep doing what your doing.
I love how Cronenberg is accepting of different interpretations of the film. He understands why the movie reminded people of AIDs, but states that he was going for a more universal theme.
John Carpenter said the same thing about The Thing, with many audiences comparing the story to the AIDS epidemic or the Red Scare
You have no idea how much your reviews impact me. They give me a sense of nostalgia and joy. Thank you so much. You are doing a fantastic job. I can feel the love for cinema in all your segments
The thing I love most about this story is how real it feels. Brundle is a good man and only wants to better the world through his research. The best monsters or villains to me are always the ones you can identify with and didn't start out evil. In fact, Brundle even dies with his goodness somewhat intact. His last wish is a noble one. I cried when I saw this at 13. You know a film has done something right when you cry for the creature in the feature.
I ALWAYS cry at the end when Seth Brundle Fly asks her to kill him in that non verbal manner. Your comment hit the nail on the head
My dad let me watch this with him when I was about 7yrs old with the intention of scaring the crap out of me,yet my reaction surprised us both...I cried my eyes out not through fear but sadness. When he places the shotgun barrel on his forehead with the powerful orchestral score in the background I cried for fucking hours afterwards. Cronenberg is a genius and no horror film 30yrs later has come close to affecting me the same as The Fly. Great review buddy,your channel is the shit!
Wow, interesting... how a child reacts...
Lol, I was 8! Same.
The part that freaked me out the most was where she had a dream giving birth to a larva..... that made me never want to have kids.
No, have larvae instead, kids mutate into real horrors later on,
Then in the beginning of the sequel, she dies giving birth to the actual baby
I remember that
i forgot about that scene... THE HORROR, THE HORROR
@@01hore what??
this fucking movie is the tits! one word: Cronenberg! Genius! this movie scared the living shit out of me as a kid, but now when I watch it, I actually cry because of the underlying themes of Addiction/disease/aging in death.. like i said absolutely amazing film!
Anthony Baruch body horror is the best horror
I'm glad they cut the scene where she beats him to death at the end with a giant fly swatter
Lol
That would be a delicious parody
I was 8yrs old in 86. I saw this in the theater with my Mom. It scared the crap outta me.
This movie is so beautiful and tragic. It made me cry for real.
What I think is unique is how close-knit the film is. The Brundlefly doesn’t go on a killing spree like most monsters, he just wants a family. The greatest threat is that Veronica would be lost in the process but not the surrounding city.
I have never seen a horror movie that pulled at my heartstrings like this one. The performances, writing, effects, ... everything was brilliant!
Not just body horror - Brundle was slowly losing his mind as he transformed. Just as scary.
The Teleportation Pods were such a cool design, hopefully they found their way to someone's private collection or movie props museum.
@malibustacy3606 Inverted replica of a 1974 Ducati 450 Desmo motorcycle head and barrel. Cronenberg and myself, owned the same model bike.
Hey, Hollywood! If you must do remakes, look to this film as the standard bearer on how to approach them. Do something different and high quality with the material, stop treating it as a property to be exploited for a quick buck.
I still, to this day, ball my eyes out when Veronica has to euthanize Brundleflypod. So horrifically heartbreaking. Seth was such a beautiful Man. 😢💔
I saw this and Aliens and Predator at the same theater when I was a kid. I remember the crowd groaning and laughing in disgust at various scenes in The Fly, especially when shit was falling off of poor Seth. The favorite scene iirc was the arm wrestling scene. I remember a reaction. Those were all 3 some large turnouts because that was a huge ass theater. Predator got a standing O at the end by a full crowd on opening day.
@Robert Paulson Did Raiders/Ark, Ghostbusters 1, E.T., Back To Future 1. Ghostbusters was huge. Casino when I was older, but sadly didn't get GoodFellas on the list. That's my one regret. Another was not being able to get anyone to take me to see The Return Of The Living Dead in 85 . Wanted to see that one BAD. One of my fave horror/comedy flicks to this day. Waiting for movies to go on VHS and then finding them not all rented out at the video store sucked. That was the basic format even to the late 90s. I remember getting one of the last Casino double tapes on the first day the video store had them. Watched it with my pops.
Which theater was that?
One of the few exceptions were the remake is better than it's original predecessor.
Like The Thing
That's what remakes are supposed to be, fixing something that is BROKEN! But now, it's the other way around, it's seen as a cheap way to scam movie goers.
