"Do you think that he would love the person that you are now... or not?" Gravitas Ventures has revealed an official trailer for Better Days, an indie comedy about grief and self-discovery. This recently premiered at the Cinéfest Sudbury Film Festival in Canada, and it's set for a VOD debut in December. Not to be confused with the acclaimed 2019 Chinese film also titled Better Days. After her husband dies, a woman starts to do whatever she wants and begins wearing her husband's Halloween costumes. When her children order her to go back to being her old self, she must decide whose happiness matters most in a delightful comedy about starting over & figuring yourself out before it's too late. The film stars Sonja Smits as Kate in the lead role, with Alix Sideris, Sara Hinding, Gregory Calderone, Blair Williams, Dean Armstrong, Sugenja Sri, and Luke Francis. Looks like a nice story...
- 11/21/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Although analog technology has gone all but extinct in the 40 years since Videodrome first permeated viewers’ psyches, there’s no denying the prescience of its themes. Writer-director David Cronenberg, circa 1983, portended the exploitation of the internet age, virtual reality, and media manipulation. At its core, Videodrome confronts the viewer to examine their own relationship with entertainment.
As the head of Civic TV, Max Renn caters to the subterranean market, transmitting sex and violence into Toronto homes over Uhf airwaves. His appetite for depravity no longer fulfilled by the likes of softcore pornography, Max’s interest is piqued by a mysterious pirated broadcast called Videodrome. As he describes it, “It’s just torture and murder. No plot, no characters. Very, very realistic. I think it’s what’s next.”
Max’s perception of reality is altered from the moment he’s first exposed to Videodrome, as devious hallucinations — from a cancerous...
As the head of Civic TV, Max Renn caters to the subterranean market, transmitting sex and violence into Toronto homes over Uhf airwaves. His appetite for depravity no longer fulfilled by the likes of softcore pornography, Max’s interest is piqued by a mysterious pirated broadcast called Videodrome. As he describes it, “It’s just torture and murder. No plot, no characters. Very, very realistic. I think it’s what’s next.”
Max’s perception of reality is altered from the moment he’s first exposed to Videodrome, as devious hallucinations — from a cancerous...
- 10/17/2023
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
The enemy, as it seems it always has been, is within in David Cronenberg’s Videodrome, but its violence, gore, and torrential mayhem is hard to miss. Influenced by the writings of Marshall McLuhan, this 1983 vision of the intermingling ideas and functions of technology, the mind, and “the flesh” is, like a great deal of Cronenberg’s work, endlessly fascinated with decay, bodily fluids, wounds, and growths. All of which come to bear in one form or another on Max Renn (James Woods), a forager of outré entertainments at Civic-tv, a sleazy Uhf television station in Toronto that he helped to found, and whose motto, “The One You Take to Bed with You,” is more ominous than goofy.
But where softcore pornography would effectively crawl up the ass of any major network executive and start biting as if it were its last meal, Renn is bored by shots of Asian...
But where softcore pornography would effectively crawl up the ass of any major network executive and start biting as if it were its last meal, Renn is bored by shots of Asian...
- 10/9/2023
- by Chris Cabin
- Slant Magazine
For many, Videodrome (1983) remains David Cronenberg’s signature film. It is not his most successful or necessarily even his best, but it does most thoroughly define the descriptor “Cronenbergian.” It is a distillation of many of the themes and motifs he would explore throughout his filmography. Along with The Fly (1986), it is perhaps his greatest depiction of the subgenre that he is most often associated with—body horror, but it also explores a number of philosophical ideas that thread their way through much of his body of work. Above all, Videodrome is an often uncomfortable interrogation of humanity’s relationship with violence, entertainment, and media, and forty years after its release, that interrogation has only become more disturbing and prescient.
Videodrome is an idea movie wrapped up in a mystery/conspiracy plot. That the plot makes any sense at all is rather remarkable considering, due to Canadian tax shelter policies,...
