tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post4009575431482536201..comments2023-11-28T15:20:59.369-05:00Comments on Cinema Viewfinder: Cronenberg Blogathon: The Dead Zone (1983) and the Horror of the MindTony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-22662459847776768972010-09-14T13:11:33.734-04:002010-09-14T13:11:33.734-04:00In my closing Blogathon post on SPIDER, I compared...In my closing Blogathon post on SPIDER, I compared it to this film in many respects. Particularly interesting to me is how Cronenberg revives the film technique of placing the protagonist inside his mindscape, the difference being Spider's is completely unreliable, whereas Johnnie's seems to be just the opposite.Tony Dayoubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-32540291636576015842010-09-10T22:32:20.355-04:002010-09-10T22:32:20.355-04:00@ Jay: Excellent Point. I'm a Christian, so I ...@ Jay: Excellent Point. I'm a Christian, so I tend to think of the soul and body as separate entities in very definite terms. I can't subscribe to the idea that free will is merely a chemical reaction.<br /><br />But The mind and the body are intricately tied in Cronberg's films and mutation in one, is usually marked by mutation in the other. Still in some cases there does seem to be a very definite separation between the two, particularly in Dead Ringers and his later work. <br /><br />@ SciFi Fanatic: Thanks for the kind words man, and I agree, this has been one hell of a blogothon. <br /><br />@Scorpius: Excellent point on the Taxi Driver comparison. I don't know if Cronenberg is "against" superheroes, he always seems rather excited about The New Flesh. I think he just acknowledges that evolution is a fundamentally very messy process. <br /><br />@ JD: I completely agree. Infact, I can't think of one I like better (Though The Mist comes awfully close).Bryce Wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17040954580033470664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-40577181527271571992010-09-10T10:13:10.006-04:002010-09-10T10:13:10.006-04:00A fascinating look at the Dead Zone which really c...A fascinating look at the Dead Zone which really contrasted with my own perceptions of it in some ways. I liked that it made me think differently about the film.<br /><br />I never saw the King/ Cronenberg collaboration as different, but rather fairly natural.<br /><br />So there were definitely elements in play here that made your analysis really interesting for me.<br /><br />Also, it's really something to see the different takes, sometimes markedly different takes, on the films of Cronenberg, even on the same film. Great stuff.SFFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04256589316922398158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-47809009595077101442010-09-10T09:39:33.608-04:002010-09-10T09:39:33.608-04:00Great assessment on Walken's performance in th...Great assessment on Walken's performance in this film. You would never expect it but he does a great job humanizing Johnny in such a way that you really feel for the guy and empathize with him and it makes the film's conclusion a tragic one steeped in melancholy. Yes, evil was vanquished but at what cost?<br /><br />This was a fantastic look at this film and definitely one of THE best King adaptations.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-81691264635432987242010-09-09T17:01:18.077-04:002010-09-09T17:01:18.077-04:00Great post on one of my favorite DC movies. I do l...Great post on one of my favorite DC movies. I do love anything by Stephen King, and DC did a great job here.<br /><br />But one thing here,regarding the Body Horror stuff for which Cron has often been credited. In DC's movies, the horror is something that comes from deep within. So in The Brood, it is the internal pain manifesting itself as external bruises. <br /><br />Again in The Fly, the bodily transformation of Seth is first preceded by his mental transformation, as he turns into a super stud, energetic always, but not knowing that his "energy" would foreshadow the tragedy. <br /><br />The Dead Zone to me had shades of Taxi Driver too, the protagonist obsessed with eliminating whom he sees as a major threat to society. <br /><br />But most of all to me it also seemed a kind of statement against Super Heroism, where the Hero's gift turns out to be a Curse.<br /><br />Was Cronenberg making some sort of statement here against people having Super Powers?<br /><br />--- RatnakarRatnakar Sadasyulahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01500940093879831732noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-4983050901100779462010-09-09T13:17:21.299-04:002010-09-09T13:17:21.299-04:00Riffing on your thought about body horror. That w...Riffing on your thought about body horror. That wasn't Cronenberg's term. I don't think he coined it. It is what is applied by others. <br /><br />As for the mind over matter vibe I get from your interpretation of his filmography, I think Cronenberg doesn't separate the mind from the body. There is no separation. There has always been horror of the mind and body as if there is only one.Jaynoreply@blogger.com