The Brood

While Cronenberg's career began years before this 1979 horror film, composer Howard Shore had not yet been a collaborator. The film, produced using Canadian funds as most of Cronenberg's films are, stars genre staple Oliver Reed (you might know him from Gladiator) as Dr. Raglan who's working in the field of "psychoplasmics", a series of sessions in which a patient relates many negative and tragic events in life; eventually, the patients develop physical changes (created with very surprising accuracy in regards to the time pariod and budget by Shonagh Jabour, who will later provide more make-up assistance on Cronenberg's pictures). One of the patients, played by Samantha Egger, begins to birth very strange and unusual mutant children which she shares a telepathic bond with. Telepathy usually plays a strong role in the themes of Cronenberg's films, and in The Brood, Egger's brood of children are able to perform the acts of whatever negative emotion she is feeling. Of course, when Dr. Raglan brings those emotions to the surface, violent things occur. While not Cronenberg's best film, The Brood does showcase amazing technical skill on behalf of the prosthetics and many of Cronenberg's persistent themes begin to surface (i.e. body horror and telepathy).

The only available resource of Shore's music for this film is available on Silva's Cronenberg/Shore compilation which has been out of print for a number of years. However, copies can be found through various sites like Amazon and eBay (where I found mine for a relatively nice price of $25 used about a year ago). Shore's score has a lot of dramatic Herrmann-esque underlyings, it's very reminiscent of Psycho in this sense. A very strong string ensemble permeates much of the 13-minute cue that exists on the compilation, as they perform many horror-specific slashes and dashes. It's all very atonal, but a good place to find Shore's beginnings. Again, like the film, this is hardly Shore's best work and the limited resources of hearing the entire score outside of the film cripple it somewhat; but if you're a Shore fan this is worth your while.

I've never really wished for a film to be remade, but in the case of Scanners, I think it's ripe for remaking. Partly due to my own greed, but I think a lot more could be done with the ideas put forth in this movie (it's a bit of a dream project for me, I suppose). That said, I think Scanners ranks up there with Cronenberg's best, and Shore's score for this one is really quite different and strangely beautiful. This is also a film that I can notice the Candian-funded shortcomings of the budget. Most of it is well done and utilizes the low budget well (amazing gore effects) but this thing falls apart in the acting department and feels rushed in that sense. For example, the lead is played Stephen Lack, and he's hardly mediocre. What's funny is that he started as a leading man in a Cronenberg film, yet went on to do very small supporting roles (including a small, small role in Cronenberg's own Dead Ringers). Whether it's intended or not, Lack plays protagonist Cameron Vale as some sort of burnt-out robot, and not in a good way. When the plot - involving a master telekenetic who goes rogue and attempts to create a master race of telekenetics known as "scanners" - calls from Lack's character to show any form of emotion or anger, he displays the most constipated look upon his face; and it drives me up the wall. The other actorss - Patrick McGoohan and Michael Ironside asided - also portray similar slack-jawed emotions; including Vale's love interest Kim, played by Jennifer O'Neill. Ironside and McGoohan, both master character actors, add a lot of dimension in their respective roles as Revok and Dr. Ruth. Ironside's Revok is a nice starting point for the villain he would later portray in Total Recall (and with Cronenberg's initial involvement in that film, his casting seems very obvious in Recall). He plays a very sinister individual, one who - just by his appearance - must be one of the most deranged individuals to walk the Earth. Daryl Revok is actually one of my favorite Cronenberg villians; and a role that needs to be increased in a remake. McGoohan (of cult television series The Prisoner) portrays Dr. Ruth, the progenitor of the "scanners", as a staunch father-figure. He has a strange sadness in his eyes, that eventually is understood in the film's chilling finale (set against some of the best prosthetic face work I've seen). Of course, the film's opening head explosion is iconic, as well as a technical marvel. Overall, this is a Cronenberg film I enjoy vastly over The Brood (which is one of my least favorite).