Videodrome is an idea movie wrapped up in a mystery/conspiracy plot. That the plot makes any sense at all is rather remarkable considering, due to Canadian tax shelter policies,...
- 2/9/2023
- by Brian Keiper
- bloody-disgusting.com
Long Live The New Flesh, Bitch!
And just like that, we’re into February. After starting the new year with a redo of our episode on The Perfection, followed by AIDS metaphor Safe, del Toro’s Gothic Romance Crimson Peak and slasher remake House of Wax, Trace and I are settling into our birthday month with four weeks of ‘Weird Sex’ films.
First on the docket: David Cronenberg‘s iconic body horror film Videodrome, which just celebrated its fortieth anniversary last week. In the film, Max Renn (James Woods) works at a Toronto TV station that programs sexy, violent content and he’s always on the hunt for new fare. Enter Videodrome: a pirated signal originally thought to originate from Malaysia (but is actually from Pittsburgh) that is basically snuff.
The trouble is that Videodrome is also a weapon, causing physical changes in the body of viewers (tumors), as well as vivid hallucinations.
And just like that, we’re into February. After starting the new year with a redo of our episode on The Perfection, followed by AIDS metaphor Safe, del Toro’s Gothic Romance Crimson Peak and slasher remake House of Wax, Trace and I are settling into our birthday month with four weeks of ‘Weird Sex’ films.
First on the docket: David Cronenberg‘s iconic body horror film Videodrome, which just celebrated its fortieth anniversary last week. In the film, Max Renn (James Woods) works at a Toronto TV station that programs sexy, violent content and he’s always on the hunt for new fare. Enter Videodrome: a pirated signal originally thought to originate from Malaysia (but is actually from Pittsburgh) that is basically snuff.
The trouble is that Videodrome is also a weapon, causing physical changes in the body of viewers (tumors), as well as vivid hallucinations.
- 2/6/2023
- by Joe Lipsett
- bloody-disgusting.com
“The television screen is the retina of the mind’s eye.”
The ‘Grave Tales’ Horror film series continues at Webster University Thursday April 11th with a screening of David Cronenberg’s Videodrome. The screening will be at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood). The movie starts at 7:00 and a Facebook invite for the event can be found Here.
Have you ever woken up in front of the TV and found yourself watching some really bizzare show? Take that premise a few steps further and you end up in David Cronenberg’s 1983 shocker Videodrome. A strong statement about the influence of mass media on human conscience, Videodrome is one of the weirdest films ever made, even by Cronenberg standards. And although its outdated gore effects may seem a bit cheesy today, the underlying message Cronenberg wanted to convey through its over-the-top depiction of violence and gore hasn’t aged one bit.
The ‘Grave Tales’ Horror film series continues at Webster University Thursday April 11th with a screening of David Cronenberg’s Videodrome. The screening will be at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood). The movie starts at 7:00 and a Facebook invite for the event can be found Here.
Have you ever woken up in front of the TV and found yourself watching some really bizzare show? Take that premise a few steps further and you end up in David Cronenberg’s 1983 shocker Videodrome. A strong statement about the influence of mass media on human conscience, Videodrome is one of the weirdest films ever made, even by Cronenberg standards. And although its outdated gore effects may seem a bit cheesy today, the underlying message Cronenberg wanted to convey through its over-the-top depiction of violence and gore hasn’t aged one bit.
- 4/8/2019
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Everyone gets their hands dirty (or dirtier) on Mary Kills People Season 2 Episode 2 and it's a helluva wild ride.
No other show would even attempt to cram the Big Bad shooting a henchman in the head, the ex-partner setting up a new business venture, the Big Secret leaking (again), two clients crossing over, the undercover cop from last season reappearing, And the teen finding a new love interest all into one episode.
And yet, Mary Kills People manages to take all that crazy hot mess and produce beautifully poignant moments of thoughtful humanity.
Heather: The way I see it, you have a choice. You can believe in nothing or you can believe in something. And I choose something. What about you?
