Customer Reviews

The Fly [VHS]

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

If you're looking for review of the film itself, look elsewhere. As I've done previously I wish to focus on the quality of the picture and audio and leave the writing of the film review for those better suited to it.

This movie is encoded on Blu-Ray using the AVC codec and is brought in using 1080p that most expect from Blu-Ray. The video itself is less than stellar in terms of presentation. Let me qualify this. This is likely the best the movie has EVER looked for home presentation, but it's not a visually impressive movie no matter how it's presented. There is some film grain but there is plenty of detail to be seen. It's just that the movie has no "pizazz" to it so to speak. There are no blemishes on the film and no weird compression artifacts at all. This is as it should be for an HD release.

The audio is DTS-HD lossless. The problem is that there really isn't much that requires any directionality here. It's mostly dialog driven with not much else going on in the sound field. The thing is, 5.1 audio in a movie like this really isn't needed and I'm glad that Fox didn't try to dress the audio up needlessly. I may sound like a broken record but this is also likely the best The Fly has sounded in the home market.

The extras, as seems to be the case on many releases of films that already have DVD editions packed with extras, are all in standard definition. There are some Blu-Ray exclusive extras that aren't particularly noteworthy. The first is pop-up trivia during the film (you can turn this on and off) with fun production facts and so on. The other is a very boring and annoying "game" called "Flyswatter." You have this slow moving fly flying around the screen with some scenes from the movie playing in the background and the objective is to swat the fly with an even slower moving flyswatter. It's time wasting and really adds nothing of value to the disc.

If you already have the special edition SD release, given the video and audio doesn't really stand out too much in the HD front, you may want to think twice about picking up the Blu-Ray edition of The Fly. If you don't own it and want a definitive edition with all the previous extras and the best possible audio and video, look no further.

For a back catalog release with limited appeal, I do think the MSRP is a little on the high side however.

After laughing through Scanners (sorry my love), I wasn't expecting too much from this Cronenberg film. I was pleasantly surprised at how effective everything in this movie was. As much as I dispise Jeff Goldblum, I can't think of anyone better for the part. The visuals were great and I loved seeing the transformation of Seth Brundle (Goldblum) into the "monster".
For me, this was a completely new experience with horror. I actually felt bad for the "evil" in the movie. Normally it's clear cut who the viewer should be rooting for but this movie threw that concept out the window. As wonderful and gross as the transformation was, seeing Seth suffer and become an uncontrolable creature tugged at my heartstrings. Overall, the film is very well done and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

As a side note, I'd like to wish everyone a happy, safe, and horror-filled Halloween.

This is just a solid sci-fi/horror that will scare the s*** out of you and possibly make you throw up. And what's great is that there's also this emotional subtext to it. Cronenberg made this film in response to watching his father die of brain cancer (you can see similarities to this and his DEAD ZONE adaptation). As always, Jeff Goldblum is brilliant as the sympathetic scientist who becomes more and more powerless as this fly-like disease takes over his body. Carol Spier's art-direction, Howard Shore's music, Mark Irwin's cinematography, and of course, Croneberg's irreverent direction... everything is perfect. THE FLY is not as pretentious as DEAD RINGERS, not as absurd as NAKED LUNCH, and not as slow as SPIDER. It really is Cronenberg's best film, and it might just be the best Special Edition DVD that Fox has yet to release. Just don't puke on the box -- even if it does make it easier to digest.

"I'm saying..., I'm saying I- I'm an insect who dreamt he was a man & loved it. But now, the dream is over... & the insect is awake."
- Seth Brundle tells girlfriend Veronica Quaife to bug off, for her own good, as he slowly loses his remaining humanity & embraces his darker side, mutating into "The Fly"

David Cronenberg's classic 1986 remake to the 1958 Vincent Price classic, "The Fly", has been re-released by "20th Century Fox", in a 2 disc edition that is easily the definitive edition of the remake to "The Fly". This is one must own disc.

"What am I working on? Uh..., I'm working on something that will change the world & human life as we know it."

"I have a feeling you don't get out much."
"You can tell that?"
"yeah."

"Your making a mistake. I think you want to talk to me."
"Sorry, but, I have three more interviews before the end of this party."
"It's something that will change the course of humanity & the world as we know it."
"They all say that."
"Yeah, but, they're lying. I'm not."

After meeting him at a recent science expo/convention, reporter Veronica Quaife decides to take scientist Seth Brundle up on his offer - to show her his invention that will change the course of humanity. Upon arrival at his lab, Brundle shows Veronica his invention - a teleporter that can transport objects from one place to the other in a matter of seconds. Their is a catch, however:
"I can only teleport inanimate objects."
"Well, what happens when you teleport living things?"
"Not while we're eating."

