Videodrome is a classic flick from the acclaimed David Cronenberg. I’m not really a fan of his, but I did like this movie. I watched it about 20 years ago as a young, ruggedly handsome Paynecraft, but never really got it. I just remembered the “chest” scenes being very unsettling. They still are.

James Woods plays an independent television station operator who is looking to deliver cutting edge material to his audience. In his research he finds some rogue signals from “parts unknown” of a sadistic show called Videodrome. On this show, people are brutally tortured and may or may not be actually getting killed. Either way, Woods’ character is very intrigued by this show, and he goes through great lengths to find it. In his pursuit of this show, weird things start happening and it starts to get harder and harder to separate reality from his ever increasingly sadistic conscience. Soon, he is knee deep in a conspiracy that has global implications. This is the world of Videodrome.

This movie has something for everybody. Great gore and special effects (even by today’s standards), ample nudity for the guys, James Woods’ well muscled ass for the girls, a good storyline for the purists, and Blondie to boot!

The storyline was particularly interesting, though finding an “extreme” banned television program is fairly tame by today’s standards of extreme porn and live executions found at the touch of a mouse button. The “disturbing” factor is still there though, thanks to the brilliant special effects. The movie also possesses this ominous feeling of dread that steamrolls through the whole movie. Several times I noticed that it was really too deep to turn back for a couple of the characters. I was quite involved.

Overall, I found this to be a great movie. It stood the test of time for the most part, despite the “extreme” aspect of the movie not really being that extreme anymore. The general idea was conveyed though. The acting was great. Everybody holds the fort down and James Woods does an excellent job with the leading character. I give this movie 8 out of 10 videocassettes.

What the hell is a videocassette?