Cinema Shock

THE FLY (1986) | The New Flesh, Part VII

In the final episode of our series on David Cronenberg, we're wrapping up his "body horror era" with what many consider the film that defines the genre, THE FLY.
In this episode, we'll track the film's evolution from a short story to its first filmed version in 1956, and how Cronenberg got involved, eventually producing a film that would become his calling card.
Up Next: Cinema Shock Roulette
Coming Soon: The films of James Cameron
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
Visit our website for episode archives, merchandise, and more: http://cinemashock.net

THE DEAD ZONE (1983) |.The New Flesh, Part VI

In this, the penultimate episode of our series exploring the body horror films of David Cronenberg, we take a look at a film that would be one of the biggest hits of his career, a film that cemented him as a commercial filmmaker. Released in 1983, THE DEAD ZONE was one of a slew of Stephen King adaptations to come out in the late 70s and early 80s (and one of three to come out in 1983 alone).
But its journey to the big screen was a long one, with the project bouncing between several filmmaking teams before Cronenberg came into the mix. In this episode, we'll trace its production, from novel to premiere, and its enduring legacy as part of Cronenberg's filmography.
Up Next: THE FLY (1986)

VIDEODROME (1983) | The New Flesh, Part V

After SCANNERS, David Cronenberg was poised to take the horror world by storm. For his next film, he had the backing of a major studio, he had well-known actors in the lead roles, and he had an Oscar winner working on the film's special makeup effects.
That film was VIDEODROME. And while it has gone on to become one of Cronenberg's most well-loved films, on its initial release, it was a box office bomb.
In this episode, we'll track the film from its origins — very early in the director's career, in the early 1970s — through its release and reception. We'll try not to make too many jokes at James Woods' expense, but no promises.
Up Next:
THE DEAD ZONE (1983)
THE FLY (1986)
Coming Soon: The films of James Cameron
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
Visit our website for episode archives, merchandise, and more: http://cinemashock.net
 
 

SCANNERS (1981) | The New Flesh, Part IV

By this time in his career, David Cronenberg was becoming well-known in his native Canada. He’d already made four commercial films – each more successful than the last, with the exception of the non-horror film FAST COMPANY – but most of that success came in Canada and Europe. Although all of his films had been released in the US, none of them had made a huge impact here.
That would all change with his next film, the one that would make him a mainstream director not only in the Canadian market but in the US as well. The film – infamously known as “the movie with the exploding head” – is, of course, 1981’s SCANNERS.
Coming Up:
VIDEODROME (1983)
THE DEAD ZONE (1983)
THE FLY (1986)
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
Visit our website for episode archives, merchandise, and more: http://cinemashock.net
 

An Interview with Spencer Garrett

In this bonus episode, our own Mr. Todd A. Davis sits down with legendary character actor Spencer Garrett.
Throughout the interview, they discuss Garrett's entire career, working on everything from STAR TREK to STAR WARS, and with directors like Quentin Tarantino, Michael Bay and, most recently, Adam McKay on the new HBO series WINNING TIME: THE RISE OF THE LAKERS DYNASTY.
Enjoy this bonus episode and be sure to subscribe to Todd's STAR TREK podcast, Computer, Resume Podcast, available everywhere!

THE BROOD (1979) | The New Flesh, Part III

After two successful low budget horror films that turned a nice profit, David Cronenberg found himself in a unique position: he was suddenly Canada's most bankable director.
He followed up SHIVERS and RABID with... a drama about drag racing? That movie, FAST COMPANY, is an outlier in his filmography, but was an important step towards his next film, one that's considered by many critics to be his first truly great film, 1979's THE BROOD.
In this episode, we'll discuss how THE BROOD was financed as part of short-lived era in Canada's film history known as the "tax shelter era" and how the film was inspired by a recent contentious divorce, leading some critics to label Cronenberg a misogynist.
Coming Up:
SCANNERS (1981)
VIDEODROME (1983)
THE DEAD ZONE (1983)
THE FLY (1986)
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
Visit our website for episode archives, merchandise, and more: http://cinemashock.net

RABID (1977) | The New Flesh, Part II

In the second episode of our series on David Cronenberg, we're continuing to explore the director's early year's with his second feature for Cinepix, RABID.
Released in 1977, RABID stars porn star Marilyn Chamber in what was to be a breakthrough mainstream role for her. In this episode, we'll track the film's development and discuss just how one of the most famous adult film stars in the world got involved in a low budget Canadian body horror film.
Coming Up:
THE BROOD (1979)
SCANNERS (1981)
VIDEODROME (1983)
THE DEAD ZONE (1983)
THE FLY (1986)
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
Visit our website for episode archives, merchandise, and more: http://cinemashock.net

SHIVERS (1975) | The New Flesh, Part I

It's time for a new series here on Cinema Shock! For the next several weeks, we're going to be exploring the filmography of David Cronenberg, with a focus on his early body horror films.
To kick things off, we're going back to the beginning with SHIVERS, widely considered his first film, although he'd worked on some experimental films in the underground film scene of Toronto previously. We'll get into all of that history on this episode!
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Coming Up:
RABID (1977)
THE BROOD (1979)
SCANNERS (1981)
VIDEODROME (1983)
THE DEAD ZONE (1983)
THE FLY (1986)
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
Visit our website for episode archives, blogs and more: http://cinemashock.net
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BATTLE ROYALE (2000) | Cinema Shock Roulette

Our randomly chosen film for our first Cinema Shock Roulette entry is none other than Kinji Fukasaku's kids-killing-kids cult classic BATTLE ROYALE!
Join us as we trace this film from its origins as a controversial novel through its creation, fights with censors, and eventually, its emergence as a full on cult phenomenon.
Coming Up:
SHIVERS (1975)
RABID (1977)
THE BROOD (1979)
SCANNERS (1981)
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
Visit our website for episode archives, merchandise & more: http://cinemashock.net

THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS (2021) | The Wachowskis' Cinema of Fluidity

As we reach the end of our series on Lana and Lilly Wachowski, we find ourselves back in the franchise that put them on the map, with the latest entry in the MATRIX series, THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS.
The road to this film was a long one, and one that The Wachowskis weren’t always traveling. During and after the production of the previous MATRIX sequels, the sisters swore that they’d never return to the world of those films, content with the story they’d told.
In the end, only one of the Wachowskis returned. When the fourth MATRIX film finally hit theaters (and HBO Max), it was under the guidance of Lana Wachowski alone.
What caused her to change her mind and return to the world? Why did her sister Lilly not join her in the franchise they’d build together? Why are Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss the only actors from the core cast of the original films to return?
We’ll answer all of these questions, and dig into where THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS falls in regards to the full series, and in the Wachowskis’ filmography as a whole in this episode, the conclusion to our series The Wachowskis & the Cinema of Fluidity.
 
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Coming Up:
BATTLE ROYALE (2000)
Up next: Long Live the New Flesh: The Body Horror of David Cronenberg
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, & Todd Davis.
Visit our website for episode archives, blogs and more: http://cinemashock.net
Follow us:
twitter.com/cinema_shock
facebook.com/cinemashocknet
instagram.com/cinema_shock