HorrorScience FictionMystery

Videodrome

- First it controls your mind. Then it destroys your body.

As the president of a trashy TV channel, Max Renn is desperate for new programming to attract viewers. When he happens upon "Videodrome," a TV show dedicated to gratuitous torture and punishment, Max sees a potential hit and broadcasts the show on his channel. However, after his girlfriend auditions for the show and never returns, Max investigates the truth behind Videodrome and discovers that the graphic violence may not be as fake as he thought.

Release Date : 1983-02-04

Language :EnglishJapanese

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Guardian Trust CompanyFilmplan InternationalCanadian Film Development Corporation

Production Country : Canada

Alternative Titles : David Cronenberg's Videodrome

Cast

Character Name : Max Renn

Original Name : James Woods

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nicki Brand

Original Name : Debbie Harry

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bianca O'Blivion

Original Name : Sonja Smits

Gender : Female

Character Name : Harlan

Original Name : Peter Dvorsky

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barry Convex

Original Name : Leslie Carlson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Brian O'Blivion

Original Name : Jack Creley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Masha

Original Name : Lynne Gorman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bridey

Original Name : Julie Khaner

Gender : Female

Character Name : Moses

Original Name : Reiner Schwarz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Raphael

Original Name : David Bolt

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rena King

Original Name : Lally Cadeau

Gender : Female

Character Name : Brolley

Original Name : Henry Gomez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Japanese Salesman

Original Name : Harvey Chao

Gender : Male

Character Name : Japanese Salesman

Original Name : David Tsubouchi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Matron

Original Name : Kay Hawtrey

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sidewalk Derelict

Original Name : Sam Malkin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Newscaster

Original Name : Bob Church

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woman Caller

Original Name : Jayne Eastwood

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bellydancer

Original Name : Franciszka Hedland

Gender : Female

Character Name : Max Renn (Helmet Scenes) (uncredited)

Original Name : David Cronenberg

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-02-09

"Max" (James Woods) runs a television channel that specialises in adult content. Always on the look out for new and more innovative and shocking content, he stumbles upon a brief series of satellite images that tantalise him. It's on a television talk show that he meets "Nicki" (Debbie Harry) who has a penchant for sex with a twist - and that not only turns them both on, but furthers his desire to obtain his newly found (and pretty violent) content for his Channel 83 output. The other guest on that show is the renowned "Prof. Oblivion" (Jack Creley) who prognosticates that one day the reality of television and video will replace the "real" reality. These threads slowly all tie together when "Nicki" decides that she is going to star in this new "Videodrome" enterprise and "Renn" must now reconcile his concern for her safety with his mounting need to acquire the show. This film is surreal and bizarre and yet it's still quite effective at illustrating the most visceral aspects of human nature - sex, venality, lust - even pain; and the visual effects (particularly towards the last fifteen minutes) must have been particularly effective. It's a bit on the sordid side - not that that's necessarily a bad thing, but at times the seaminess of it all is distracting from the more interesting and provocative aspects of the narrative. Time hasn't been very kind to it either, the effects have lost much of their potency now and the acting is mediocre at best. It is well worth a watch, but I'm not sure that will be the case for very much longer.