MovieMonday.com - Videodrome with James Woods, Deborah Harry, Sonja Smits, Peter Dvorsky, Les Carlson, Jack Creley

Techno Films

Videodrome (B-)

STARS...
James Woods, Deborah Harry, Sonja Smits, Peter Dvorsky, Les Carlson, and Jack Creley.

PLOT SUMMARY...
A sensationalistic Cable TV president tries to find the source of a bizarre and kinky Cable TV transmission.

QUICK SCAN...
This film brings to mind, "Scanners". VIDEODROME features action, FX, and gore. James Wood is credible as the intense, and somewhat strange, cable TV guy. Deborah Harry, formerly of the rock group, "Blondie", is both sexy and disturbing, as a woman Woods becomes involved with. The FX in this film are strange, gory, and memorable.

DIRECTOR: David Cronenberg
YEAR & RATING: 1983 (R)

BEST BETS:

Megaville

Brainstorm

SYNOPSIS...
The president of cable Channel 83 is always looking for new programming. One night, his technician intercepts a strange satellite transmission, involving torture and murder.

The cable president attempts to track down those responsible for the program, called Videodrome. He eventually discovers that the Videdrome transmissions cause a tumor to grow in your head, which creates hallucinations.

Under the power of Videodrome, the cable president shoots his two business partners. In an abandoned ship at the harbor, the president shoots and kills himself.

Review:

Writer/Director David Cronenberg's, ("Naked Lunch"), VIDEODROME is an initially intriguing, but ultimately unsatisfying Sci-Fi head trip.

James Woods ("The Promise", "The Specialist") is Max, the President of cable channel 83. As the operator of a fringe-type channel, Max is always looking for something new and unusual for his viewers. As Max/Woods puts it, "I'm looking for something that will break through. Something... different."

When his techie buddy, Harlan, briefly unscrambles a satellite signal from Malaysia, featuring torture, mutilation, and death, Woods likes what he sees. Little does he realize he's being "set up" in a very elaborate fashion.

Fans of Deborah Harry ("Hairspray") formerly of the rock group, "Blondie", may enjoy seeing her semi-nude in several scenes. Scenes of Woods piercing her ear, and Harry putting out a lit cigarette on her chest, may be a turn off, depending on viewer taste and inclination.

Cronenberg's Screenplay features some fun dialogue. After viewing some Asian soft core porn, Wood's two partners have the following exchange: Guy#1, "Not tacky enough." Guy #2, "Not tacky enough for what?" Guy #1, "Not tacky enough to turn me on."

Director of Photography, Mark Irwin, does good work here. He's particularly effective lensing the film's stark, overcast, Toronto locations.

Rick Baker received credit for Designing and Creating "Special Make Up" for the film. Involving things like gaping chest wounds and a gun that attaches itself to Wood's hand and arm with metal, flesh piercing spikes, the results are more gory than they are convincing.

The film's original Music, by Howard Shore, is moody and full of a sense of impending doom. It's the appropriate background Score for a nightmare.

VIDEODROME may be slightly watchable for some Sci-Fi viewers. Fans of Cronenberg's "Scanners" and "The Fly" will most likely be disappointed. VIDEODROME is a video bore!

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Videodrome (B-)
	STARS... James Woods, Deborah Harry, Sonja Smits, Peter Dvorsky, Les Carlson, and Jack Creley. PLOT SUMMARY... A sensationalistic Cable TV president tries to find the source of a bizarre and kinky Cable TV transmission. QUICK SCAN... This film brings to mind, "Scanners". VIDEODROME features action, FX, and gore. James Wood is credible as the intense, and somewhat strange, cable TV guy. Deborah Harry, formerly of the rock group, "Blondie", is both sexy and disturbing, as a woman Woods becomes involved with. The FX in this film are strange, gory, and memorable.
DIRECTOR: David Cronenberg YEAR & RATING: 1983 (R) BEST BETS: Megaville Brainstorm	SYNOPSIS... The president of cable Channel 83 is always looking for new programming. One night, his technician intercepts a strange satellite transmission, involving torture and murder. The cable president attempts to track down those responsible for the program, called Videodrome. He eventually discovers that the Videdrome transmissions cause a tumor to grow in your head, which creates hallucinations. Under the power of Videodrome, the cable president shoots his two business partners. In an abandoned ship at the harbor, the president shoots and kills himself.
Review: Writer/Director David Cronenberg's, ("Naked Lunch"), VIDEODROME is an initially intriguing, but ultimately unsatisfying Sci-Fi head trip. James Woods ("The Promise", "The Specialist") is Max, the President of cable channel 83. As the operator of a fringe-type channel, Max is always looking for something new and unusual for his viewers. As Max/Woods puts it, "I'm looking for something that will break through. Something... different." When his techie buddy, Harlan, briefly unscrambles a satellite signal from Malaysia, featuring torture, mutilation, and death, Woods likes what he sees. Little does he realize he's being "set up" in a very elaborate fashion. Fans of Deborah Harry ("Hairspray") formerly of the rock group, "Blondie", may enjoy seeing her semi-nude in several scenes. Scenes of Woods piercing her ear, and Harry putting out a lit cigarette on her chest, may be a turn off, depending on viewer taste and inclination. Cronenberg's Screenplay features some fun dialogue. After viewing some Asian soft core porn, Wood's two partners have the following exchange: Guy#1, "Not tacky enough." Guy #2, "Not tacky enough for what?" Guy #1, "Not tacky enough to turn me on." Director of Photography, Mark Irwin, does good work here. He's particularly effective lensing the film's stark, overcast, Toronto locations. Rick Baker received credit for Designing and Creating "Special Make Up" for the film. Involving things like gaping chest wounds and a gun that attaches itself to Wood's hand and arm with metal, flesh piercing spikes, the results are more gory than they are convincing. The film's original Music, by Howard Shore, is moody and full of a sense of impending doom. It's the appropriate background Score for a nightmare. VIDEODROME may be slightly watchable for some Sci-Fi viewers. Fans of Cronenberg's "Scanners" and "The Fly" will most likely be disappointed. VIDEODROME is a video bore!