Jess: I was raised by atheists. I'm a godless child.
Permalink: I was raised by atheists. I'm a godless child. Added: March 17, 2018
Even Jess didn't annoy me so much this time around.
No other show would even attempt to cram the Big Bad shooting a henchman in the head, the ex-partner setting up a new business venture, the Big Secret leaking (again), two clients crossing over, the undercover cop from last season reappearing, And the teen finding a new love interest all into one episode.
And yet, Mary Kills People manages to take all that crazy hot mess and produce beautifully poignant moments of thoughtful humanity.
Heather: The way I see it, you have a choice. You can believe in nothing or you can believe in something. And I choose something. What about you?
Jess: I was raised by atheists. I'm a godless child.
Permalink: I was raised by atheists. I'm a godless child. Added: March 17, 2018
Even Jess didn't annoy me so much this time around.
- 3/20/2018
- by Diana Keng
- TVfanatic
Fans of the 1981 horror film The Pit should be pleased to know that Kino Lorber has announced an upcoming Blu-ray and DVD release of the cult movie.
Starring Sammy Snyders, Jeannie Elias, Sonja Smits, Laura Hollingsworth and Richard Alden, The Pit (1981) will come out on Blu-ray and DVD with a new HD master, according to Kino Lorber’s Facebook page.
The cover art, special features, and release date for The Pit Blu-ray and DVD have yet to be revealed, but we’ll keep Daily Dead readers updated on future announcements.
The Pit was directed by Lew Lehman from Ian A. Stuart’s screenplay. For those unfamiliar with the film, we have its official synopsis (via Blu-ray.com):
“A solitary and strange boy wreaks revenge on the people who harasses him when he makes a disturbing discovery in the depth of a forest.”
The post Kino Lorber to Release The Pit...
Starring Sammy Snyders, Jeannie Elias, Sonja Smits, Laura Hollingsworth and Richard Alden, The Pit (1981) will come out on Blu-ray and DVD with a new HD master, according to Kino Lorber’s Facebook page.
The cover art, special features, and release date for The Pit Blu-ray and DVD have yet to be revealed, but we’ll keep Daily Dead readers updated on future announcements.
The Pit was directed by Lew Lehman from Ian A. Stuart’s screenplay. For those unfamiliar with the film, we have its official synopsis (via Blu-ray.com):
“A solitary and strange boy wreaks revenge on the people who harasses him when he makes a disturbing discovery in the depth of a forest.”
The post Kino Lorber to Release The Pit...
- 3/30/2016
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
“The television screen is the retina of the mind’s eye.”
Videodrome Screens Midnights this weekend (March 11th and 12th) at The Moolah Theater and Lounge (3821 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, Mo 63108) as part of Destroy the Brain’s monthly Late Night Grindhouse film series.
Have you ever woken up in front of the TV and found yourself watching some really bizzare show? Take that premise a few steps further and you end up in David Cronenberg’s 1983 shocker Videodrome. A strong statement about the influence of mass media on human conscience, Videodrome is one of the weirdest films ever made, even by Cronenberg standards. And although its outdated gore effects may seem a bit cheesy today, the underlying message Cronenberg wanted to convey through its over-the-top depiction of violence and gore hasn’t aged one bit.
The film tells the story of Max Renn; the CEO of a small television station who,...
Videodrome Screens Midnights this weekend (March 11th and 12th) at The Moolah Theater and Lounge (3821 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, Mo 63108) as part of Destroy the Brain’s monthly Late Night Grindhouse film series.
Have you ever woken up in front of the TV and found yourself watching some really bizzare show? Take that premise a few steps further and you end up in David Cronenberg’s 1983 shocker Videodrome. A strong statement about the influence of mass media on human conscience, Videodrome is one of the weirdest films ever made, even by Cronenberg standards. And although its outdated gore effects may seem a bit cheesy today, the underlying message Cronenberg wanted to convey through its over-the-top depiction of violence and gore hasn’t aged one bit.