In Shore's score, there's a lot of experimentaion. There's a dominant synth overlay throughout the whole thing; and it's used very effectively. It comes in handy that film involves telekenetic beings and Shore utilizes that to his advantage. There's some atonal electronic work here, as evidenced in "Vale Captured" (available on the aforementioned Silva compilation) that's quite harrowing and it might be considered unlistenable by those with tastes not as broad. The main title track is a very strong composition, it sets up the world of the scanners very effectively and creates a haunting mood for the rest of the score. If you're lucky enough, there's a bootleg promo (sorry Peter) for Scanners floating around. Sadly, it's just the mono soundtrack taken form the initial laserdisc release of the film, but there's a wider selection of cues than the nine available on the Silva disc. There's three great cues ("Explosive Demonstration One", "Two", and "Three") which provide some musical prowess of the young Howard Shore: "Explosive Demonstration One" is a softer woodwind-central piece that fades into some goosebump-inducing strings for "Explosive Demonstration Two" and onto a strange, atonal, synth and percussion laden finale in "Explosive Demonstration Three". It's all in great taste, and some of Shore's most disturbing music.

Also, I'm going to skip over The Dead Zone seeing as how Michael Kamen scored the film (rather effectively I might add) just as I have skipped over Rabid, Fast Company and Shivers due to Shore's non-involvement with all of those earlier projects. If there is any actual want for me to discuss the film and score of The Dead Zone, I'd be more than happy to; I feel that it's certainly an overlooked film in the Cronenberg canon, though I do have some slight problems with it.

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Originally posted by sean:
Other than William Shatner, Shore and Cronenberg are the most skilled and creative Canadians working in the business: Have you seen the trailer for Eastern Promises!? WOW!

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Many would disagree with me, but I must elevate Mychael Danna to at least the stature of Howard Shore. And for the sake of EXOTICA and THE SWEET HEREAFTER, Atom Egoyan is my favourite Canadian director.

The Dead Zone marks the first (and very rare) occurance of Cronenberg being chosen as a hired hand. Based upon a 1979 Stephen King novel which was purchased by Dino De Laurentiis and Paramount and later remade as a USA network television series starring 80s heart throb geek Anthony Michael Hall (which I've never seen to due to my fondness for Cronenberg's original work). The film chronicles a school teacher by the name of Johnny Smith (played with tender insanity by Christopher Walken in one of his only lead character roles) who encounters a piercing headache on a date with his girlfriend (a fellow school teacher played by the lovely Brooke Adams). That night, Sarah (Adams) begs Johnny to stay with her during the night, as the weather has become increasingly intolerable. Johnny assures Sarah that everything will be fine and as a result of usual screenwriting and story techniques of these types, he ends up in a coma after a car crash. What's strange about said car crash is that Cronenberg and screenwriter Jeffrey Boam negate the original novel's device of a cab crash in favor of the cliche "tanker gone wild" and VW Bug flip. What's funny is Cronenberg's affinity for drag races (the original purpose of the car accident and the subject of Cronenberg's earlier film Fast Company and a theme involved in his later Crash); being that I prefer King's use of the taxi cab and drag car accident more, it's not something that terribly distracts for me. Sarah discovers that Johnny is in a coma (which will last for five years). Of course Sarah remarries before Johnny wakes up in the care of Dr. Weizak. Soon he discovers his telepathic powers when he grabs a nurses arm and sees a vision of her daughter caught in a house fire. Uh oh, now he's in for it! He learns of Dr. Weizak's past in Nazi-occupied Poland and his mother's apparent relocation to America (unbeknownest to the good doctor, whom believes her dead). When Sarah comes back into his life Johnny is struck with an unbearable sadness (deftly portrayed by Walken) and soon the rest learn of Johnny's new ability. After a rest and rehabilitation following his mother's death and father's mourning Johnny goes to a local town called Castle Rock to assist the aid of Sheriff Bannerman (an underused Tom Skerritt) to discover the identity of a dangerous killer. In what follows as the most bizarre moment of the film (definitely Cronenberg-esque) the killer is cornered and succumbs to his own demise at the end of a pair of scissors. The moment is shocking and very operatic (accompanied by Michael Kamen's dark score) and one of the best exits for a villian in a Cronenberg film. Later in the film, Johnny becomes involved in the politics of a man he sees in the future create a disasterous war time scenario (involving nuclear weapons). Johnny sets out to stop the politician (played with snake-like charm by Martin Sheen).

Overall the film is overlooked in the Cronenberg canon and - it seems - for the sole purpose of lack of prosthetic-driven set pieces. What many may not realize is that this takes the themes of Scanners into another world; a world more realistic among those who walk in it. Walken plays Johnny Smith as a very tortured soul, and its one of his performances that should be studied more carefully (especially in spite of his current, more over the top approach to acting). Brooke Adams is very adorable in her role of Johnny's lost love, and Croneberg's direction (alongside Boam's strong script) keep it from becoming thankless (Cronenberg is very skilled at keeping females close to his main characters and not allowing them to become one-note jokes like other Genre directors). While the book includes many more subplots and expansions upon characters, the script is kept tight and doesn't feel like it's either outstayed its welcome or underwhelming in it's one hour and forty minute run time. In my own opinion, I think this is the first film where Cronenberg realized he could expand upon his leading men and let the actors take the show along with them; this stands as a strong benchmark in his career that would lead to some of my absolute favorites.

