This is one of those movies I've been meaning to see for years and years, but I somehow never got around to it. When I was a kid seeing the cover in the video stores, my mom hated this movie and called it "porn." This really only made me want to see the movie more, though, especially after I saw and loved so many other David Cronenberg movies ("Shivers" and "The Brood" are my favorites). Over the years it's become more and more embarrassing that I've never seen this movie, even moreso since I watch 100 or more horror movies every October and I've STILL never seen this movie. For shame. Well, the wait is finally over! I'm watching this movie today. I hope it lives up to its hype.
Hype is no joke, especially with a movie like this that people talk about so often, but I tend to like David Cronenberg, like I said, so I'm hopeful. This movie is about Max Renn, a TV exec whose channel specializes in porn, both softcore and hardcore sex and violence, anything that will turn viewers on and make a buck. He's always looking for new, shocking material, and when he stumbles on an underground show called "Videodrome," a show that features torture and murder, he decides to track it down to obtain the rights for his network. The deeper he gets into the show however, the more it seems to take over his mind and eventually his body.
Leave it to David Cronenberg to make a sleazy movie about how sleazy movies and shows can be dangerous for the people who watch them. I can see why my mom would consider this movie porn, since there's lots of sex and violence and sexual violence (the lovely combination of the two!) This movie would probably have been even creepier back in the day when I could have watched it on VHS tapes. I feel bad for people who might see this movie now and not even know what a VHS tapes is.
Even though the technology featured in this movie isn't new, though, the ideas behind it are still highly relevant today. I still see plenty of studies and articles about how viewing violent imagery can rewire our brain chemistry and therefore be dangerous. I picture those authors watching this movie and freaking out. As it is, it kind of freaked me out too (especially since I'm almost to my 50th horror movie this month, so I'm definitely fucked if watching violent movies can harm you). I'm glad I finally checked this movie out. Cross that off the to-do list. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go wash my brain with bleach.
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