The original source material doesn't have to be broken. The original The Fly wasn't bad. A bit cheesy, but definitely not broken. The War of the Worlds', and The Thing's original source material weren't broken, just cheezy.
+deraj nitram I like the original a little more than this version.
@@hoganholo99 I would agree that The Thing from Another World isn't broken exactly, but it was definitely a product of its time, both in the themes it espouses and how the technical limitations of the time forced the rewriting of the story. John Carpenter's film is in some ways far more faithful to Who Goes There, but in others it's even farther out there because of Carpenter's own love for Lovecraftian elements changing the nature of what the creature is, in some ways for the better.
I saw this movie as a kid and it made me want to throw up.
I love it.
Goddamn it another clone damn jackal keeps creating these other Spider-Men
the best of the best herher
@The Hush Because I had a VCR and I knew how to use it.
I can only watch this occasionally, the ending always rips me apart emotionally!
This is one of the best films I've ever seen. Everything about it worked so well. I can imagine some awful attempt if it were to be remade today. A total classic from start to finish :-)
I remember seeing this when I was 8 or 9. Scared the living shit out of me! Yet, I could not be helped but drawn to it. I kept talking about it, and thinking about it. I thought, "eh, maybe when I'm older I will think differently." Nope, it still grips me to this day.
Such an amazing film!
This is one of my favorite movies of all time!!!
I love that Brundle doesn't truly go insane or kill himself, but is in fact fascinated by his transformation.
be afraid - be very afraid ;-)
You're a fucking drag!
One of the greatest movies ever made!
One of the best horror movies i´ve ever seen, to bad that today films only focus in supernatural stuff.
+oliverrafa789 That is exactly what i comment once i came to see the video :P
yeah the casting is almost always terrible these days. Teenage models that cant act or pretending to be funny or a tough guy or convincing. Other than bad CGI, the biggest grip I find myself bitching about in movies all the time over the last 2 decades is casting.
If you're talking about mainstream horror you're mostly right. But let me just get out my booklet from this year's Imagine film festival in Amsterdam and let's see...
(tldr: films i recommend most: _The Endless_ (but watch _Resolution_ first), _Tragedy Girls_ , _Ghost Stories_ (if your'e into that)
*_Ravenous (Les Affamés)_* (2017): zombies but different enough in style to be a worthy addition to the genre.
*_The changeover_* (2017): yup, supernatural. But it's from New Zealand, might be a bonus? :P
*_The cured_* (2017): Zombies, but with more psychological depth and shows us the world after the zombie plague has been cured.
*_The endless_* (2017): A must see, but you have to watch the film before it first (Resolution, 2012) because of the story. Not a lot of visual horror, more psychological and Lovecraftian horror.
*_Ghost stories_* (2018): Definitely supernatural, but extremely scary (at least to me). Three stories within a story. A masterpiece and a must see for fans of this sub-genre (not me :P)
*_Incident in a ghost land_* (2018): despite the name, not supernatural and definitely worth a watch. From the makers of Martyrs.
*_The lodgers_* (2017): Supernatural. Still entertaining to watch.
*_Mom and dad_* (2017): Admittedly light on the horror and leaning more toward comedy. With Nicolas Cage and a small role as the grandfather by Lance Henriksen
*_mon mon mon MONSTERS!_* (2017): a monster film (of course), but focusing heavily on the choices and morals of the human characters who might be the real monsters.
*_Pyewacket_* (2017): Supernatural, but with one of the most heartbreaking endings i've seen in a while (to do with mother and daughter).
*_Terrifier_* (2017): If you don't like clowns, don't watch this. Otherwise, watch this.
*_Tragedy girls_* (2017): Seriously, watch this. It's a fresh, original take on horror comedy and you'll love it.
*_Unsane_* (2018): More of a thriler than a horror. Woman fleeing from her stalker tries to build a new life, then gets locked up against her will in a mental institution. One of the staff is her stalker, or her mind may be playing tricks.
I've also recently rewatched a New Zealand horror comedy called *_Housebound_* (2014). It's still one of my favorite movies. If you don't like this, you don't have a soul. It's funny, has some scary moments and an engaging story and you'll grow to LOVE the characters (and the actors, who do a wonderful job).
Want more? Here are some from earlier:
*_They look like people_* (2015). Scary, but makes you wonder whether what you see is real or imagined by one of the characters. I really like this one a lot to the point it's one of my favorites.