Seth convinces Veronica not to do an article for the magazine she works for (headed by her ex-beau Stathis Borans), but, instead, write a book about the whole experiment from the early stages to the present. With a current breakthrough, thanks to Veronica, Brundle "teaches" the teleporter to understand the complexties of living tissue. Also, a strong romance blossoms between the two.
When the breakthrough that Seth needs happens (a successful teleportation of a living animal (in this case a baboon)) it's time to celebrate.

But, not if Stathis Barons has anything to say about it. Veronica finds a portfolio with sketches of cover artwork from her magazine with Seth & the teleporter on them. Veronica thinks that Stathis is trying to get back into her good graces & calls off the celebration to deal with Stathis once & for all. Stathis tells Veronica that he did some background checking on Brundle & decided to give him a choice article in an upcoming issue. Basically, if the only way of keeping Veronica in his life is to work with her on a professional basis, then that's what he will do.

Seth, celebrating on his own by doing champagne shots, gets a little jealous, as he gets wise to Veronica's romantic past with Stathis.

"From "the desk of Stathis Borans"..., How about "under the desk of Stathis Borans?"

Totally inebriated, Seth apoligizes to his baboon subject for destroying his brother in an earlier experiment & then, recklessly, decides to take the final test - human teleportation, with him as the subject. The experiment is a success - at first...

Over the next few days Veronica notices a rapid change in Seth. He gains superhuman like strength, with an increase in his sex drive. Also, odd prickly, hairs start to grow from a cut on his back. Veronica gets a sample & has them analyzed, with the results being that the hairs are insectoid in nature. Short tempered & hyperactively skittish, Seth has Veronica thrown out of his lab & has the book deal terminated. The honeymoon is over.

"There was an old lady who swallowed a fly, perhaps she'll die."

Seth does some further investigation of his own &, to his horror, finds out that he wasn't alone in the transmitter pod during the teleportation. A common housefly had made its way in & got trapped inside the pod with him.

"The computer got confused... -there wasn't supposed to be two seperate genetic patterns - & it decided to..., uhh... splice us together. It mated us, me & the fly. We hadn't even been properly introduced."

Seth's body gruesomely deteriates & mutates, as he tries to figure out a cure for his cancer before he loses all senses of his humanity & mutates into a monsterous half-breed between Brundle & fly.

The 1986 remake of "The Fly" is one of those very rare remakes that does the impossible. It surpasses & outdoes it's original.
Cronenberg does a great job at directing & this is, argueably, his best film to date. Goldblum, Davis, & John Getz give great performances with Goldblum being the stand-out. Almost anybody can wear the makeup, but, with those fly-like twitches, & the aches & pains of mutation, Goldblum gives "The Fly" its much needed buzz.

The score is written & composed by Howard Shore & I consider it to be one of the London Symphony Orchestra's underated performances (the Orchestra also performed with John Williams on "Star Wars", "Jaws", "Superman", & "Raiders Of The Lost Ark").

Mel Brooks' movie studio "Brooksfilms" was the major backer on the film, with "Fox".

David Cronenberg was the first choice for director on the project, but, was unavailable at the time trying his hand at directing "Total Recall" for Dino DeLaurentis.
Robert Bierman was then hired for directing chores. But, when a horrific family tragedy called him back home, Bierman backed out of the film & with Cronenberg having problems of his own with DeLaurentis, Cronenberg easily slid into the director's saddle on "The Fly". It's been 20 years since "The Fly" went into production &, to this day, Bierman has yet to see the film (he's reminded too much of his daughter's death & the circumstances surrounding it, including this film & his association with it).

After an extensive Cronenberg rewrite of Charles Edward Pogue's screenplay, Jeff Goldblum was hired to portray the doomed scientist. Goldblum was dating Geena Davis at the time & she auditioned for the role of Veronica. She was the first one to audition & the producer's sized up her audition with the other actresses who tried out & no one could beat her. She got the role unanimously.

Makeup effects master, Chris Walas started make-up preparations for "The Fly" when he got a call from Steven Spielberg to work on "Gremlins 2". Walas politely declined & his reward was an Oscar in make-up effects for "The Fly" (although, I'm not too sure if Walas & Spielberg have ever worked together again on any other project).

The opening title shot with the fluttering of green wings that changed into the film's title was actually taken from the coming attractions trailer to the film, after Cronenberg saw it & liked it so much that he used for the opening title shot.

