Rate David Cronenberg's Films

Miran kor, I have seen all of his films and I hold him in high regard as director, my third favourite.. I can tell you appreciate cinema from your list of favourite directors, therefore it is essential you see al of this mans work. A true great.

Stereo (1969) 6
Stereo to me is a very original and intellectual work of cinema. My critique of it is that the scientific language was spoilt on me and in parts did not have enough going on in the images to permeate the silence.

Crimes of the Future (1970) 7
This builds on the achievements of Stereo and refines it. Crimes of the Future is a stronger more complete film. Equally experimental and original with more of a storyline and you find your mind wandering less through this one.

Shivers (1975) 9
One of my favourite debut films of all time and I am sure in years to come will be remembered more fondly than it was upon it's release. Shivers is a brilliant critique of our consumer society and it's mind numbing qualities.

Rabid (1977) 7
A slight backtrack from the excellent achievement of Shivers, it is still a very good film but does not recover from a weak first half. The second half of the film is a large improvement drawing comparisons with the great Invasion of the Body Snatchers and nearly reaching the heights of Shivers. Marilyn Chambers in her first straight role is excellent.

Fast Company (1979) 7
Fast Company is what it is: a highly entertaining b-movie about drag racing. It does not beat about the bush pretending to be anything else. Quite similar in content to the great George Roy Hill film Slap Shot. Although Fast Company is not as good as this film it is certainly a very likeable enjoyable film which a felt a real connection with.

The Brood (1979) 9
At this point this was Cronenberg's strongest film. A really horrifying and accomplished film with a very good performance from Art Hindle. The films infact has strong performances all round.

Scanners (1981) 7
This was to me a slightly weaker picture in comparision with his previous similar films. It has it's moments and will be remembered for the iconic head explosion scene but for me this film was definitely not excellent as some have claimed.

Videodrome (1983) 10
The masterpiece of Cronenberg's work. This is the one that is most original, most surreal, most ambiguous and most intelligent. It is undoubtedly one of the greatest critiques of society the cinema has ever seen. Infact it's relevance may have increased with age due to the media's greater intrusion on our minds in our times.

The Dead Zone (1983) 9
This film surprised me completely. To me this was a great film. A brilliant picture with an outstanding performance from Christopher Walken and a storyline which was always complex and constantly evolving. The film has a surprising number of likeable characters aswell.

The Fly (1986) 7
The Fly was for me a very good film. However it was nothing more. A very very terrifiying film which featured both a beautiful and twisted love between Goldblum's Brundle and Davis' Veronica. I may rewatch this and like it more but for me it is only a seven.

Dead Ringers (1988) 10
For me it is very hard to award Videodrome the title of masterpiece as it is only just deserved. That is because of Dead Ringers. A visual and emotional triumph. One of the greatest films ever made and certainly one of the greatest performances ever in Irons' dual role.

Naked Lunch (1991) 9
A truly great picture. Up there with previous surrealist effort Videodrome as being a truly mind altering experience. Weller's performance is a joy to behold aswell as the truly brilliant screenplay which was to me the perfect and only way that Burrough's classic could be realised on the screen,

M. Butterfly (1993) 9
Cronenberg's most underated film. Irons once again is fantastic as Cronenberg's protagonist. This films is incredibly complex and explores issues such as sexuality and imperialism. Cronenberg is an incredibly intelligent man which is typified in this film where he shows the brutality of the Capitalist west and State-Capitalist China in equal measures.

Crash (1996) 10
This film is truly incredible. One of the most original, twisted and beautiful films ever made. The film seeks to uncover what lies beneath our sexual compulsions and asks why we are turned on by some things hwilst being turned off by other things.

eXistenZ (1999) 9
I honestly did not expect this film to impress me so it was all the more a brillaint viewing experience when eXistenZ turned out to be an excellent picture. In some ways it can be described as the modern day version of Videodrome what with the melding of reality with fantasy to create the ambiguity achieved in the 1983 film. The ending is brilliant aswell.

Spider (2002) 10
A magnificent masterpiece of Cronenberg's modern ouevre. Ralph Fiennes usually annoys me but here he gave a fantastic performance. The film is so tragic and real and at the same time is beautifully shot with images of London in a time gone by.