The film tells the story of Max Renn; the CEO of a small television station who,...
- 3/8/2016
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
James Woods in 'Videodrome.' James Woods in $10 million Twitter lawsuit feud: Crassly vocal right-wing actor goes after two crassly vocal users who attacked him In a letter dated Aug. 21, '15, Twitter attorney Ryan Mrazik ridiculed Surf's Up and Scary Movie 2 actor James Woods, while also highlighting the potentially dangerous precedent of a $10 million lawsuit the 68-year-old entertainer filed against a Twitter user last July. The lawsuit was followed by a subpoena demanding that the social media giant reveal the user's identity and that of another user with whom Woods has been embroiled in the (generally) no-holds-barred Twitterverse. In case you're unfamiliar with the name, these days the two-time Oscar-nominated Woods is best known for a supporting role as a right-wing sociopath in Roland Emmerich's thriller White House Down, starring Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx (as a liberal-minded U.S. president despised by Woods' character), and for his relentless,...
- 8/31/2015
- by Zac Gille
- Alt Film Guide
Stars: James Woods, Deborah Harry, Sonja Smits, Peter Dvorsky, Leslie Carlson, Jack Creley, Lynne Gorman, Julie Khaner, Reiner Schwarz, David Bolt, Lally Cadeau | Written and Directed by David Cronenberg
Out of all the David Cronenberg films I’ve seen, Videodrome always sticks with me as my favourite and some of his best work, if not The best. Having not seen it in a few years, Arrow Video’s new Blu-ray release was the perfect chance to catch up with the movie and see if my memories of it were purely nostalgia. Thankfully, they were not.
Max Renn (James Woods) is a sleazy cable-tv programmer looking for more extreme ways to entertain his viewers. When he discovers “Videodrome” it appears to be exactly what he was looking for. When he starts hallucinating though, he suddenly finds reality becoming warped to the point where he is not sure what is real, or what is Videodrome.
Out of all the David Cronenberg films I’ve seen, Videodrome always sticks with me as my favourite and some of his best work, if not The best. Having not seen it in a few years, Arrow Video’s new Blu-ray release was the perfect chance to catch up with the movie and see if my memories of it were purely nostalgia. Thankfully, they were not.
Max Renn (James Woods) is a sleazy cable-tv programmer looking for more extreme ways to entertain his viewers. When he discovers “Videodrome” it appears to be exactly what he was looking for. When he starts hallucinating though, he suddenly finds reality becoming warped to the point where he is not sure what is real, or what is Videodrome.
- 8/17/2015
- by Paul Metcalf
- Nerdly
Reviewed by Kevin Scott
MoreHorror.com
The Pit (1981)
Written by: Ian A. Stuart
Directed by: Lew Lehman
Cast: Sammy Snyders (Jamie), Jeannie Elias (Sandy O’Reilly), Sonja Smits (Mrs. Lynde), Laura Hollingsworth (Marg Livingstone), Laura Press (Mrs. Benjamin), Paul Grisham (Freddy), Wendy Schmidt (Christina), Andrea Swartz (Abergail), Richard Alden (Mr. Benjamin), Patrick Patterson (Butcher), Harris Kal (Trog), Alison McCuaig (Trog), Paul Martin (Trog), Tom Martin (Trog)
Every now and then, you may watch a film, old or new that rests magnificently on its own plane of unintentional weirdness. I think that adequately describes “The Pit” from 1981. It’s an evil muppet movie with the muppets being voracious carnivores, and the kid that interacts with them being a complete and total weirdo pervy creep. That being said, it’s one of the best films I’ve seen lately that flew a stealth mission through my horror radar as a kid. I...