The film opened on August 15th 1986. Total box office gross was roughly 40 million dollars ("The Fly" was released the same weekend as "Manhunter" (the Hannibal Lecter film).
Audience reaction was mostly the same. Gross! "People" magazine dubbed "The Fly" as the gross-out movie of the year. I saw "The Fly" on opening weekend & people were so grossed out. Especially, the scene when Brundle lends an ear to Veronica, & in return she hugs him on the same side! It was the exact same reaction that Geena Davis describes in the documentary. People were so grossed out that you couldn't here the next three lines of the film. I think one lady left when Brundle-fly finally transforms into the space bug at the end of the film.

This new 2 disc DVD edition is awesome. In a world where movie studios take their old films & practically hurl them onto DVD, not caring about quality & prosperity, film wise, it's nice to see a release like this.

Disc 1 to "The Fly" has the film in the widescreen format with Dolby Digital 5.1 & DTS 5.1 (yes!), with a director's commentary by Cronenberg.

Disc 2 has the three production documentaries that can be watched seperatley or viewed in a branching version (easter egg #1: using your DVD remote go to the documentary main page. Highlight the word "Play All" at the top & then hit left. If done correctly a green fly should appear. hit play/enter & Jeff Goldblum reveals how he feels he was destined to play the lead role in "The Fly". One word describes the whole moment - "Halloweeners"! Absolutley, hilariously, bizarre & only Goldblum could tell it).
"The Brundle Museum of Natural History" featurette has Chris Walas showing all of the props & clay maquettes used for the film.
Deleted scenes consists of the infamous & gruesome "Monkey-Cat" sequence (easter egg #2: using your DVD remote highlight the "Monkey-Cat" sequence entry on the deleted scenes menu, but, don't hit enter. Instead go left. If properly done a green fly will appear. Hit enter & you will see the original video of Brundle-fly demonstrating how his vomit-drop is used. This is the same video Stathis watches at Veronica's apartment), a scripted, but not filmed, scene where Brundle-fly attacks a bag lady using his vomit-drop, & alternate endings with Veronica having a dream of a butterfly baby.

There is also test makeup footage, George Langdon's original short story, with tha film's two screenplays by Pogue & Cronenberg.

The set is rounded out with the usual trailers (easter egg #3: again, highlight "Play All" & go left with your remote. Hit play/enter & the disc takes you to a trailer menu of the three movies that were released in the summer of 1986 from "Fox": "Big Trouble In Little China", "Aliens" (woo-hoo!) & "The Fly" (duh!). This egg was also used for the 2 disc S.E. version of "China" a few years back), still galleries, 2 FX articles & advertising from around the world.

This DVD re-release of "The Fly" is worth catching. Fly strip optional.

A scientist on the verge of a technical breakthrough, is stymied by his failure to understand the body in other than intellectual terms. His affair with the reporter who enters his life to document his discoveries awakens him to the power of the flesh -- but the flesh is nothing if not unpredictable and irrational and a "fly in the ointment" changes the outcome of a pivotal experiment, leading to disastrous concequences. The Fly represents a perfect blend of Cronenberg's b-horror sensibility and his obsession with the overlap between man and machine, flesh and technology. It takes what might have been a fairly campy remake of a fairly campy horror film and elevates it to a whole new level, giving it an intriguing science fiction premise and a horrific conclusion. Jeff Goldblum gives a brilliant performance, among his best, as a cerebral scientist who is gradually overcome by the flesh in the form of libidinal urges. The special effects are just right -- not enough to overwhelm the story, but sufficiently convincing to horrify. I saw this with a large group very recently, many of whom had never seen it before, and there were uncomfortable laughs and gasps in all the right places. What is even better, as we talked about the film afterwards there was a lot to say. The Fly is right up there with Alien and Blade Runner and Total Recall and the Thing as one of the very best genre films of the 1980s (or of any decade for that matter -- I can't think of anything in the 90s, except for the Matrix, and maybe Pan's Labyrinth in this decade, that matches these in terms of the combination of both thrills and intellectual excitement).

As usual, I've titled my review with a crummy pun. I have no excuse and neither did I have to reference the Lord of the Rings in doing so but it was the first thing that came to mind so... my apologies.

I'm a bit late in singing the praises of this DVD since it came out last year already but as of late, I've been watching this film a lot because of how well produced this DVD is. They really did a good job with this disc and they finally gave the film the treatment it deserves. The picture is nice and clear and the 5.1 mixes (Dolby Digital and DTS) are pretty sweet. So what that translates to is that what was disgusting before in this film is made to be utterly revolting now. Vomiting never looked and sounded so clear before now, especially as it eats through the flesh of a poor guy's hand and foot!

