#lesliecarlson

[spacelordmf]

Videodrome

[doomonfilm]

Screenings : Videodrome (1983)

Long live Alamo Drafthouse for providing us with a nonstop stream of new movies, classics, and special screenings for movie lovers all around.  In honor of October and Halloween, Alamo has programmed a nice selection of shocking films for us, and there was no way I was going to pass on an opportunity to see Videodrome on the big screen.

Max (James Woods) runs UHF station CIVIC-TV out of Toronto, and he is constantly on the lookout for programming that pushes the boundaries of sex, violence and intrigue in hopes of gaining a wider viewership.  Despite his controversial programming, Max finds himself stuck in a creative rut in hopes of discovering programming that will truly test the limits of popular shock programming.  He entertains offers from sources as diverse as a Japanese salesman (David Tsubouchi) to his trusted longtime source Masha (Lynne Gorman), but the only thing that remotely intrigues him is Videodrome, a pirate signal bounced through Malaysia, sourced in Pittsburgh, and discovered by pirate video tech Harlan (Peter Dvorsky) via his powerful satellite equipment.  Fascinated by the rawness of Videodrome, Max decides to find the source of the signal, whomever or whatever it may be.  Meanwhile, during a television appearance he meets the enigmatic Brian O’Blivion (Jack Creley) and radio personality Nicki (Deborah Harry), the latter of whom gives in to his persistence and decides to see him.  While spending one night together, Nicki stumbles across the Videodrome footage, which excites her, leading to kinkiness between Max and Nicki.  By the time the two meet again, Nicki has decided she is headed for Pittsburgh to audition for Videodrome, an idea that bothers Max to no end.  Through a bit of detective work, Max discovers that Brian O’Blivion and his daughter Bianca (Sonja Smits) are behind Videodrome, but the discovery leads him into a journey of horror and transformations with implications that could rock both Max and the world at large.

Rather than having a standard protagonist to wrap the story around, Cronenberg instead opts for an antihero with questionable morals, thus providing a disconnect between the audience and the main character.  He pushes filth on the masses with no thought of the repercussions simply because he knows they will indulge, and the turn of dragging him beneath the depths of this filth is what keeps us motivated as viewers to watch his descent.  Max wishes for media that pushes boundaries, gets exactly what he wishes for, and pays the ultimate price for it by way of his life.  As Brian O’Blivion states throughout the film, the television causes symbolic and literal changes in those who use it, which in turn creates an instrument of destruction out of Max due to his involvement and investment in the medium.

As an allegory, the focus on the fixation and fascination that surrounds television works well within the narrative framework.  TV, in Videodrome, serves as the perfect symbol for the collective consciousness, with it being used for monetary gain and (more so) power on both the input and output levels.  In terms of Max’s perception, the television’s seductive qualities are played heavily upon, constantly promising things that seem impossible what catering unabashedly and unashamedly to our base urges.  The Max narrative also stands as a metaphor for how investing too much of one’s self into the medium of television can alter and skew our perception of reality, sometimes in ways that cannot be corrected, with Max’s changes cleverly presented as jarring, surreal hallucinations.

The Rick Baker special effects deserve equal billing with the stellar cast, as his practical effect magic, monster-making ability and top-notch makeup effects shine brighter and brighter with each passing sequence.  Bland, mostly modern production design in the real world is used to great effect to offset the rich design of the videos Max obsesses over.  Many of the videos looks like real life depictions of what would now be considered a vaporwave aesthetic, a real testament to the production prowess of this particular film.

James Woods embodies a passionate, curious mentality that has no clue about the scale of the mystery they’ve undertaken, but is wholly invested in getting to the bottom of it, no matter the outcome.  Deborah Harry makes the danger enticing, emitting a mysterious, foundationless sex appeal before immediately displaying a magnetic attraction to Videodrome.  Peter Dvorsky’s ‘best friend’ nature perfectly sets up his eventual deception down the road.  Lynne Gorman and her motherly concern for James Woods translates well, and plays into our reaction to her eventual victimhood.  Leslie Carlson’s slick, dealer-like nature makes the descent into Videodrome enticing, and works well against Sonja Smits and her slow release of information to Woods.  Jack Creley and his talking head role are perfect for the dissemination of philosophy and morally high ground musings about television.