MoreHorror.com
The Pit (1981)
Written by: Ian A. Stuart
Directed by: Lew Lehman
Cast: Sammy Snyders (Jamie), Jeannie Elias (Sandy O’Reilly), Sonja Smits (Mrs. Lynde), Laura Hollingsworth (Marg Livingstone), Laura Press (Mrs. Benjamin), Paul Grisham (Freddy), Wendy Schmidt (Christina), Andrea Swartz (Abergail), Richard Alden (Mr. Benjamin), Patrick Patterson (Butcher), Harris Kal (Trog), Alison McCuaig (Trog), Paul Martin (Trog), Tom Martin (Trog)
Every now and then, you may watch a film, old or new that rests magnificently on its own plane of unintentional weirdness. I think that adequately describes “The Pit” from 1981. It’s an evil muppet movie with the muppets being voracious carnivores, and the kid that interacts with them being a complete and total weirdo pervy creep. That being said, it’s one of the best films I’ve seen lately that flew a stealth mission through my horror radar as a kid. I...
- 12/3/2014
- by admin
- MoreHorror
Apparently Universal has been developing a remake of David Cronenberg’s 1983 conspiracy thriller “Videodrome” for a while now, with “Transformers” writer Ehren Kruger adapting and producing. Well of course they are. These days, the surprise isn’t that a studio is remaking a cult favorite, it’s when they’re not. Obviously, as a result, I haven’t been surprised very often these days, which is a crying shame, but what’re you gonna do, right? Back to our news: Universal has now set commercial director Adam Berg to helm the movie as his feature film debut. The original starred James Woods (along with Sonja Smits and singer Deborah Harry) as the head of a cable station in Canada who stumbles across a broadcast signal featuring extreme violence and torture. Our hero thinks it’s all fake, but eventually learns the truth and finds himself in the middle of a...
- 8/22/2012
- by Nix
- Beyond Hollywood
It is a very light week for horror DVDs with a few re-releases on Blu-ray of newer classics, starting with the "New Flesh" that is Videodrome as well as Guillermo del Toro's Cronos.
Other releases this week that are worthy of any mention include a blood-soaked whale-watching trip, an entomologist who started a human collection instead, and a television mini-series about exorcism.
Videodrome (Criterion Collection) (1983)
Directed by David Cronenberg
Starring James Woods, Deborah Harry, Sonja Smits, Peter Dvorsky, Leslie Carlson
When Max Renn goes looking for edgy new shows for his sleazy cable TV station, he stumbles across the pirate broadcast of a hyperviolent torture show called Videodrome. As he unearths the origins of the program, he embarks on a hallucinatory journey into a shadow world of right-wing conspiracies, sadomasochistic sex games, and bodily transformation. Renn's ordinary life dissolves around him, and he finds himself at the center of...
Other releases this week that are worthy of any mention include a blood-soaked whale-watching trip, an entomologist who started a human collection instead, and a television mini-series about exorcism.
Videodrome (Criterion Collection) (1983)
Directed by David Cronenberg
Starring James Woods, Deborah Harry, Sonja Smits, Peter Dvorsky, Leslie Carlson
When Max Renn goes looking for edgy new shows for his sleazy cable TV station, he stumbles across the pirate broadcast of a hyperviolent torture show called Videodrome. As he unearths the origins of the program, he embarks on a hallucinatory journey into a shadow world of right-wing conspiracies, sadomasochistic sex games, and bodily transformation. Renn's ordinary life dissolves around him, and he finds himself at the center of...
- 12/6/2010
- by kwlow
- DreadCentral.com
The start of year-long programming @ Toronto's Tiff Bell Lightbox, will include a live appearance from Toronto-based director David Cronenberg, Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 9:15pm and Friday, September 24, 2010 at 9:30pm, introducing a special screening of his 1983, science fiction thriller "Videodrome".
"Videodrome", written/directed by Cronenberg, was loosely-inspired by Moses Znaimer's 1970's soft-core 'Baby Blue' porno programming @ Toronto's City-tv (before Znaimer declared himself a genius, programming music videos supplied free of charge by MTV).
The Toronto-lensed "Videodrome", starring James Woods, Sonja Smits, and singer Deborah Harry, followed the CEO of a small cable station who stumbles upon a broadcast signal that causes brain damaging hallucinations. As 'Max' gets closer to discovering the origins of the signal, he gets sucked into a world of sadomasochistic sex, left-wing conspiracies and physical transformations.
