57. SHIVERS (aka THEY CAME FROM WITHIN)
57. SHIVERS (aka THEY CAME FROM WITHIN)
(1976)
Directed by David Cronenberg
Cronenberg has had a long career of creating challenging and troubling films ("The Brood" (1979), "Scanners" (1981), "Dead Ringers" (1988), "Naked Lunch" (1991), etc.) and he continues to be one of the most interesting filmmakers around but my personal favorite dates back to the beginning of his body of work. "Shivers" was shot in his native Canada and involves a sexually transmitted disease which is spread by truly disgusting slimy black slugs that crawl into their host and proceed to turn their libido on full blast, promoting frenzied couplings and thus facilitating further infections which eventually leads to a state of frothing anarchy. All of this happens in an idealized shiny clean high rise community with all the comforts and conveniences one could hope for. This particular brand of intelligent cinematic repulsion that Cronenberg became a master of has been called biological horror and, as labels go, it works. The monster lurks inside and the body is primed for revolt. That's why I've always preferred "They Came From Within" as a title. The double barrel fears of having your body invaded by parasites, especially the visually loathsome variety in this film, and then spiraling into madness can still blast holes in an unsuspecting viewer. This would work rather well on a double billing with the much talked about "28 Days Later" (2003).
(1976)
Directed by David Cronenberg
Cronenberg has had a long career of creating challenging and troubling films ("The Brood" (1979), "Scanners" (1981), "Dead Ringers" (1988), "Naked Lunch" (1991), etc.) and he continues to be one of the most interesting filmmakers around but my personal favorite dates back to the beginning of his body of work. "Shivers" was shot in his native Canada and involves a sexually transmitted disease which is spread by truly disgusting slimy black slugs that crawl into their host and proceed to turn their libido on full blast, promoting frenzied couplings and thus facilitating further infections which eventually leads to a state of frothing anarchy. All of this happens in an idealized shiny clean high rise community with all the comforts and conveniences one could hope for. This particular brand of intelligent cinematic repulsion that Cronenberg became a master of has been called biological horror and, as labels go, it works. The monster lurks inside and the body is primed for revolt. That's why I've always preferred "They Came From Within" as a title. The double barrel fears of having your body invaded by parasites, especially the visually loathsome variety in this film, and then spiraling into madness can still blast holes in an unsuspecting viewer. This would work rather well on a double billing with the much talked about "28 Days Later" (2003).
posted by scottra at 12:00 AM
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