The 80’s were a blur. So many horror films, so little time. Coming off the heels of a HOT 1985 run of horror movies, David Cronenberg’s The Fly demonstrates that the success of John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) wasn’t an anomaly and that films can be remade into new age classics. This remake is remarkable in a multitude of ways, but it most importantly manages to channel pure essence of the original work while exploring the dark fringes of the source material. What makes Cronenberg’s film so wonderful is that the dark fringes are where the true horror of this tale hides.
The horror of being hybridized with a fly isn’t the six-legged conclusion, but rather the journey in between. Rather than focus on the fact that a man became a fly, Cronenberg digs into the horror of a man slowly transforming, organ by organ, cell by cell, into an insect. If I haven’t shown my cards already, this approach is freaking brilliant.
From André Delambre to Seth Brundle
While famous for body horror, David Cronenberg is also a master of using science fiction as a catalyst for horror. Cronenberg elevated the art of science fiction to an extreme form of psycho-visual artistry.
The Fly, 1958 or 1986, both tackle the idea that matter can be broken down its component parts, and reconstructed remotely. In an interesting twist, these machines are fantastic gene splicers.
When Kurt Neumann directed his 1958 original, the secrets of DNA had only been revealed 5 years before. It would be decades before the real significance of genetic mutation would be understood. Likewise, Neumann’s version followed a tried and true model of flash-cut mutation from man into insect. Hist character, André Delambre emerge from his human fly splicing debacle both immediately and complete.
With the benefit of decades of hard science, David Cronenberg had the opportunity to dissect the reality of gene splicing gone wrong. His epiphany came when he realized that this change would not occur immediately, but rather a long and protracted biological disintegrations of humanity. This revelation makes all of the difference. The horror of having your genes spliced with that of an insect is that it gives you a disease – “A disease with a purpose”.
Jeff F’n Goldblum
I never would have expected it, but the casting of Jeff Goldblum as the brilliant, yet eccentric, scientist Seth Brundle proves to be one of Cronenberg’s most brilliant moves. Just one year prior Goldblum starred in the zany, but mostly eye-rolling horror comedy Transylvania 6-5000. Goldblum showed some propensity for dark comedy, but nothing that would indicate that the heights he would ascend with The Fly (1986). Goldblum’s meticulous performance as man transitioning into Brundlefly absolutely shines.
As Brundle slowly transmutates into a man/fly hybrid, Goldblum’s behavior ever so slightly becomes more twitchy and insect like. All the while, he retains the initial charm of his former self. His portrayal of the psychological and physical descent into monstrosity is as nuanced as it is chilling. Brundle decays as his humanity dissolves but also grows stronger as his inner fly begins to take over. Cronenberg’s unique take on the story embraced Goldblum’s idiosyncrasies as they aligned perfectly with this vision for the film.
Trouble in Paradise
Despite Goldblum’s strengths, his counterpart Geena Davis, playing Veronica Quaife, struggles mightily to supercharge her romance with Brundle. The script says all the right things, but Geena fails to utter the words with the emotional depth required to make her love feel real. Fortunately, Goldblum’s character arc provides enough depth to overcome Davis’ mechanical performance. Fortunately, I have heard it whispered in the industry that nothing compensates for a blasé performance like giving birth to a two-foot long maggot.
For posterity’s sake, Stan Getz portrayal as the slimy editor and former love interest of Veronica, Stathis Borans, deserves mention.
Next-Level Body Horror
David Cronenberg’s use of practical effects in The Fly stands as a testament to the power of the craft in cinema. The film’s groundbreaking achievements in makeup and prosthetics, brought to life by Chris Walas and Stephan Dupuis, earned them an Academy Award for Best Makeup and confirmation of the visceral and tangible quality of practical effects in horror. The pinnacle of this presentation makes itself known when Brundle mistakenly splices himself with the teleportation pod. The techno-organic misery of Brundle is almost too beautiful to behold.
These effects not only provided a horrifyingly genuine backdrop for Jeff Goldblum’s portrayal of Brundle’s transformation but also rooted his performance in a macabre reality.
A hallmark of Cronenberg’s distinctive exploration of body horror, the physical and grotesque metamorphosis depicted in The Fly set a standard for subsequent horror films. The practical effects in conjunction with Cronenberg’s depravity continues to resonate with audiences even today. The Fly remains an enduring tribute to the craft of practical effects on par with the Rob Bottin’s incredible work on The Thing (1982).
David Cronenberg’s and the Legacy of The Fly
For horror fans, David Cronenberg had long since become a household name in the horror genre. With the releases of genre classics like Videodrome (1983), Scanners (1981) and The Brood (1979), Cronenberg gained notoriety in the blood and guts business. What changed for Cronenberg with the release of The Fly is the respect that he received from mainstream cinema.
The Fly, is certain to be one of the more controversial films of the year. But as slimy and as grotesque as some of its special effects become, The Fly is a far superior horror film to the top-grossing film in America of late, “Aliens.”
Whereas Aliens simply throws alien, spindly creatures at Sigourney Weaver for two hours, David Cronenberg’s adaptation of The Fly is more appealing because its creature is part human. Thus — as with a Frankenstein’s monster, a classic vampire or a Mr. Hyde — we can empathize with the “monster” rather than merely fear it.
— Gene Siskel, The Chicago Tribune
I’d like to remind Gene that he can expound on the greatness of The Fly without taking a shot at Aliens (1986), but this is a rather remarkable accolade from someone that often walks away from horror shaking his head.
David Cronenberg’s The Fly transcended the many of the boundaries set by the horror films of the time. It’s innovations elevated the film from a simple atomic-age sci-fi horror trope to the heights of thought provoking emotional drama… All while marching to the cringe inducing tone of Cronenberg’s sickening body horror. It spawned a much maligned, but generally underrated sequel, The Fly 2, in 1989 and eventual comic book series on the IDW imprint in the 2010’s.
The Fly is an all time classic and great 80’s alternative to the slashers that dominated the era.
David Cronenberg's The Fly (1986) Retrospective - A Brilliant Testament to Body Horror - Malevolentdark
Director: David Cronenberg
Date Created: 1970-01-01 00:33
5
One Response
Awesome retrospective of one of the few movies that stunned me as a teenager.