A scientist invents a teleportation device that causes him
to accidentally splice his DNA with that of a common housefly. HORROR/SCI-FI
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The Fly (1986)Directed by David Cronenberg
Written by Charles Edward Pogue and David Cronenberg Starring Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz Remake of 1958's The Fly Based on the short story by George Langelaan Oscar Wins - Best Makeup |
The Fly is grotesque body horror at its very best and director David Cronenberg's masterpiece. It's one of the few horror remakes that surpasses the original, taking a goofy established premise and going as horrifically far as you can with it. Led by an impressively dark and out of the box performance by Jeff Goldblum, The Fly has become synonymous with Cronenberg's trademark grisly makeup effects and social commentary, in this case the darkest side of disease. If you haven't seen it, be warned. It's a wild, sick, twisted, brilliant ride. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Goldblum plays charming scientist Seth Brundle, who has successfully invented teleportation. He romances journalist Veronica Quaife (Davis), who records his journey as he tries to make the machine recognize organic matter and stop turning monkeys inside out. One night, when Veronica goes out to confront her ex-boyfriend and editor (Getz), Seth gets drunk and jealous, and decides to test out the machine himself. What he doesn't realize is that a fly has gotten in the pod with him, and the teleportation combines their DNA and turns him into Brundlefly. The slow and freakish transformation is made all the more terrifying by Goldblum's performance, as he goes from cool and collected to monstrous and psychotic. The Fly excels in its makeup and visual effects. It still looks incredible thanks to the practicality of creating Brundlefly. The final creature still gives me the creeps, but the journey there is just fantastic. The maggot birth dream sequence, the peeling off of the fingernails, the collapsing teeth, all of it is absolutely disgusting and pure Cronenberg brilliance. |