THE FLY

* * * *

STARRING: Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz, Joy Booshel, Les Carlson

1986, 100 Minutes, Directed by: David Cronenberg

Description: David Cronenberg's 1986 remake of the science fiction classic about a scientist who accidentally swaps body parts with a fly is both smart and terrifying: an allegory for the awful processes of slow death and a monster movie with a tragic spin. — Amazon.com

Finally! A horror movie for adults! This re-make of the 1950s classic is an often gross affair. However, Jeff Goldblum (in a great performance) comes through as the hapless scientist who slowly metamorphoses into a human-sized fly following a failed experiment with a teleporting device he designed. Somehow Goldblum manages to be both likeable and scary at the same time adding to the tension.

The special effects (despite some really yucky scenes) never detracts from the story or overwhelms the story. At times one is reminded of Kafka's short story Metamorphosis - no mean feat for what is basically a horror movie from which the squeamish should do well to stay away. But they risk missing a very good film - one of Canadian director David (Naked Lunch, Crash) Cronenberg's more mainstream efforts . . .

Followed by a sequel which has little to do with this film and neither stars Goldblum or is directed by Cronenberg. Instead it stars Eric Stolz and is directed bt Chris Walas who were resonsible for the special effects in this film. An inferior film by most accounts. 

• Read a review of The Fly on DVD.
• Read the script.

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