Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum), a brilliant but eccentric scientist attempts to woo investigative journalist Veronica Quaife (Geena Davis) by offering her a scoop on his latest research in the field of matter transportation, which against all the expectations of the scientific establishment have proved successful. Up to a point. Brundle thinks he has ironed out the last problem when he successfully transports a living creature, but when he attempts to teleport himself a fly enters one of the transmission booths, and Brundle finds he is a changed man. This Science-Gone-Mad film is the source of the quotable quote "Be afraid. Be very afraid."Written by
Mark Thompson <mrt@oasis.icl.co.uk>
There is a limit, even to the imagination, where our greatest creations meet our deepest fears. Doctor Seth Brundle is about to go beyond that limit...and he's bringing you for the ride. See more »
David Cronenberg mentions a few times the importance of how much Brundle should be able to articulate what is happening to him. By late in the original film, the scientist was a complete mute, and Cronenberg felt this couldn't have worked for his film. Cronenberg mentions books written from the first-hand perspective of someone who has contracted a terminal disease and how enlightening it was to hear in their own words what was happening to them. The way Brundle explains what is happening to him was drawn from these books allowing the audience to experience the disease even more so than if they were simply watching him transform. This was also important for the director later in the film when Brundle begins to literally lose his own voice. See more »
Goofs
In the last scene when Veronica shoots the shotgun, in real life it would have ripped away from her, and probably injured her hands and wrists. You must brace a shotgun to the body to prevent injury from the recoil. See more »
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.
See more »
There is a deleted scene of Brundlefly putting the surviving baboon & a cat in the telepod at the same time. The baboon evolves into a catlike creature. This scene is talked about in a book called "Men Makeup & Monsters" by Anthony Timpone. See more »
Why is it this film that will always be his REAL 'breakout', and not any of the others before or since? The truth is, beneath all the biological yucks and makeup (there is plenty of both) lies a strong emotional core. Goldblum is enthusiastically likable as scientist Seth Brundle, and Geena Davis is just how Geena Davis seems to be in real life... sweet. It is how the events change both characters EMOTIONALLY, not physically, that inspires the true horror.
The blending of both the above elements makes this remake appeal simultaneously to the 'gross out' crowd, and those in the mood for a more cerebral horror experience. A concept of B-movie stature, electrified by the skills of A-list talent.
54 of 73 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
| Report this
Why is it this film that will always be his REAL 'breakout', and not any of the others before or since? The truth is, beneath all the biological yucks and makeup (there is plenty of both) lies a strong emotional core. Goldblum is enthusiastically likable as scientist Seth Brundle, and Geena Davis is just how Geena Davis seems to be in real life... sweet. It is how the events change both characters EMOTIONALLY, not physically, that inspires the true horror.
The blending of both the above elements makes this remake appeal simultaneously to the 'gross out' crowd, and those in the mood for a more cerebral horror experience. A concept of B-movie stature, electrified by the skills of A-list talent.