The Dead Zone also marks the only time Cronenberg has completed a film without a Howard Shore score (not including his pre-Scanners work). The composer chosen, the equally talented, now-late Michael Kamen, was chosen off of the recent success of his score for the Klaus Kinski-Oliver Reed vehicle Venom (also released by Paramount). The score that Kamen gives to Cronenberg's The Dead Zone could easily be mistaken for an early Howard Shore composition, due its rather dark nature (which Kamen returned to less and less throughout his later career). Brooding strings and low brass highlight the score's subtle themes. I don't own the CD, seeing as how it has been OOP for a few years (though it does run fairly cheap on Amazon). This said, my entire opinion on the score rests on my feelings towards it's presentation in the film and David Cronenberg's own comments (though anyone who owns a copy is more than welcome to share thoughts on individual cues). I've read in a few places that Kamen's music is represented by the second movement of Sibelius' Symphony No.2 in D, Opus 43; but this seems entirely likely considering that Kamen's style always reflects upon his influences and usually cites the best of them (Die Hard, Brazil, etc.). Many would probably call it plagarism, but they would unfamiliar with Michael Kamen as a film composer. It's very obvious that Cronenberg was fond of Kamen's score for The Dead Zone because in the beginning of the commentary for A History of Violence (released by New Line Cinema, whose logo features original Kamen music) Cronenberg mentions Kamen's passing and calls his score for The Dead Zone "beautiful music" and mentions that he'll be thinking of Kamen whenever he sees the New Line logo. As much as I would like to get my hands onto the score for The Dead Zone, it's never been top priority as I'm only a small-time Kamen fan (I probably own only three or four Kamen scores) but I still consider it suitable music for Cronenberg's film.

On a recent re-viewing of Cronenberg's Videodrome (for the primary purpose of the assessment) I was immediately struck by something that usually doesn't hit me until after I've viewed a film and had time to think on it: Videodrome remains genre-less. Certainly, it could easily be placed amongst the horror titles at a Blockbuster, but that would be failing the film's ideas. It has many sci-fi overtones, but ultimately it's speculative fiction on par with Philip K. Dick and Robert A. Heinlein (both writers that exceeded the standard of their genres). It certainly has a thriller plot in place, but the ideas surrounding it make it utterly and wholely original. No matter how many times an artist can spin a standard thriller yarn about a paranoid man on the run from his hallucinations, none will have the effect that Videodrome provides.

I mentioned this before, but it's been so long since that I have to state it again: Videodrome is the first time that everything came together perfectly in Cronenberg's arsenal and personnel. From Carol Spier's evocative art direction to Mark Irwin's superb lighting and then onto Ronald Sander's precise editing and Howard Shore's synth-bizarre score; you certainly couldn't misplace Rick Baker's prosthetic work with clunky CGI, or James Woods' paranoid Max Renn with any other hero of 80s Genre films. Videodrome stands, and it remains a zeitgeist example of intelligent Genre filmmaking.

