Videodrome (1983)

Country of Origin: USA/Canada
Year of Production: 1981
Running Times: 87m (USA R-rated version)/89m
Length:
Format: 35mm
Colour Format: colour
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Sound: mono

DIRECTION

Director: David Cronenberg

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Filmplan International/Canadian Film Development Board/Famous Players
Executive Producer: Victor Solnicki, Pierre David
Producer: Claude Héroux
Associate Producer: Lawrence Nesis
Production Manager: Gwen Iveson
Assistant Production Manager: Janet Cuddy
Production Coordinator: Roger Héroux

SCRIPT
Script: David Cronenberg
Creative Consultant: Denise Di Novi

DIRECTION
1st Assistant Director: John Board
Assistant Directors: Libby Bowden, Rocco Gismondi
Script Supervisor: Gillian Richardson

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Mark Irwin
Assistant Camera Operators: Robin Miller, James Crowe
Camera Trainee: Donna Mobbs
Gaffer: Jock Brandis
Best Boy: Douglas 'Scotty' Allan
Electrician: Gary Phipps
Key Grip: Marris Jansons
Assistant Key Grip: David Hynes
Grips: Christopher Dean, Brian Danniels
Stills: Rick Porter
Assistant Video: Lee Wilson, Robert Meckler
Colour Timer: Christopher Severn
Panafkex Cameras and Lenses: Panavision
Lab: Film House, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Ronald Sanders
Assistant Editors: Elaine Foreman, Michael Rea, Carol McBride
Post-Production Coordinator: Bill Wiggins
Negative Cutter: T'n'T Services Ltd

MUSIC
Music: Howard Shore

SOUND
Location Sound Recordist: Bryan Day
Boom Operator: Michael LaCroix
Re-Recordists: Paul Coombe, Michael Hoogenboom, Elius Caruso
Supervising Sound Editor: Peter Burgess
Assistant Sound Editors: Gary Daprato, Beverley Neale, Michele Cook
Dialogue Editor: Charley Bowers
Foley Artist: Terry Burke
Sound Mixing Facility: Film House

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Make Up: Shonagh Jabour
Make Up Assistant: Inge Klaudi
Hair: Thomas L. Booth, Constant Natale
Assistant Hair: Maureen Mestan
Costume Designer: Eileen Kennedy
Wardrobe Master: Arthur Rowsell
Wardrobe Assistants: Maureen Gurney, Mary Partridge-Raynor, Kathy Vleira, Kat Meyer
Wardrobe Trainee: Denise Woodley

SPECIAL MAKE-UP EFFECTS
Special Make Up Designed and Created By: Rick Baker
Special Make Up Artists: Steve Johnson, Bill Sturgeon
Special Make Up Assistants: Michael Kavanagh, Mark Molin

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: Frank Carere
Special Effects Carpenter: James Stuart Allan

VISUAL EFFECTS
Special Video Effects: Michael Lennick
Opticals: Film Opticals

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Director: Carol Spier
Assistant Art Director: Barbara Dunphy, Tom Coulter
Set Decorator: Angela Sten
Set Dressers: Enrico Campana
Props: Peter Lauterman
Assistant Props: Greg Pelchat
Construction Manager: Bill Harman
Head Carpenter: Alexander Russell
Assistant Head Carpenter: Joe Curtin
Carpenters: Kirk Cheney, Alan Sharpe, Robert Sher, Jon Bankson, Thomas Pearce, John Bentley, Robert Pearson
Scenic Artist: Nick Kosonic
Paint Crew: Janet Cormack, Reet Puhm, Harry Pavelson, Simon Harwood, Elaine Cohen, Bill Gibson