This disc is loaded with special features and if they release this down the road with more stuff, I won't believe it. You get a Cronenberg commentary which is nice because his commentaries are always an enjoyable and informative listen. There are great featurettes, interesting deleted scenes, scripts, texts, pictures and a fantastic, lengthy making-of documentary which is worth the price of the disc alone. If I had to complain, I would've liked to see something said about Howard Shore's music for the film but they really don't make any mention of it. It's a very minor complaint and nothing that hurts the disc overall.

The Fly is a pretty nasty film and I think on that we can all agree on that. Few movies are as revolting as this one, that's for sure. But underneath the viscera, you have a very intelligent, thoughtful and genuinely moving film that has great performances by Jeff Goldblum in the title role, Geena Davis and John Getz. I really appreciate this film and I'm glad that they took the time to produce this edition to properly compliment it. Highly recommended, especially if you're a fan or even if you haven't seen this film at all.

I'm someone who loves horror movies but I never had affection for this movie. It's not because The Fly was a bad horror film. On the contrary the opposite was true. When I first saw it at 12 it was SO scary I could not even watch the final transformation sequence at the end. This is the ONLY horror film which I could not watch from start to finish. Even to this day I never look at flies the same way. I've discovered that I like horror films that are scary enough to get my adrenaline pumping but not enough to make me feel disturbed for a long time afterwards.

The acting is superb, the special effects look real, and the script is good. In fact, if anything it is too perfect because if it wasn't I wouldn't have to take it so seriously! The reason why I'm giving it 5 stars is because, quite frankly, it deserves it as it is a genuine horror movie that does exactly what it sets out to do: scare you and disgust more in 2 hours than what your imagination could do in 2 years.

If you are looking for a GOOD horror movie this is right place to look. But be afraid. Be very afraid.

I don't know why but I never was a big fan of David Cronenberg's films. Besides the frequent sex and T&A, I thought Crash was terrible and I never liked History of Violence. The Fly however was a blind buy, one of those frequent mentions on great sci-fi movies so I thought well why not and sure enough I found a great film and a surprisingly emotional one at that. It is sci-fi and it's got great makeup but it's also at times touching and even slightly disturbing.

Seth Brundle is a non-social scientist working on a scientist that in his own words "will change the world as we know it". Meeting with reporter Veronica, he shows her his invention: a teleportation device capable of sending objects from one pod to another. The 2 hit it off romantically and the kink the machine has works but one night while drunk and upset, Seth goes into the teleportation pod, unbeknownest a housefly went in with him. Coming out he finds a greater sex drive and athletic ability. But he keeps changing, where he'll become something else entirely.

In probably his best performance so far, certainly his most memorable, Jeff Goldblum is absolutely perfect as the awkward Seth and tragic as the "Brundlefly". Geena Davis is well-cast as well and there's not a whole lot of cast members besides certain bit players. The makeup is quite excellent as well being very well-done and grotesque. This is the 80's so it might not have the polish of today but it still comes across anyway.

What's handled remarkably well is that it doesn't just become a monster movie solely. There's regret and angst and it gets into the sadness of turning into a fly, or at least loving someone turning into a fly. The "insect politics" scene is a good example of this, as well as the end, which I won't spoil but it's touching and tragic at the same time. Besides the whole head exploding thing, I thought Scanners kind of sucked and besides James Woods, I found Videodrome kind of boring. The Fly however is a director coming into his own. Kind of like Peter Jackson doing Heavenly Creatures after a series of gory films.

It's certainly one of the better films of the 80's, Cronenberg's best and a sci-fi classic so there's not a whole lot of reasons left to persuade you to buy this.

I wasn't expecting much from `The Fly'. I actually thought that it looked rather corny, and I loathe the actor that is Jeff Goldblum almost all of the time so it was really a stroke I luck that I decided to even give this movie a try. My friends were all talking about it one day and I felt left out, beings that I was the only one of us who had yet to see it and so I rented it and watched it and, get this, loved it.

The film centers around brilliant scientist Seth Brundle, a man on the verge of greatness. He invites journalist Veronica `Ronnie' Quaife back to his place to see the glorious invention he has been working on, and once she witnesses its potential she becomes absorbed in Brundle's life. Brundle has created a device that can transport matter from one pod to another. The machine is not able to handle living matter yet, but that is a bug Brundle is working out. When Brundle finally does decide to test his machine on himself he finds that the results are much more than he expected.