"...'Max Renn' (Woods) is the president of Civic-tv, a sleazy Toronto Uhf television station specializing in exploitation programming. Displeased with...
"Videodrome", written/directed by Cronenberg, was loosely-inspired by Moses Znaimer's 1970's soft-core 'Baby Blue' porno programming @ Toronto's City-tv (before Znaimer declared himself a genius, programming music videos supplied free of charge by MTV).
The Toronto-lensed "Videodrome", starring James Woods, Sonja Smits, and singer Deborah Harry, followed the CEO of a small cable station who stumbles upon a broadcast signal that causes brain damaging hallucinations. As 'Max' gets closer to discovering the origins of the signal, he gets sucked into a world of sadomasochistic sex, left-wing conspiracies and physical transformations.
"...'Max Renn' (Woods) is the president of Civic-tv, a sleazy Toronto Uhf television station specializing in exploitation programming. Displeased with...
- 9/22/2010
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
A dazzling debut by UK dramatist, Polly Stenham that recently took London’s
West End by storm, That Face is an explosive portrayal of an affluent family in freefall written in 2007 when Ms. Stenham was 19 years old.
The youngest playwright to ever be produced by The Royal Court Theatre, Ms. Stenham
leads the pack of new contemporary voices in British drama today.This world premiere stars Sonja Smits as Martha, best known for her multi-award-winning characters on “The Eleventh Hour”, “Traders” and “Street Legal”.
Nightwood Artistic Director and That Face director Kelly Thornton remarks, “I am thrilled to be tackling this complex and muscular drama. Stenham’s voice is raw and uncensored and for such a young writer her acute dissection of emotional neglect is arresting.”
Ms. Stenham delves into family dysfunction like a seasoned analyst with decades of experience. Her searing portrait of an upper class family exposes an...
West End by storm, That Face is an explosive portrayal of an affluent family in freefall written in 2007 when Ms. Stenham was 19 years old.
The youngest playwright to ever be produced by The Royal Court Theatre, Ms. Stenham
leads the pack of new contemporary voices in British drama today.This world premiere stars Sonja Smits as Martha, best known for her multi-award-winning characters on “The Eleventh Hour”, “Traders” and “Street Legal”.
Nightwood Artistic Director and That Face director Kelly Thornton remarks, “I am thrilled to be tackling this complex and muscular drama. Stenham’s voice is raw and uncensored and for such a young writer her acute dissection of emotional neglect is arresting.”
Ms. Stenham delves into family dysfunction like a seasoned analyst with decades of experience. Her searing portrait of an upper class family exposes an...
- 10/28/2009
- BroadwayWorld.com
TORONTO -- Veteran Canadian actor Paul Gross will receive the 2005 ACTRA Award of Excellence at a gala dinner Feb. 18, Canada's performers union said Thursday. The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television, and Radio Artists, representing 13,000 domestic performers, said it will toast Gross both for his onscreen work and for his efforts to restore the ailing Canadian drama. "Without question Paul Gross is a real Canadian star -- an accomplished actor, a respected and notable writer and director, known to audiences around the world," ACTRA Toronto president Richard Hardacre said in a statement. "He is firmly committed to the possibility of a vibrant Canadian film and television industry and has demonstrated true leadership in the campaign to foster English-Canadian culture on our screens." Past winners of the ACTRA Award of Excellence include Sonja Smits and Gordon Pinsent.
- 12/17/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
TORONTO -- Canadian actors on Monday took their case for restored public subsidies for homegrown TV shows to the politician that made the budget chop two weeks ago, federal finance minister John Manley. Around two-dozen actors, led by Sonja Smits (The Eleventh Hour) and Julie Stewart (Cold Squad) established a picket line outside a fundraising dinner for a local Liberal Member of Parliament at which Manley was scheduled to speak.
- 4/29/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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