The plot is rather dense, yet told with very little needless exposition, regarding James Woods' television president (a sleazy, and rather intense performance from an underused actor) discovering a hidden pirate station that features masochistic fantasies galore. As soon as rock icon Debbie "Blondie" Harry (who was chosen because Cronenberg thought her stage presense felt as though it was channeled through Videodrome) shows up in an dead-sexy red dress at a staged interview in regards to media violence, Woods' Max Renn (named after the Renmax company who specialized in formula racers and motorcycles, as Cronenberg is an avid motor-sports buff) finds himself involved in a rather obscure relationship; one which will be highlighted by scenes of masochism. When Harry's Nicki Brand leaves Toronto (Cronenberg's home and preferred setting) to pursue a role on the Videodrome station, Renn begins a downward spiral, towards the pit of oblivion (it's no surprise that a key philosophical character is named Professor Brian O'Blivion). Renn becomes absorbed in the Videodrome signal, and it begins to manifest a tumor onto his body (in the form of a rather grotesque vaginal-like stomach prosthetic). Eventually, the Jim Baker-modelled Barry Convex (an underappreciated Les Carlson, a bit of a Cronenberg vet) contacts Renn to introduce him to the world of Videodrome (Convex is it's progenitor) and fuses Renn's reality with his hallucinations. It becomes a matter of introverted right-wing conspiracy in some aspects, but the ideas of the film aren't lost. It's ultimately unsettling to many viewers (especially many of the films bizarre bodily mutations) and a particular nuisance to my mother (I first saw the film at a very early age). It's interesting to see the fun that Cronenberg has as he plays devil's advocate during the film's running. Often cited by conservatives as a moral bankruptcy due to the violent and subversive qualities of his films, Cronenberg hit's back at a very vocal majority with a poignant satire on the swindling ways of such bureaucracy. Convex's demise is an interesing cleasing for Cronenberg as a serious filmmaker, as he dissolves into a bloody pool of his own tumors Cronenberg seems to be washing away the tumors of his own detractors (he does this later in a key scene in A History of Violence). In the film, reality is percieved no differently than the surreal hallucinations of Max Renn. There are no camera tricks to key the audience into a dream; and there is no set-up and exposition for the surreal architect. It exists in the same brand of filmmaking that Federico Fellini and David Lynch put to such ample use. All of the crane shots and camera movements are subtle and fluid and Cronenberg's strange hybrid style and visuals never overcome the actors or audience.

Ultimately, Videodrome the film exists as a strongly prophetic film; and just as Cronenberg denies his desire to be considered a prophet, his film is saturated with technological undertones which are as present today as they were as frightening 25 years ago. Certainly Convex's hallucinatory headgear predates virtual reality by a few years, as does the idea of reality being subjected from fantasy (an idea on display heavily in today's clultured reality television programs). It's ironic that Cronenberg would choose Betamax as the ideal format for the Videodrome program's recording, as Betamax would die out shortly after the film's impact. Today, I'm constanly reminded of a key quote from the film, from the Professor O'Blivion character: "After all, there is nothing real outside our perception of reality, is there?" It certainly rings true of today's culture.

Incidently, Howard Shore's score for Videodrome is his most inaccessible. I'll be honest in saying that the score still doesn't sit with me as a stand-alone listen; but why should it? It's a score that's primary function is to serve the exact ideas on display in the film. It rarely highlights the action, it doesn't give thematic direction to the film's numerous characters, and it certainly doesn't tug at our heartstrings during Max Renn's final recognition of reality. It exists subversively, as a guide to the viewer, to pull them into Cronenberg's dense imagination and into the bizarre world of Videodrome. The score consists of synth drones and strange noises that interact off of each other, they progressively become more alien as the film gets deeper into the percieved reality. There is a CD available from Varese but, like most thing's Cronenberg/Shore, it's OOP. If you're fortunate enough to ever locate a copy, and consider yourself a Shore fan, don't hesitate. It took me awhile before I broke down and bought it; but I consider it worth it. It certainly isn't something I'd like to play in the car or when I fall asleep at night; but as a musical study, it's fascinating. Though it may not seem like it on first listen, I believe there's a lot happening in this score, it just takes an imagination and a look beyond "reality".

Long live the new flesh!

Eastern Promises

I'm immensely proud of David Cronenberg as a director; I said it. I know some fans find his current string of non-horror/sci-fi crop to be underwhelming, I say that they're not getting the whole picture. Cronenberg is a fantastic director, period. No matter what genre he's working in, you're guaranteed to be delivered a wholly satisfying experience. You may not always fall in love with his recent pictures, but you can't walk away saying that the film you just saw had no visceral effect on you.

With Eastern Promises, his latest release, I fell instantly in love. Sure it's minus the trademark Cronenberg opening titles set to an ominous Howard Shore score (but the end titles are fantastic, and they honestly should've played before the film and I'm curious as to whose decision it was to put those after the film) but from the instant Cronenberg's camera is set up inside of Azim's barbershop, you know this is a Cronenberg picture. Peter Suschitzky's moody lighting and Carol Spier's atmospheric production design set this instantly in the Cronenberg universe (this is something that took a few viewings on A History of Violence to catch on). The violence that concludes the opening scene is vintage Cronenberg carnage, and the audience was immediately uncomfortable. As it begins, we're introduced very slowly to the film's characters, and many of the short-attention generation might fault the movie for it's slow-burning pace; but, like all great Cronenberg flicks, character is everything.

