Directors: David Cronenberg


BIOGRAPHY (from Wikipedia)

David Cronenberg is a Canadian filmmaker, screenwriter, and actor. He is one of the principal originators of what is commonly known as the body horror or venereal horror genre. This style of filmmaking explores people’s fears of bodily transformation and infection. In his films, the psychological is typically intertwined with the physical.

In the first half of his career, he explored these themes mostly through horror and science fiction, although his work has since expanded beyond these genres. He has been called “the most audacious and challenging narrative director in the English-speaking world.

 


DIRECTOGRAPHY

Stereo (1969)
Crimes of the Future (1970)
Shivers (1975)
Rabid (1977)
Fast Company (1979)
The Brood (1979)
Scanners (1981)
Videodrome (1983)
The Dead Zone (1983)
The Fly (1986)
Dead Ringers (1988)
Naked Lunch (1991)
M. Butterfly (1993)
Crash (1996)
eXistenZ (1999)
Spider (2002)
A History of Violence (2005)
Eastern Promises (2007)
A Dangerous Method (2011)
Cosmopolis (2012)
Maps to the Stars (2014)


Reviews

PosterMovieYearCommentsRating
Videodrome 1983 Classic Cronenberg body horror. Whilst the concept and effects of the killer VHS are outdated, the film stands the test of time and delivers a pleasingly twisted vision. 7
eXistenZ 1999 An interesting take on the blurring of games and reality, with Cronenberg's using the body as both gateway and weapon. 8
A History of Violence 2005 Looks and feels very low budget and is hampered by poor acting and choreography. But it still has enough to keep the interest and tells a fine tale of the monster amongst us. 6
Cosmopolis 2012 Despite a potentially interesting premise, poor casting/acting delivers characters you don't believe in and an incredibly dull film. 4
Maps to the Stars 2014 A circular tale of the unseen Hollywood. Hard hitting satire with an amazing performance from Jullianne Moore. 8

The Verdict

DAVID CRONENBERG FILM REVIEWS
  • eXistenZ
  • Cosmopolis
  • Maps to the Stars
  • A History of Violence
  • Videodrome
3.3

Summary

We probably haven’t seen enough of his films to have formed a true judgement but, discounting Cosmopolis, I can appreciate Cronenberg’s twisted mind and am impressed at the diversity of his films despite a seemingly restrictive genre.


DIRECTORS LEAGUE

This page will be updated as I watch more David Cronenberg films and therefore his overall rating will change over time. You can see where David sits on in the Directors League here.

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