*_I am a ghost_* (2012). Sounds cheesy, i know. But it isn't. It's so interesting and, to me, heart-warming (although others might not see it). An engaging story about the journey of a ghost who hasn't accepted her death.
*_What we do in the shadows_* (2014). Hilarious New Zealand film about vampires and werewolves. Did i mention it's hilarious?
I could go on, i've seen so many great horror films over the last decade and more. Some with small budgets, some with big budgets. Some real turds and some rare gems. But definitely not "only supernatural stuff".If you look outside of Hollywood there's a rich variety of horror even today.
The line, "I'm saying, I'm an insect who dreamt he was a man and loved it, but now that dream is over, and the insect is awake." is a reference to author Zhuangzi's famous Butterfly Dream story. It's also a reference to Franz Kafka's famous short story, The Metamorphosis.
David Cronenberg was surprised when the film was seen by some critics as a cultural metaphor for AIDS, since he originally intended the film to be a more general analogy for disease itself, terminal conditions like cancer and, more specifically, the aging process.
The Fly's vomit was made from honey, eggs and milk.
Seth's saying, "Drink deep, or taste not, the plasma spring", is a reference to a famous quote from Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Criticism". The full quote is: "A little learning is a dang'rous thing; drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring: Their shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again."
tag line for this movie; "BE AFRAID. BE VERY AFRAID!" became an instant catch phrase in the culture at large and people still use it today for a variety of reasons.
Geena Davis claims that the only time she felt "grossed out" by the amount of gore was in the scene where Seth's ear falls off and she holds him. She states that her reaction to holding her face up to Goldblum's was not acting and that she was indeed really grossed out.
Jeff Goldblum was often wearing as much as 5lbs of prosthetic makeup during his fly transformation.
The infamous cat-monkey scene where Brundlefly fuses a cat and the remaining baboon and then beats it to death with a lead pipe was cut following a Toronto screening. According to producer Stuart Cornfeld the audience felt that there was no turning back for Seth and they lost all sympathy for his plight, which caused the rest of the film to not play as well. In Cornfeld's own words: "If you beat an animal to death, even a monkey-cat, your audience is not gonna be interested in your problems anymore".
Seth's saying, "Drink deep, or taste not, the plasma spring", is a reference to a famous quote from Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Criticism". The full quote is: "A little learning is a dang'rous thing; drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring: Their shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again."
David Cronenberg named Seth Brundle after racing driver Martin Brundle.
After their metamorphosis, adult flies break out of their pupa by inflating their heads to crack it open, something they are only able to do at this stage of their life cycle. Though not apparent on-screen, Seth's head is pushed off in the same way. The mechanical head underneath the prosthetic Brundle face was built to expand from human to insect proportions in order to push off the human skin.
In the bathroom scene, as Seth's gradual transformation into Brundlefly begins, Seth has lesions on his face. Lesions are a skin condition related to HIV/AIDS. The film was released during the dawn of the AIDS epidemic and the film was seen by many as a metaphor for the disease and the film deals with even more basic issues that everybody can identify with.
For Chris Walas, one of the most important lessons he learned from Gremlins "was the fact that there is always more than one way to do an effect. There's always another option. We developed a lot of our own technology for Gremlins that we adapted to The Fly, particularly along the animatronics line, so we had an existing library of hardware available. That became critical on The Fly as we had to rethink some effects due to the tight schedule."
Stathis's melting hand effect was created by sculpting the mutilated hand, then building up an intact hand on top of it out of gelatin. The gelatin was then melted using stage lights and a hair dryer, and filmed at low speed. Chris Walas essentially recreated the same effect he had used earlier for Toht's melting face in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).
The Fly is a classic. Jeff Goldblum gave a brilliant performance as Seth Brundle and it's a real shame he was not nominated for an Oscar for his brilliant performance as Seth Brundle. The makeup effects was outstanding.
The 50s one is more of a easy fun film whereas the 80s one is more horror. In my opinion.
I always thought Bundle at certain stages in his transformation looked like Michael Jackson.
Yeah the 2nd stage does look like Michael Jackson from Thriller.
Hey, that's spot on and a very interesting coincidence, I think. After all, didn't Michael Jackson transform himself over the years?
Seth wasn't that scary.
I was looking for this comment and didn't have to look for long. This is EXACTLY what I was thinking for years.
Yokai WTF
The Fly 2 is probably the only film I've seen so far that had me bursting out crying on the infamous dog scenes and still gives me a huge lump in my throat every time I watch those scenes.