Videodrome has always been a grotesque and guilty pleasure, both in terms of regular watches and watches with DJ sets to accompany them.  The film has not only stood up to the test of time, but it seems to become more and more relevant as the number of mediums that allow us to take it content grows and grows.

[jamest541975]

HALLOWEEN-A-THON 2020 Video 104: STEPHEN KING'S THE DEAD ZONE #halloweenathon #halloweenathon2020 @stephenkingofficialpage #stephenkingsthedeadzone #thedeadzone @officialchristopherwalken @therealtomskerritt @realbrookeadams #martinsheen #herbertlom #anthonyzerbe #nicholascampbell #colleendewhurst #gezakovacs #jackieburroughs #seansullivan #simoncraig #kenpogue #robertaweiss #barryflatman #peterdvorsky #heleneudy #lesliecarlson #rogerdunn #chapellejaffe #hardeetlineham #cindyhinds #ramonestevez #johnkoensgen #williambdavis https://www.instagram.com/p/CFRctaeFDtP/?igshid=oqxpsu3t74eq

[awesomebeasy]

Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid. Though the original had #VincentPrice, this one had the #specialeffects to do the #transformation/#fusion justice. #horror. #scifi. while experimenting with #MatterTransportation #JeffGoldblum's #SethBrundle overlooks one thing, the common fly. after running a test alone, without (#GeenaDavis') #VeronicaQuaife's help, much to both their horror, he starts to change. And Change he does! oh man! the "fusion" in the original and it's sequels were slightly funny and/or goofy, while this fusion was #Horrific, but soo good! also, hello young, shirtless Jeff Goldblum - i can see why my mom likes you 😉. #JohnGetz #DavidCronenberg #GeorgeChuvalo #LeslieCarlson #JoyBoushel #ssmovieof2014 writer(s): #GeorgeLangelaan (short story) #CharlesEdwardPogue, David Cronenberg (screenplay) director(s): David Cronenberg movie of 2014 number 6) #TheFly

[jamest541975]

HOLIDAY-A-THON 2019 VIDEO 14: BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974) #holidayathon2019 #blackchristmas #margotkidder #oliviahussey #andreamartin #keirdullea #johnsaxon #marianwaldman #arthindle #lynnegriffin #dougmcgrath #lesliecarlson #jackvanevera #bobclark https://www.instagram.com/p/B6FpaaNl7Q_/?igshid=19miz2r0qzq8u

[jamest541975]

HOLIDAY-A-THON 2021 Video 2: THE LAST DRIVE-IN WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS - JOE BOB'S RED CHRISTMAS - BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974) #holidayathon2021 #thelastdrivein #joebobbriggs #darcythemailgirl #shudder #blackchristmas #jess #oliviahussey #peter #keirdullea #barb #margotkidder #ltkenfuller #johnsaxon #mrsmac #marianwaldman #phyl #andreamartin #mrharrison #jamesedmond #sergeantnash #dougmcgrath #chrishayden #arthindle #clareharrison #lynnegriffin #patrick #michaelrapport #graham #lesliecarlson https://www.instagram.com/p/CVwBCmQv_uR/?utm_medium=tumblr

[jamest541975]

HOLIDAY-A-THON 2019 VIDEO 11: A CHRISTMAS STORY (1983) #holidayathon2019 #achristmasstory #bobclark #melindadillon #darrenmcgavin #peterbillingsley #ralphy #ianpetrella #scottschwartz #rdrobb #teddemoore #missshields #yanoanaya #groverdill #zackward #scutfarkus #jeffgillen #santaclaus #colinrfox #paulhubbard #lesliecarlson #pattyjohnson #renedupont #leighbrown #jeanshepherd https://www.instagram.com/p/B55yRnyF40b/?igshid=1rrt055m447t0