A History of Violence (2005) 9
Many have been critics of Cronenberg's newest period of work but I have embraced his evolution completely. Each of his films has it's own merits due to the underlying metaphors and intelligence of each of his films. This one is no different questioning existence and identity and being a truly excellent picture with a most memorable sex scene.

Eastern Promises (2007) 9
Cronenberg's latest picture could be described as his least familiar picture but there are still remnants of the Cronenberg of old here in Eastern Promises what with the tattoo's of the russian mobmen. Viggo Mortensen once again shines here as does Naomi Watts.

Cronenberg Top Ten
Videodrome (1983)
Dead Ringers (1988)
Crash (1996)
Spider (2002)
Naked Lunch (1991)
eXistenZ (1999)
M. Butterfly (1993)
A History of Violence (2005)
The Dead Zone (1983)
Shivers (1975)
The Brood (1979)


"My rule of thumb is, what Siskel and Ebert like, I don't, and vice versa." David Lynch

Eastern Promises (2007) 7/10
A History of Violence (2005) 8/10
Spider (2002) 8/10
eXistenZ (1999) 6/10
Crash (1996) 8/10
M. Butterfly (1993) N/S
Naked Lunch (1991) 8/10
Dead Ringers (1988) 6/10
The Fly (1986) 7/10
The Dead Zone (1983) 6/10
Videodrome (1983) 8/10
Scanners (1981) N/S
The Brood (1979) N/S
Fast Company (1979) N/S
Rabid (1977) N/S
Shivers (1975) N/S
Crimes of the Future (1970) N/S
Stereo (1969) N/S

favorite
least favorite

Ranked list
also available here: http://mubi.com/lists/7414

*
01
The Dead Zone
David Cronenberg
*
02
A History of Violence
David Cronenberg
*
03
Videodrome
David Cronenberg
*
04
Scanners
David Cronenberg
*
05
The Fly
David Cronenberg
*
06
The Brood
David Cronenberg
*
07
Shivers
David Cronenberg
*
08
Eastern Promises
David Cronenberg
*
09
Spider
David Cronenberg
*
10
Dead Ringers
David Cronenberg
*
11
eXistenZ
David Cronenberg
*
12
Rabid
David Cronenberg
*
13
Naked Lunch
David Cronenberg
*
14
Crash
David Cronenberg


http://www.cinemabecomesher.com/
http://themovielovers.forumcircle.com/

A History of Violence 3/10
eXistenZ 7/10 (bad acting, but a guilty pleasure)
Crash 6/10
Naked Lunch 6/10
The Fly 6/10
Scanners 5/10

I don't like this guy much and couldn't be bothered to watch the rest of his films. :(



~ Observe, and act with clarity. ~

1-Videodrome 10/10
2-The Fly 10/10
3-The Dead Zone 10/10
4-Shivers 10/10
5-M Butterfly 10/10
6-Spider 10/10
7-Dead Ringers 10/10
8-Scanners 10/10
9-eXistenZ 9/10
10-The Brood 9/10
11-A History of Violence 8/10
12-Rabid 7/10
13-Cosmopolis 7/10
14-Naked Lunch 7/10
15-Crash 5/10
16-Eastern Promises 5/10
17-A Dangerous Method 4/10

Eastern Promises 8/10
A History of Violence 9/10
Spider 8.5/10
eXistenZ 8/10
Crash 9/10
M. Butterfly 7/10
Naked Lunch 9/10
Dead Ringers 9/10
The Fly 8.5/10
The Dead Zone 8/10
Videodrome 10/10
Scanners 8/10
The Brood 7/10
Rabid 7/10


-Miles

[deleted]

Out of four stars:

****
Crash (1996)

***½
Eastern Promises (2007)
Spider (2002)
Videodrome (1983)
A History of Violence (2005)

***
The Dead Zone (1983)
The Fly (1986)
The Brood (1979)
Naked Lunch (1991)

**½
Dead Ringers (1988)
Shivers (1975)
Rabid (1977)
Crimes of the Future (1970)

**
Scanners (1981)
eXistenZ (1999)
M. Butterfly (1993)