The Fly (1986)

Director:

David Cronenberg

Writers:

George Langelaan (short story)
Charles Edward Pogue (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Something went wrong in the lab today. Very wrong.

Plot:

A brilliant but eccentric scientist begins to transform into a giant man/fly hybrid after one of his experiments goes horribly wrong.

Plot Keywords:

Nightmare | Body Horror | Fable | Dream Sequence | Gruesome

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 5 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Jeff Goldblum	...	Seth Brundle
Geena Davis	...	Veronica Quaife
John Getz	...	Stathis Borans
Joy Boushel	...	Tawny
Leslie Carlson	...	Dr. Brent Cheevers (as Les Carlson)
George Chuvalo	...	Marky
Michael Copeman	...	2nd Man in Bar
David Cronenberg	...	Gynecologist
Carol Lazare	...	Nurse
Shawn Hewitt	...	Clerk

Also Known As:

Mouche, La (Canada: French title)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA | UK | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (cut) (1989) (VHS) | Netherlands:16 | Canada:R (Ontario) | Finland:K-18 (1986) (cut) | Iceland:16 | Brazil:14 | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1986) (theatrical) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (2006) (DVD) | Ireland:18 | Argentina:18 | Chile:18 | France:-12 | Italy:VM14 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Australia:R (DVD/VHS version) | Australia:MA (TV version)

Filming Locations:

John Anderson Charcoal Broiled Hamburgers, 5270 Yonge Street, Willowdale, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Brooksfilms

Trivia:

Seth's saying, "Drink deep, or taste not, the plasma spring", is a reference to a famous quote from Alexander Pope's "An Essay on Criticism". The full quote is: "A little learning is a dang'rous thing; drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring: Their shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again."

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Verinoca is playing the cassette tape of her recorded conversation with Brundel for her former boyfriend, the direction of the tape and the amount of tape left suggests that it just began from the beginning. However, the portion of the conversation that is being played is just before her tape recorder begins beeping, indicating that the tape is at the end and needs to be flipped over.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Seth Brundle: What am I working on? Uhh... I'm working on something that will change the world, and human life as we know it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Howling III (1987)

Soundtrack:

HELP ME

A Superb and Terrifying Movie!

I have to admit it. The Fly is the only David Cronenberg movie I have ever seen. I haven't seen any of his others, such as The Dead Zone, Naked Lunch, or eXiStenZ (I think that's how you spell it). But it's just an example that you don't have to be a Cronenberg fan to enjoy this classic. The movie was definitely not a horror movie starring a mad scientist who transforms into an evil fly. It's really not even a horror movie. It's a drama with amounts of romance and suspense/horror. Jeff Goldblum did the best performance of his career as Seth Brundle, a scientist who has invented something he calls "Telepods". They're pods that transport you from pod to pod, space to space. He tests this invention with animals and objects until one night he gets very mad because he believes his girlfriend (Geena Davis) is seeing someone else (John Getz), even though his belief is wrong. He tries the pods out for himself, unknowing that a fly got trapped in the pod with him. The pods splice them together, and slowly throughout the movie, Seth Brundle transforms into a gross and devastating creature, half man, half fly.

The movie had no errors in it. The acting was great, the terrifying score by Howard Shore was amazing, the directing was exceptional, the story was brilliant, and the extremely sick and disgusting special effects were fantastic. Go see this movie! But don't go on a full stomach, unless you want to lose that meal in you.