The Cronenberg Thread

I know, I love that about him too. And I dig that he's so open about it. I just didn't entirely agree w/yr statement that there's "a more general obsession with bodies in general, and how squicky they are, and how they break down." I mean, there is for sure, but maybe the gyno thing hits home for me bcz, you know, sitting in those stirrups can be scary enough without fearing you're going to get experimental treatment with some silver Geiger pterodactyl leg or explode with sacs that grow clowns of creepy Canadian boys.

(It's something I've always noticed due to the "AAAGH!" factor rather than the gender politics.)

He would be honored to hear you say that. :)

Ok, so he's creepy. Creepy R People Too.

I sure love that man.

Have you seen Shivers, kenan? It's my favorite one.

I finally did, just a few months ago.

I still like Naked Lunch better.

So. . . Eastern Promises.

I was simultaneously excited and uh oh about this one from the previews (excited cuz it's new Cronenberg and uh oh cuz it looks like it might suck) and apparently it's written by the guy who did the awesome Dirty Pretty Things and it's getting really good reviews.

I heard one review describe this as a less weird Inland Empire haha!

Whoa, when is it released? WANT TO SEE.

I saw Videodrome for the first time the other night....holy wow.

Oh, sorry, I can do my own homework. IT will be released two Fridays from now. I'll scribble that into my day planner or something.

I see that it will be release this coming Friday, where do you see two?

Oh wait SELECT THEATERS nevermind.

My theater is far from select, but it is quite close to a Cik•Fil•A.

the early revies says it's excellent.
something in between the godfather and inland empire...
sounds tasty..

naked knife fight, hooray

I'm pretty sure no amount of good reviews from people I trust will be enough to convince me this won't suck.

I R EXCITED

"I'm pretty sure no amount of good reviews from people I trust will be enough to convince me this won't suck."

Yeah I'm sure it won't be as good as Black Dahlia.

hey, Eric didn't even like BD much.

At least this figures to be less pretentious than History of Violence. I hope.

Haha I thought he said it was the most exciting movie he saw last year. Maybe I'm misremembering.

there was some good stuff in BD but I spent more time laughing at it than genuinely enjoying it

(xp) Yes. I was underwhelmed with Dahlia.

I might have said something about it being the not-worst movie I saw last year, which may have understandably led to confusions.

(btw Redacted isn't out til December)

Ebert gives Eastern Promises four of four stars

What was pretentious about A History of Violence? I'm not arguing that it wasn't, just asking.

It didn't even start with the mesopotamians. Some history.

j, we had a whole thread on it! My problem: B movie as a Grand Statement.

At least this figures to be less pretentious than History of Violence. I hope.

It's less pretentious, but the stakes are also much lower. It's the slightest (formally, narratively and idea-wise) Cronenberg I've seen.

Haha have you seen Fast Company?

I couldn't finish the Hoberman review, it seems like the more he praises Cronenberg (he again calls him the best North American filmmaker of his generation), the fewer ideas he has about him.

Haha, no. Nothing older than The Brood, so I guess that could explain my response.

x-post

Yeah, it was more interesting back in the day, the reviews, when his movies were cold and schlubby and no one liked them.

I want to get the Criterion Videodrome, are the extras good?

"him the best North American filmmaker of his generation"

thats easy: no competition,except david lynch

See, no one said that after SCANNERS, at which point I think he'd made a half-dozen movies.

Lol @ Lynch and Cronenberg as only major North American directors of the 80s and 90s.

I guess it's to read the Death of Cinema thread.

^time

My problem: B movie as a Grand Statement.

otm... he tried to squeeze way too much out of a pretty thin premise.

I still haven't seen that one.

not the only one, but waaaay above all others

"... he tried to squeeze way too much out of a pretty thin premise"

depends how you look at it.
you can also enjoy it flat, as lots of people did

I thought the movie totally worked on the level of Viggo KICKING ASS.

He showed up on Colbert last night, fwiw. Not as a guest, just as an odd cameo, in a LOTR costume. He gave Colbert a very big sword. I don't even remember the premise.

AWESOME

I thought the movie totally worked on the level of Viggo KICKING ASS.

This is true. The steam room scene is great.

slight? it can't be boringer than spider, can it?

I want to get the Criterion Videodrome, are the extras good?

-- Abbott, Friday, September 14, 2007 7:25 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link

YES

good commentary and packaging too.

so what kind of "big statement" was Cronenberg trying to make with AHOV?

the film touches on some themes beyond the gangster stuff, maybe. but i don't see that making the film pretentious.

what's wrong with a b-movie as a grand statement anyway. ffs.

I liked Eastern Promises (although a little less that AHOV--which it is much cleaner than thematically--and a lot less than Dirty Pretty Things--which it's just not as good as.) Watt, Mueller-Stahl, Cassell are all good (if at times not entirely believable in their respective Roles), but it's really all Mortensen's movie. The bathhouse fight scene is great.

i thought this thread will be more popular,now when the movie is out...does it mean i can wait for the dvd?

not the only one, but waaaay above all others

^Spielberg, trendies