OTHER CREW
Production Accountant: Licia Kornylo
Assistant Accountant: Rachelle Charron
Book-Keeper: Maureen Fitzgerald
Comptroller: Serge Major
Assistant Comptroller: Gilles Leonard
Production Secretary: Angela Gruenthal
Claude Héroux's Secretary: Monique Legare
Production Assistants: Howard Rothschild, Richard Spiegelman
Assistant to Executive Producer: Monik Nantel
Victor Solnicki's Assistant: Ellen Rozen
David Cronenberg's Personal Assistant: Richard Zywotkiewicz
Receptionist: Bonnie Gold
Choreography: Kirsteen Etherington
Transport Coordinator: Donato Baldassarra
Driver Captain: Randy Jones
Drivers: John Vander Pas, Allen Kosonic, David Chud, Jeff Steinberg, Alan Zweig, Jerome McCann
Craft Service: Lydia Warzana
Unit Publicist: Jill Spitz
Marketing: Publifilms Ltd
Worldwide Publicity: Paratel

LOCATIONS
Locations: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Location Manager: David Coatsworth

CASTING
Casting: Walker - Bowne Inc
Extras Casting: Peter Lavender

CAST

James Woods (Max Renn)
Sonja Smits (Bianca O'Blivion)
Debbie Harry (Nicki Brand)
Peter Dvorsky (Harlan)
Les Carlson (Barry Convex)
Jack Creley (Brian O'Blivion)
Lynne Gorman (Masha)
Julie Khaner (Bridey)
Reiner Schwartz (Moses)
David Bolt (Raphael)
Lally Cadeau (Rena King)
Henry Gomez (Brolley)
Harvey Chao, David Tsubouchi (Japanese salesmen)
Kay Hawtrey (matron)
Sam Malkin (sidewalk Derelict)
Bob Church (newscaster)
Jayne Eastwood (woman caller)
Franciszka Hedland (bellydancer)

PLOT SUMMARY

Max Renn runs a seedy porn cable channel and is always on the lookout for something new, more challenging. He thinks he's found it when he stumbles upon Videodrome, a snuff TV signal being broadcast from Philadelphia. His new lover, DJ Nicki Brand, goes off in search of the makers, hoping for an audition while Max finds himself drawn into an increasingly strange world where Videodrome is revealed to be a weapon being used by a group of reactionaries to alter their viewer's perceptions by causing brain damage. But how much of what Max is experiencing is real, how much of it is television and how much of it is Videodrome?

Cronenberg's masterpiece, a surreal, innovative and densely structured film that amply rewards multiple repeat viewings. Excellent performances all round, some mind-blowing concepts, an outstanding Howard Shore score and Cronenberg's best direction all combine in one of the genre's classic offerings. Compelling, addictive and thoroughly brilliant.

UK
Laserdisc Distributor: Pioneer (PLFEB 36041)

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Universal Pictures
Laserdisc Distributor: DiscoVision (11-018)
DVD Distributor: Universal (20387)

Australia
Rating: R

Finland
Rating: K-18

France
Rating: -12

Norway
Rating: 16 (video version); 18

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: 18

USA
Rating: R

West Germany
Rating: 18

1984
Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film, Belgium
Best Science-Fiction Film (David Cronenberg) - winner (tied with Bloodbath at the House of Death (1984))

Genie Awards, Canada
Best Achievement in Direction (David Cronenberg) - winner (tied with Bob Clark for A Christmas Story (1983))
Best Achievement in Art Direction (Carol Spier) - nominated
Best Achievement in Cinematography (Mark Irwin) - nominated
Best Achievement in Film Editing (Ronald Sanders) - nominated
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Leslie Carlson) - nominated
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Peter Dvorsky) - nominated
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Sonja Smits) - nominated
Best Screenplay (David Cronenberg) - nominated

1981
October
27: Canada – filming begins

December
23: Canada – filming ends

1983
January
28: USA – theatrical release

May
13: Sweden – theatrical release

December
16: Finland – theatrical release

1984
May
16: France – theatrical release

1997
May
16: UK - laserdisc release (Pioneer (PLFEB 36041))

1998
September
8: USA - DVD release (Universal (20387))

First it controlled her mind, then it destroyed her body... Long live the new flesh!