+Yeth both (YethBothONE) Yeah I honestly don't know why people hate it, I mean, I think it's fine: It has everything you could hope: An interesting story not too complicated, romance, shitty but it has one, sorrow in the form of a touching relationship between the dog and Martin that goes wrong, awesome special effects. I mean, for me if the original is a 10/10 (which it is) this must be a 7... I love them both.
First time I saw this as a 10-11 year old boy, I hated it because there wasn't enough of the Brundlefly creature, and I wasn't really bothered by the gross-out stuff. Then I watched it many years later, fell in love with it, and the effects bow make my curl up i the sofa and cover my eyes.
I totally agree with Goldblum and Davis should have gotten nominations for their performances. In many occasions, the nominees (and winners) are those actors, who are willing to undergo real-life transformations (ie. lose/gain substantial amount of weight) but performing so well in a costume or body make-up is also a feat that deserves recognition. Also, fact is that the leading couple´s chemistry works so well throughout the movie and the latter half of the movie is really sad to watch and leaves the viewer feeling bad for what happens to them. Great retro/review!
Jesus. Just saw 6 videos from this channel. Excelent quality each. Thank you again.
I've seen this film a grand total of twice - once when I was 11 back in 1989 and again a year or so ago. It genuinely traumatised me and I had solid nightmares for about 3 months. As a film it's fucking fantastic though! The character arc (or should I say character disintegration) is one of the most brutal that's ever been put on screen, and not just due to the physical body horror, but the actual mental breakdown that Seth goes through.
The second viewing I had as a 40 year old wasn't so bad, but it still left me with a really uneasy feeling which didn't dissipate for a day or so. All credit to Jeff Goldblum for an outstanding performance, and proof that he's not just a lovable and kooky personality, but a bonafide dramatic leading man with some serious acting chops.
The fly is my childhood nightmare; it's simple a horror masterpiece.
Great chemistry from Davis & Goldblum, but they had work previously together in the early 1988 comedy Earth Girls Are Easy. It's where they're both the romantic leads with Jim Carrey & Damon Wayans co-star. Very of its time...good for a fun Saturday night. If you liked Mannequin, Weird Science, or John Malkovich's Making Mr. Right...you'll like this one.
Earth Girls are Easy (1988) was 2 years after The Fly (1986)
After months hassling me to review the film Im very happy you enjoyed it mate. Youngers audiences will definitely click and associate Goldblum with Jurassic Park but The Fly is what really gave him the attention he needed from the industry and critics. Oh when researching this video I came across a number of stills from what looked like a Broadway version of The Fly!. Your dreams have been answered! lol
I always enjoyed the technical "sci-fi" aspect to this film. It's a very sad story, though, and just like something like Requiem for a Dream you'll feel emotionally drained afterwards
I watch this movie annually. It’s up there with No Country for Old Men. A true classic you can’t forget.
Your reviews are the fucking best
Thanks Arnold!
Great review. LOVE THE FILM.
Arnold Thomsen Amen...the time and effort put into these reviews are so readily apparent! The final product is professional and beyond entertaining!
Imagine if Cronenberg did SPIDERMAN. Goldblum should have nominated for an oscar for this. One of the best horror films of the 80's.
The end is a real masterpiece... his body falls apart the moment he loses all his humanity...
I think the character of Stathis is actually very well written. He is emotionally torn apart. He is scorned, hurt by Veronica (even it is not her fault for them breaking up), but he obviously still loves her, so he can't just leave her to her fate. Even when it was not meant for their relationship to work as long as his his love is genuine he will try to help her. So the "insult" of being dupmed by her makes him act like an asshole, makes him jealous, makes him want payback (running the story about Seth without her approval), but his love for her makes him ignore all the pain he has suffered and come to her rescue.
It took me nearly 20 years to be able to watch this entire film without turning away or covering my eyes. It's a tremendous movie in every way.
My Dad took me to see this at the theater when it first came out! I was 10 at the time! Let’s just say I was horrified but loved it at the same time! Brilliant film!
Hollywood reached their creative peak in the 80s (with a couple notable shout-outs to the late 70s). We got the Thing, the Fly, the Alien, the Predator, the Terminator. We got Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers, Leatherface. Heck, even amongst kids - we got ET and Gremlins. Pop-culture-wise, it was a good time to be a kid.
My favorite movie of all time..Jeff Goldblum is great. He is also an accomplished piano player
This is one of the most disturbing films I've ever seen.