Being introduced to Naomi Watts' Anna is a nice entrance into Cronenberg's idea of a working class London. Her life is peaceful, but there's more going on under her patient eyes. Ominous atmosphere's set us straight into the Russian mafia's underground, as Viggo Mortensen (obviously Cronenberg's current Jeremy Irons) brings a very quiet, subdued mature character to the center of the drama. His acting as Nickolai is so important to this film, that it would be an understatement to say that every other actor this season better put up a good fight against Viggo for some attention. Nickolai works under the dangerous and deranged (or so first impressions might assume) Kirill (a remarkable Vincent Cassel), son of Seymon (a triumphant character turn from Armin Mueller-Stahl). Kirill's and Nickolai's relationship is the meat of this story, and the story of the Russian prostitute's death and childbirth are simply sub-plots that help us understand the nature of all of these characters. Watts is our entry into this seedy underbelly, and Mortensen is our release. To say nothing of the intense fight sequence in the bath house would be to underestimate Mortensen's bravery as an actor. Certainly, the scene will go down in film legend due to the fact that Mortensen is VERY naked, but the intensity and kineticism of the violence is remarkable. Watts' role is certainly underwritten, but seeing her in the role is a marvel, simply because she creates the character and makes her whole through acting alone. Her story ultimately earns the most rewarding ending, but it's Nickolai's and Kirill's future we're left to ponder, as we're left with a beautifully composed and lit shot that summarizes an entire character's arc. A man's earnest attempt to make the most of his life, even if it means living a life of subtle lies. In many ways, this exists as an extension of A History of Violence, but it's ultimately an extension of Cronenberg's outreach as a director.

Howard Shore's subdued, but very effective score is beautiful to say the least. It's still growing on me as a stand-alone listen, but damn if it doesn't set the film as the character study it is. As we see in an early scene in the film, the violin is the key instrument. And as anyone who's taken a look at Soundtrack.Net's wonderful first listen and summary can tell, strings and the violin as a solo instrument take center stage in a beautifully melodic main theme. It's not used as a centerpiece to give highlight to the film's brutal action, startling revelations, or subtle twists, but rather as an extension of the character's psyche; again, another wonder. Seeing it with the movie was a tremendous experience, and as I continue to listen to it's beautiful motive and remember the amazing atmosphere that was displayed on screen. Sony's CD release is, of course, a must-own for true Shore and Cronenberg fans; but I'd advise anyone with a goal set out to write up a best of '07 seek this one out and hold on to it.

I think you liked it better that I did, but I did admire the acting
and craft of the movie. If I have a problem with Cronenberg, it
is the same problem that I have with Scorsese. I rarely care
about any of the characters in a Scorsese movie. I never
feel connected to them. The exception was The Departed where
I did care about the DiCaprio character.

Cronenberg often films reprehensible characters that I make no
connection to; however, in The History of Violence, his addition
of children and a wife did soften my attitude towards Mortensen.
The addition of Watts in Eastern Promises, did help
humanize Mortensen. I thought he underplayed the part a little
in Eastern Promises. Sometimes his whispery voice and
deadpan face make me wonder if he can act. Still, I saw the
need in his underplayed performance with this plot. I thought
Stahl and Cassel were excellent, and Shore's music fit the
visuals and at times the subtexts of the movie. I think people
hear about the violence and think they are going to an action
flick. This is about a culture and its effects on character, not action,
although there are a few memorable action scenes.

For me the last scene could be about leading a life of lies;
however, I felt that certain choices were made that lead to
personal sacrifices, so for me , the last scene about about
leading a future life of emptiness for the sake of duty, sans the
authentic warmth of real family. And that is the nature of tragedy.

I'm glad you enjoyed it Joan; I find that your tastes are usually somewhat near mine. An interesting thing I've noticed about Cronenberg's protagonists since his early days is that he always wants you to pity them. They may not always be the most likable people (James Woods in Videodrome, Peter Weller in Naked Lunch, James Spader in Crash, etc.) but once they go through their near-Kafkaesque transformations (in the case of Eastern Promises, the twist that shall go unmentioned) you feel pity for their previous actions. With AHOV it proved different, where Tom Stall was a likable character from the very beginning, and then when we found out his true nature we (as well as his loving family) become repulsed by him; and ultimately it becomes a quest for redemption.

I haven't seen all of his movies. I should probably check out some of the ones you mentioned.