The Fly (1986)

Running Time: 96 minutes

Release Date: August 15, 1986

Review by: Adam

 

Before Dr. Malcolm calmly demanded, “must go faster,” before Mr. Levinson urgently requested “must go faster, must go FASTER,” Seth Brundle gave us the term “Brundlefly” and taught us that “Insects… don’t have politics.”

 

When Alamo Drafthouse announced a special 35mm screening of Cronenberg’s “The Fly,” there was no way we were going to miss this opportunity (and to be served by a wait-staff in lab coats).  I first saw the glory of this film at a GI Joe themed birthday party along with “RoboCop” and “Dream Warriors” (to give you an idea of what year this was, for his birthday Brian was given the USS Flagg, and all of us were extremely jealous).  I remember being completely afraid and mesmerized all at the same time, and now I had a chance to see if adult Adam still felt the same way.  And yes.  Yes he did.

 

“The Fly” is a perfect storm of story, director, cast, and timing.  A morality tale in the height of 80s selfishness, you get the scientist wanting to be know for the world’s greatest discovery (Jeff Goldblum’s Seth Brundle), the reporter that wants to get the worlds largest scoop (Geena Davis’ Veronica Quaife), the reporter’s boss who really just wants Veronica all to himself (John Getz’s Stathis Borans), and hell, even the arm-wrestling guys in the bar are all about getting the glory and the drunk lady.  Let that story take-off with a socially awkward and uncomfortable lead (that truly only Goldblum can portray) charming the pants off of the innocent but tough Davis, mix in Chris Walas’ creature effects and pace it like only Cronenberg can do, there’s no way you won’t jump, cringe, and feel a mixture of hate and sympathy for everyone involved.

Brundle chooses to live his life for his work, constantly bettering the project he is on, and even as the story takes a turn, no matter what, the scientist inside him is always trying make sense of what is going on.  Rolling with the punches, embracing the changes.  He sees a bigger picture, no matter how distorted it becomes.  And with that distortion comes the blindness to everyone else around him.  His life crumbles, and he is taking everyone with him.  All for the “greater good.”  A madman isn’t mad until he realizes no one else sees the world as he does.

“The Fly” was one of the first seeds in my ever-growing garden of horror.  I never realized until re-watching how much I judged other horror movies on it.  The building of a story, how to enhance the story with amazing special effects without throwing them in your face constantly, and how a cast, both beautiful and awkward, and carry the story without tossing in unneeded dialog.  After the Drafthouse viewing, it’s Blu-Ray became the newest resident in our movie collection.  And many more viewings will come.

“I’d like to become… the first insect politician.” 

4/5 teeth in the Brundlefly Museum of Natural History

Check out the trailer here: