On this day, February 4, 1983, David Cronenberg’s sci-fi horror film Videodrome premiered in theaters. Starring James Woods, Sonja Smits, and Debbie Harry (of Blondie), the film blended psychological horror with surreal, body-horror elements, making it one of the most unique and disturbing films of the decade.
The film follows Max Renn, a television executive who stumbles upon a mysterious broadcast called Videodrome, which appears to manipulate the minds of its viewers. As he delves deeper, reality and hallucination begin to blur in unsettling ways.
Despite its groundbreaking special effects and thought-provoking themes about media consumption, Videodrome was a box office failure, grossing only $2.1 million against a $5.9 million budget. However, it has since gained a massive cult following and is now regarded as one of Cronenberg’s most visionary films.
Fun fact: Director David Cronenberg based Videodrome on real-life instances of pirate television broadcasts and was inspired by the growing influence of home video in the early 80s.
Trivia question: Which other 1986 David Cronenberg film is considered a classic of body horror and starred Jeff Goldblum?
The film follows Max Renn, a television executive who stumbles upon a mysterious broadcast called Videodrome, which appears to manipulate the minds of its viewers. As he delves deeper, reality and hallucination begin to blur in unsettling ways.
Despite its groundbreaking special effects and thought-provoking themes about media consumption, Videodrome was a box office failure, grossing only $2.1 million against a $5.9 million budget. However, it has since gained a massive cult following and is now regarded as one of Cronenberg’s most visionary films.
Fun fact: Director David Cronenberg based Videodrome on real-life instances of pirate television broadcasts and was inspired by the growing influence of home video in the early 80s.
Trivia question: Which other 1986 David Cronenberg film is considered a classic of body horror and starred Jeff Goldblum?