Cronenberg brilliantly crafts `The Fly' into a top notch horror film, a film that is as scary as it is dreadful; as gory as it is detestable, but it also has a beating heart, and that is not something a lot of films of this nature possess. As Seth transforms into the dreadful Brundlefly we see his mental capabilities leaving him, and as he turns into something dangerous to the ones he loves (namely Ronnie) we can see genuine humanity in his fight to save her (and eventually himself). There are moments towards the end of the film that recalled `King Kong' to me, watching Ronnie crumble as her beloved is destroyed before her eyes.

One thing I noticed that I thought was really interesting was the fact that in the opening scenes, where Seth is showing Ronnie his work, their eyes are glossed over and practically bulging from their skulls. They truly appear to be `buglike' and I really think this small detail adds layers to the films depth of character.

So that brings me to the acting.

Like I mentioned on the outset, I generally loathe Goldblum. He is usually a very annoying actor in my eyes. Here though he is spot on perfection. This was truly the perfect role for him. Every one of his usual mannered ticks are in full form here, but they work beautifully. I truly can't see anyone else playing Seth. Geena Davis is also wonderful here. I actually love her as an actress and think that she has continued to deliver film after film. As Ronnie she brings a true raw emotional connection to the film. Without her dedication to her performance the films moral would have went unnoticed, but her believability as Seth deteriorates before her is really what solidifies this films greatness.

So, in the end, `The Fly' is truly one of Cronenberg's finest films, it may even be his best (I openly admit to not having seen all of his work, but of what I have seen I think this, along with `A History of Violence' is my favorite). `The Fly' is truly a brillaint horror film, but even more than that it is a brilliant film; period. Cronenberg has a way of getting under our skin and festering, and `The Fly' is no exception to that talent.

An outstanding example of a remake that surpassed its predecessor, Cronenberg's "The Fly" is at once a sci-fi thriller, a grueling gothic horror tale and a tragic romance, with a visceral edge that can still make some viewers cringe and wince. As star Geena Davis observes in the supplement: It's a Cronenberg movie, so you're gonna get a bit wet.

In summary: Seth Brundle, a brilliant, isolated researcher, has developed a system that can teleport an object through space by disintegrating it in one spot and reintegrating it in another. "It'll change the world as we know it," he explains to Ronnie the tech journalist, who further rocks his world by falling in love with him in the course of covering his project for her magazine. Problem is, he has not yet been successful in teleporting any living subjects ... without nasty results. Inspired by Ronnie, he reprograms his system to get "crazy" enough about flesh to dis/re-integrate life effectively, and is successful at last. Unfortunately (also because of Ronnie, in a fit of jealousy), he briefly abandons rationality one evening and teleports himself.

In addition to a newfound surge of near uncontainable energy, Brundle eventually notices a change coming over him; skin discoloration, hair and nails coming loose, and a viscous white fluid discharge all over. He discovers that another organism, an ordinary housefly, was teleported with him and introduced into his genetic makeup, and that he will ultimately transform into some other life form, part insect, part human. The outcome is ultimately horrific as the filmmakers and performers take us through each stage of Brundle's grueling mutation into BrundleFly.

That's it in a nutshell. Jeff Goldblum's Oscar-nominated performance as Brundle is unforgettable and (along with Chris Walas' eye-popping effects makeup and prosthetics) is what elevates this 1986 version far beyond Fox's earlier attempt. Director Cronenberg was never one to shy away from gruesomeness in film, and you can almost feel what is happening to Seth as he changes, one thing that makes this film hard to recommend as "entertainment". The Blu-Ray HD transfer is outstanding, though maybe not crystal clear 100% of the time, rich and textured and brings this dark tale to ferocious life.

The supplement included, "Fear of the Flesh", is a full length love letter to fans of this movie, touching on every step of its history from the original director and why Cronenberg wasn't available at first, to a ghastly upbeat alternative ending that was (thank God) scrapped. The Butterfly Baby .... yeesh! An interesting side note is how the gorgeous Geena Davis began her career with her role as Ronnie. There's the rotating room from scenes where Brundle climbs the walls and ceiling. And yes, of course, generous looks at the prosthetics and puppetry that make up The Fly's nightmare final act. It's both the movie and the book of the movie in one package which, again for fans, is well worth owning.

This bug has flown a long way since its first appearance as a short story in Playboy in the 50s; in that sense, the mutation has been beautiful indeed. An immaculately packaged classic, for those with plenty of time and a strong stomach.