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The Fly (1986)
Halloween is a mere four weeks away, and Cinemagic is kicking off a monthlong block of scary movies with David Cronenberg’s body-horror masterwork The Fly.
Unlike the 1958 version, Cronenberg’s film has little to do with George Langelaan’s short story beyond the Kafkaesque premise of “What if a dude got turned into a crazy bug monster?” Seth Brundle isn’t your daddy’s mad scientist but an eccentric hipster with all the nebbish charm of a young Jeff Goldblum in his breakout role.
Goldblum’s sense of humor proves his secret weapon. He doesn’t just give the audience permission to laugh at the story’s absurdity; he uses jokes to sell the tragedy and terror of his situation. Not to be outdone is Geena Davis, Goldblum’s then-girlfriend and future ex-wife, as Brundle’s love interest. Davis acts as the audience surrogate, an eyewitness to the heartbreak and revulsion of her boyfriend’s devolution into monstrosity.
Of course, the real stars are Chris Walas and Stephan Dupuis, whose extensive makeup work brought Brundlefly to life and earned them an Academy Award. Brundle’s mutation is as deliberate as it is disgusting: a cancerous corrosion of our hero’s humanity that hit especially hard at the height of the AIDS crisis.
The Fly brought the creature feature into ’80s modernity with a sharp script, up-and-coming stars, and state-of-the-art, stomach-churning visual effects. Forty years on, the film still disgusts and delights in equal measure. It’s the perfect way to kick off the most wonderful time of the year. Cinemagic, Oct. 2, 6 and 7.
Also Playing:
Academy: Child’s Play (1988), The Invisible Man (1933) and Messiah of Evil (1974), Oct. 2–8. Cinema 21: The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Oct. 3. Cinemagic: The Granny (1995), Oct. 2. The Fly (1986), Oct. 2, 6 and 7. The Witch (2015), Oct. 3, 5 and 8. Raw (2016), Oct. 3, 6 and 7. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Oct. 4, 5 and 8. Young Frankenstein (1974), Oct. 4, 6 and 7. Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Oct. 4, 5 and 8. Clinton: Sinners (2025), Oct. 1. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Oct. 3. Friday the 13th (1980), Oct. 5. Friday the 13th, Part 2 (1981), Oct. 6. Hollywood: Kwaidan (1964), Akira (1988) and Ghost in the Shell (1985), Oct. 1. H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival & CthulhuCon, Oct. 2–4. A Night to Dismember (1983), Oct. 5. Der Fan (1982), Oct. 5–8. Screamplay (1984), Oct. 6 and 8. La Mala Educación (2004) and The Kiss (1988), Oct. 7. Moreland: Poltergeist (1982), Oct. 2. Ghostbusters (1984), Oct. 3 and 4. Tomorrow: Black Zombie (2026), Oct. 1. Mean Girls (2003), Oct. 3.
