The creepy, trippy and thoroughly disturbing new age horror film
Videodrome has a lot to say about our codependency with technology, particularly video and television, that still feels surprisingly relevant. It's also a film that's horribly chilling regardless of its social commentary. Max Renn (James Wood) works for CIVIC-TV, a television company in the business of acquiring videos for its clientele, everything from soft-core porn to torture. They argue its for the greater good of society as they allow people to filter their worst, most destructive fantasies through these videos. Max is looking for something fresh to market to his clients and comes across a video series called "Videodrome" where people are brutally beaten and murdered. The more Max investigates the origins of the videos the more things get bonkers, and the line between reality and video recording become eerily one in the same -- "Videodrome" might just be a far more than just a screwed up video service. The world of
Videodrome is a world where everyone is plugged into their television set, craving videos and looking for new and disgustingly sensational programming. Everyone is desensitized; everyone is becoming one with their television and the tape in the VCR. It's weird. It's hard to stomach. It's a visually fearless. And it's arguably more relevant today than it was upon its release.
Grade: A-
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