3/26/2005: Views: Videodrome
Videodrome 1983, dir. David Cronenberg
Criterion version also available
In this cult favorite, James Woods plays the president of a local cable channel who's ever on the hunt for more provocative programming to ensure he hangs on to his corner of the soft porn cable market (relatively new in 1983). He comes across a pirate satellite show called "Videodrome" that consists of "torture and murder - no plot - very, very realistic" and sets out to track it down so he can add it to his programming schedule. He soon runs into Deborah Harry, a radio shrink who happens to be a sexual masochist off the air. She initiates and guides Woods into some of the edgier areas of erotic sadomasochism such as knife and needleplay.
What follows is a schizoid adventure of various altered mental states, not unusual territory for Cronenberg. This time they are the hallucinogenic variety, blended into seamless layers leaving us to wonder what's really happening and what's merely "voices and visions" in Woods' head.
The movie touches on snuff films, virtual reality simulators, SM, mind control warfare, biotech implants, workplace massacres.. you name it.. but mostly its themes are about violence, perversion, and the power of television. And a glimpse into madness and one version of what's inside "the mind of a killer".
James Woods is excellent as usual and Debbie Harry (of Blondie) does a fine job in her film debut. As always, Rick Baker's special makeup effects belong with the supporting cast, which includes Sonja Smits, Peter Dvorsky, Les Carlson, Lynne Gorman, and Julie Khaner. All are perfect fits in their parts, but Jack Creley is especially good as the creepy egghead and "media prophet" Professor Brian O'Blivion, who among other things, runs the Cathode Ray Mission, where destitute and homeless folks can get off the street and sit down to watch television for a little while.
Among O'Blivion's platitudes and predictions that have perhaps been proven to be more prophetic than they seemed at the time Cronenberg wrote them are "the battle for the mind of North America will be fought in the video arena" and "public life on television is more real than private life in the flesh".. the latter especially rings true in light of reality tv's popularity and the fact that more people vote for "American Idol" than for the US presidency (eh, maybe that's an urban legend..) Professor O'Blivion also says that "in the future everyone will have another name, a television name." Well, while not strictly television-based, just about everyone has an internet nick or two now, which we wear via our video monitors..
Videodrome holds up well considering it revolves largely around media technology, which has obviously evolved light years' worth in the 22 years since it was made. That tech gap also provides a few moments that come across as humorous in retrospect, such as Smits asking Woods "What format?" regarding a videotape he wants.. and when the video's delivered to him, it's a Beta cassette. Most of the character names also have a symbolic humor to them.
I haven't seen either of The Ring movies but if the ads are accurate as far as their plot, they owe Cronenberg some royalties. His own eXistenZ from 1999 also updates and further develops some of his ideas in Videodrome.
