Videodrome is one of those films that seems to always fly under people’s radars but is actually one of the most brilliant movies to come out in 1983. I think it’s David Cronenberg first true masterpiece. It’s a challenging film to be sure, and one not normally associated with Halloween, but it’s definitely horror. What really sets it apart is the undercurrent of social commentary that permeates every scene.
The basic plot revolves around a sleazy TV executive who discovers a disturbing pirated show that has people being tortured. But it turns out this signal isn’t like any other TV signal. When someone watches, they begin hallucinating and after a while, it’s not clear what’s real and what’s TV. Of course, you’re probably already seeing the clear subtext here about the world’s obsession with TV & media and the effects (especially violence and sex) can have on the viewer.
Videodrome is astoundingly ahead of its time. It predicted the pushing of entertainment boundaries in every medium, the vice-like grip the media has on mainstream information, and the rise of reality TV. It’s not for the faint of heart but I’m amazed at how much of an impact this film still has, over 30 years later.