The Movie Guru

After recently taking a second look at the film “Spider” and with “A History of Violence” coming to DVD in March, I felt it was time to profile director David Cronenberg and a few of his better works. Ever since I saw his 1986 version of “The Fly,” I’ve been fascinated with Cronenberg’s mixture of psychological drama, gore, and complex themes. Unlike that other “David,” as in David Lynch, Cronenberg does not use strange imagery merely for the sake of being surreal. If there is something disturbing going on in a Cronenberg film, it is to challenge and provoke viewers into thinking about what they are seeing, not just to show off gross-out effects. Yes, his movies are often flat-out disgusting, but that doesn’t remove them of their credibility as important cinema. Because of his ability to unflinchingly show the darker sides of human nature, Cronenberg, with Martin Scorsese just slightly ahead of him, is the best director currently working in modern North American cinema. His films may not be for the squeamish, but for those who take the plunge, they will be endlessly rewarded.  Read More...