There are certain people that are drawn to a movie because of reports about early screenings where audience members had to leave the theatre because the gore made them physically sick. Whether it’s an attraction to the gruesome horror films, a chance for some good jumps and frights or simply a curiosity to see what the filmmakers could have done to actually make people ill, gore can certainly boost a horror film at the box office. And that certainly was the case with David Cronenberg’s 1986 horror masterpiece The Fly, a remake of the ‘58 version which itself was based on George Langelaan’s short story. Cronenberg, however, is a filmmaker who certainly puts a lot of thought into his films, never one to simply make a gorefest, and this film certainly has more going for it. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we delve into the last Listener’s Choice episode of the year, this time with Matthew Medrano to discuss Cronenberg’s film.
We talk to Matt about why he picked this film and what he loves about it so much. We talk about our enjoyment with the film and what Cronenberg is doing here, bringing multiple genres together to craft his story. We chat about how the film came to be and what Cronenberg and his co-writer Charles Edward Pogue opted to do in updating the original film (and short story). We look at the perfect blend of Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis, a real-life couple at the time who brought amazing amounts of charisma, connection, struggle and heartbreak to the roles. We chat about the production team and the complexities they had in making all of the effects work and bringing them to life. And we look at how well this film did at the box office, surprised that only five years earlier, The Thing couldn’t draw a crowd.
It’s a great film and certainly one worth talking with. Thanks, Matt, for recommending we add it to the show! Now it’s everybody’s turn to check out the movie then tune in to the show!
Film Sundries
- Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon
- Script Transcript
- Original theatrical trailer
- Original poster artwork
- Art of the Title
- The Fly (1958) — Netflix
- Flickchart
- Letterboxd