I like how he merges with the fly, but not with all the microorganisms that live on and in him.
12:00 The dog from the second movie, moves a lot of people
The BEST Horror Film I’ve ever seen. Kronenberg’s Creation; story line; Jeff Goldblum’s Acting; Walas’ Special Effects are just AWESOME.
The fact that he can still talk while he’s transforming, because he’s trying his best to hold on to what little humanity that he has left.
One of the best films in hisrory!
defenatly!!!!!!!
12:43 Stathis still has a left hand despite it being dissolved by Brundle earlier
Thanks Oliver, your reviews are excellent and so entertaining. This film, in my view, is not only the best horror film of all time but amongst the best films of all time. If anyone asks me if I have ever cried during a film I always quote this one. The emotional power and the obvious portrayal of losing a loved one to disease is incredible. The ´insect politics´ speech gets me every time and the use of the score and the amazing acting is quite sensational. Jeff Goldblum definitely deserved an oscar and it´s criminal that they overlook horror so often. I watch this film at least twice a year and always am in awe of it´s staggering power. Thanks again for your reviews.
Man the 80s had the best movies I swear
I have just one thing to say about this movie. Jeff Goldbloom is an absolute badass! He made that role his own!
This is my favorite Jeff Goldblum performance
"When you can, pound a table"-Jeff Goldblum
This is probably one of the movies I'm still afraid to watch til this day! I remember renting it from a near by library and still couldn't bring myself to watch it. But good review. Keep them coming!
Its so scary I was scared for months that one when that mutated guy goes in that hole was terrifying
The Fly...
One of greatest horror throw back remakes of all times...
Right along with The Blob, The Thing 1982 remake that is and the 2010 Wolf man...
I'm still waiting for Creature of the Black Lagoon remake...
The crazies, night of the living dead, dawn of the dead, hills have eyes, last house on the left and maniac are good remakes.
Yet I don’t consider the thing as a remake of the earlier thing from another World but rather a new adaptation of the original novella
I was in a room with Cronenberg in 1988 or 89 when I was an usher at the Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto. That was the best thing that happened at that shitty job. This is still one of the best films ever made IMO.
I saw the original "The Fly" on TV in 1963 when I was 7. I had seen it scheduled in the TV listings for that night (after my normal bedtime). My mom had gone out for the evening to her Bridge Club, and dad was tired from the day's work, so he went to bed early. I sneaked into the living room and watched the movie, with the lights and sound turned low. Lemme tell ya, that image of David Hedison in the spider's web at the end of the movie has stayed with me for nearly 50 years. Yeesh!
Nothing gets to me more than the "insect politics" scene
I love how Stathis Borans goes from being a selfish and cocky son of a bitch, but as the film progresses he becomes a more sympathetic and kind hearted character. It always fascinates me how the hero becomes a disturbed monster and Borans turns into the hero
insanely powerful film, still affects me very strongly to this day
such a great movie with a phenomenal performance by Goldblum.
Practical effects will always be amazing.Alien franchise, The Thing, Re-Animator, Terminator, They Live, The Howling etc.
They definitely deserve the award for best visual performance and I cannot say enough that this movie has done better than a lot of movies nowadays
the guy he arm wrestles is george chuvalo. he went 12 rounds with ali.
I remember seeing this in the Theater when it came it. It freaked me out(I think I was 17 or so). It was during the day and not many people were there but I do remember two young girls getting up and leaving(never to return) about half way through the movie, so I think it freaked a lot of people out at the time.
As a 3 year old kid who musta came from the scary realm, no movie really scared me like this one.
This one was good.
Exorcist was scary too only because the sound matched the crazy visuals.
Two scariest movies of all time.
Any other really scary movies other than these two??????????????
These retrospectives have taught me that test audiences are invaluable. Some really necessary changes seem to have been done thanks to them.
Like the ending of this film. I think it's perfect, and having Geena hook up with Stathis and go through a dream scene would've kinda lame.
I recently rewatched the movie on a huge outdoor cinema festival, and the ending was epic, cutting it exactly where they did wrapped the film up nicely and made it a powerful experience.
An interesting bit of trivia of sorts is that this movie is produced by Mel Brooks, mostly known for comedies.
This movie is why I love transformation of all shapes and forms. The body melting away to reveal a true form is something I always look forward to and too often do not get to enjoy. Modern movies need to step up their game.
Thank you very much Richard!.