First it controls your mind...then it destroys your body

Experiência Alucinante – Portugese title
Network of Blood – early title
Vidéodrome – French title
Videodrome - tuhon ase – Finnish title

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
The American Nightmare (2000)
David Cronenberg: I Have to Make the Word be Flesh (1999)
Long Live the New Flesh: The Films of David Cronenberg (1987)
Naked Making Lunch (1992)
Terror in the Aisles (1984)

INCLUDES FOOTAGE FROM
L'isola degli uomini pesce (1979)

PERIODICALS

American Film vol.12 no.3 (December 1986) p.60 (USA)
review

Cahiers du Cinéma no.360 / 361 (Summer 1984) pp.108-109 (France)
review

Canadian Journal of Film Studies vol.1 no.1 (1990) p..29-35 (Canada)
article

CineAction! no.43 (July 1997) pp.58-61 (Canada)
illustrated article

Cinefantastique vol.12 no.1 (February 1982) p.9 (USA)
note

Cinefantastique vol.12 no.2 (April 1982) pp.4-7 (USA)
illustrated article

Cinefantastique vol.12 no.5 / 6 (July / August 1982) pp.6-7 (USA)
article

Cinefantastique vol.13 no.4 (April / May 1983) pp.4-5 (USA)
review

Cinefantastique vol.14 no.2 (December / January 1983 / 1984) pp.32-49 (USA)
interview

Cinema no.306 (June 1984) pp.48-49 (Switzerland)
review

Cinema Canada no.81 (February 1982) p.32 (Canada)
production notes

Cinema Canada no.93 (February 1983) p.35 (Canada)
article

City Limits no.112 (25 November 1983) p.24 (UK)
review

Copie Zéro no.15 (1983) p.27 (Canada)
review

Écran Fantastique no.35 (June 1983) pp.18-23 (France)
illustrated interview

Écran Fantastique no.44 (April 1984) pp.24-29 (France)
illustrated article

Empire November 1998 p.103 (UK)
review

Empire no.130 (April 2000) p.118 (UK)
video review

Film Comment vol.18 no.1 (January / February 1982) pp.2, 4 (USA)
note

Films and Filming no.360 (November 1983) p.43 (UK)
review

Hollywood Reporter vol.275 no.27 (7 February 1983) pp.3, 6 (USA)
review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.50 no.598 (November 1983) pp.310-3111 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review (by Paul Taylor)

Music From the Movies no.22 (Winter 1999) p.26 (UK)
illustrated article

Positif no.281 / 282 (July / August 1984) pp.110-111 (France)
review

Première May 1984 p.15 (France)
review (by Stella Molitor)

Prevue no.47 (April / May 1982) pp.33-34 (USA)
article

Screen International no.316 (31 October 1981) p.28 (UK)
note

Screen International no.422 (26 November 1983) p.17 (UK)
review

Screen International no.484 (16 February 1985) p.65 (UK)
note

Starburst no.59 (July 1983) pp.11-12 (UK)
review

Time Out no.691 (17 November 1983) pp.16-17 (UK)
interview

Variety 2 February 1983 p.18 (USA)
credits, review

Velvet Light Trap no.52 (Autumn 2003) pp.15-32 (USA)
article

Video Business vol.4 no.50 (18 February 1985) p.20 (UK)
article

NEWSPAPERS

The Daily Mail 22 November 1983 p.11 (UK)
note

The Daily Mail 25 November 1983 p.26 (UK)
illustrated review

The Daily Mirror 25 November 1983 p.21 (UK)
illustrated review

BOOKS

Killing For Culture pp.70-73, 342-343
notes

Terminal Identity: The Virtual Subject in Postmodern Science Fiction – Scott Bukatman (USA: Duke University Press, Durham and London (1993))

conspiracies, the future, hallucinations, sex, snuff films, surrealism, television, video

Last Updated: 5 March, 2010