Freud'n'Gore: The Works of David Cronenberg: Now Disc. Freud, Jung & "A Dangerous Method"

this week is the UK premiere of Eastern Promises so i was thinking it's a good time to discuss cronenberg a little bit, not counting, of course that the new film has already been released everywhere else. oh well.

i hope some of you enjoy his oeuvre (i have yet to be disappointed) and are willing to share their views here.

so, take it away

 

Cronenberg is great. I love his remake of The Fly. Eastern Promises was good - hope the UK enjoys it.

 

"Scanners" is typical early Cronenberg...rock-bottom production values, and terrible acting...except for Michael Ironside...but fascinating anyway.

 

I've seen The Fly and The Dead Zone, both of which were interesting. The Fly crossed over into absolute greatness; The Dead Zone had two great performances and a great score, but not enough time to tell the story even half right, which wasn't Cronenberg's fault I guess.

 

Cronenberg still makes his movies in Toronto, I think.

 

i think for a history of violence he went to alberta or something.

 

The point is, he hasn't gone Hollywood.

 

is that good or bad?

 

Controversial Claim 1: Cronenberg is one of the five greatest living and working directors.

Controversial Claim 2: VIDEODROME is one of the three greatest films of the 1980s.

Controversial Claim 3: Despite not being an American, Cronenberg understands America better than contemporaries like Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese.

 

To this day, when someone says they just say the movie Crash I always think they're talking about the Cronnenberg one and not the new one from last year, haha.

 

Me, too, actually. It's a better movie, too.

 

and it's fun when you get to describe the cronenberg movie. never fails to shock

 

Cronenberg's work is very variable, but dull he's not.

 

The only Cronenberg I've seen is Spider. It was, umm, not my cup of tea.

-Paul

 

From Wired.com: An Interview with David Cronenberg

 

I'm with Rogue, the Fly and the Dead Zone, wow, sensational movies.

I especially like that line in Dead Zone:

THE ICE IS GONNA BREAK!

One of Christopher Walken's best performances.

Interesting combo, I liked Cronenberg + Stephen King


I believe Mel Brooks Executive Produced The Fly for Cronenberg, and it's one of the best sci-fi films of the 80s. YMMV.

Originally, by the way, The Fly was going to be directed by Tim Burton, according to the Fly's wikipedia page. And there's a scene in Beetlejuice where Michael Keaton is dragging away a fly screaming "help me, help me", a reference to the 1958 Fly film.

More interesting stuff on Cronenberg's the Fly:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fly_(1986_film)

 

watched 'eastern promises' last night and must say i was impressed especially with the wrestling scene

 

There are three in-development projects for Cronenberg on Wiki: "The Talking Cure", "The Sea, The Sea", and "The Maps of Stars"

 

As long as Cronenberg can attract talent like Viggo Mortensen to his projects, he'll always be able to get financing for his films. Actors love working with him. For me, his films are hit and miss, but they're all interesting and the one's I like, I REALLY like. We need more individual voices like Cronenberg in filmmaking, and less cookie cutter guys like Brett Ratner.

 

An odd turn of events: Juno, a film directed by a Canadian with Canadian actors and crew, shot in Canada, is not eligible for the Canadian Genie awards.

Cronenberg's Eastern Promises, shot in England with a British crew, British cast, and featuring a story about Russian gangsters, is eligible.

 

"Aaron Woodley All Set To Slay Monsters.

21 August 2008 4:09 PM, PDT | From TwitchFilm.net | See recent Twitch news

While I?m not entirely certain what the status of Aaron Woodley?s Drone - the film being produced by Woodley?s famous uncle, David Cronenberg - is, I do know this: Woodley is one very busy man. Tennessee has wrapped up, the Toronto Stories anthology project is complete and ready to premiere at this year?s Toronto International Film Festival and he?s already got another feature in development: League of Monster Slayers. Wondering where all the Goonies have gone? Missing the Monster Squad? It looks like Woodley is preparing to scratch that particular itch:

Orphaned twin siblings Lilly (10) and Sebastian (10), live at their wealthy uncle - Mr. Blackburn?s estate. The castle-like house is run by the cold and stern cook, Mrs. Kind (60), the odd groundskeeper Samuel (50?s), and mysterious, mute maid Camille (60s). The orphans are alone, all their previous nannies have quit, exhausted by the children?s overactive imaginations..."


That sounds a lot like every other fantasy story...

 

N. Y. Times article on David Cronenberg

 

Since I posted here last, I saw History of Violence which was astounding and every time I see Viggo in a movie, I wonder again why the hell it took him so long to break out the way he has since LOTR. His performance is just mindblowing; the confrontation with Harris and his two goons in front of the house is just Oscar worthy, the way he just stops being Tom and starts being Joey with one little gesture.

And, of course, that incredible opening scene of the killers leaving the hotel is just the kind of thing that only a genius and master could pull off; what an opening.

 

I need to see this, obviously.

 

You will, I think, love it.