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Late to the Party: The Fly (1986)

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GoldblumTruth be told, a traditional Late to the Party this was not. It wasn’t that I’d never seen The Fly, only that after the passage of more than a decade, I simply hadn’t the faintest recollection of David Cronenberg’s hit save the general plot or that it starred Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis.

Beyond that (and Patti Pauley’s eloquent love letter for the film’s 30th anniversary), however, I went into The Fly with fresh eyes, and can say that what I enjoyed most was its simplicity. Cronenberg focused on the characters rather than spectacular feats made possible by Goldblum’s new “spidey senses,” a decision which, for my money, made a ridiculous premise work.

For those who don’t know, Goldblum played Seth Brundle, a brilliant yet reclusive scientist on the verge of perfecting teleportation. Brundle meets journalist Veronica Quaife (Davis) and the story goes from Quaife believing Brundle to be a flake to wanting to break the story of a lifetime to falling for the quirky expert. Enter the literal fly in the ointment and Brundle discovers that he had been genetically fused with a fly which happened to land in the telepod during an experiment and you have the catalyst for the film.

Goldblum was absolutely brilliant as Brundle. Let’s be honest, who can pull off eagerly energetic while socially awkward better than Jeff Goldblum?

Rest assured, a character such as Brundle is not an easy one to pull off. That said, Goldblum nailed the oddball aspect of Brundle’s pre-fly infestation personality, but had the dramatic chops to convince as the aggressive and impatient “Dr.-Ian-Malcolm-on-crack” post-metamorphosis. Goldblum possessed the innocent, inquisitive charm of magician David Copperfield (check the hair and you’ll be sure to agree), but the nature of a character searching for answers required an actor who was incapable of speaking without thinking. Name an actor more adept at appearing to have had his lines pop into his head seconds before he blurts them and I’ll show you a liar.

The chemistry between Goldblum and Davis was undeniable. The intellectual and playful banter and staging of their own fusion was paced seamlessly, and thanks to the aforementioned fleshing out of their respective characters, plausibly.

And thank whatever God you pray to Cronenberg was unable to utilize CGI for The Fly because to an old schooler like me, practical effects will always win the day. The make-up and effects were minimalist and when teamed with the story and performances of Goldblum and Davis, allowed The Fly to remain a horror film with heart rather than teetering into a cheesy tale that didn’t know when to quit.

FlyAt its essence the film documents the slow but steady destruction of both characters. Goldblum psychologically and physically and Davis emotionally. Davis matches Goldblum’s skill throughout as a woman who find herself torn between saving the man she loves and fear for her own safety. Again, the pacing is spot on because neither Goldblum nor Davis slide too far too soon. Instead, they deteriorate progressively, and what’s more, believably until each reaches a point of no return.

In the middle is Stathis Borans (John Getz), Davis’ ex-boyfriend as well as editor of her magazine. Though he plays the role of jilted and jealous douche bag to perfection, Getz’s arc is an odd one because he ends up the hero of the film. Piggish advances and the type of sexually harassing power plays that you read about are replaced with genuine concern and finally, the resolve necessary to do what must be done.

The Fly is a movie to savor as it unfolds. There was no need to fill in blanks that were best left to the imagination, and I cannot bestow enough praise upon Cronenberg that the flick ended exactly when it should have.

Along the way, one of my favorite Goldblum deliveries made an appearance and I can guarantee I’ll be actively looking to drop “You got it, alright. You just can’t handle it” at my first opportunity. Not to mention a baboon, gymnastics routine, the mouthwatering combination of chocolate and scotch, a War Games moment and a larvae nightmare.

With smatterings of horror, drama and humor, The Fly offers a little something for everyone and is damn fun to watch.

Oh, and one final thought before signing off: The Fly was a remake.

The original was released in 1958. Cronenberg’s version was a re-imagining. Much like John Carpenter’s The Thing. And Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead. So do me a favor, keep that in mind before pontificating about the sanctity of classics. Not all remakes turn out, but once in a while, new artists pick up the ideas of others and pull it off.

Be sure to check back for next week’s Late to the Party when we drop a mystery flick on ya.

Telepod

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Brad Dourif Says He’s Retiring Except For One Important Role

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Brad Dourif has been doing movies for nearly 50 years. Now it seems he is walking away from the industry at 74 to enjoy his golden years. Except, there is a caveat.

Recently, digital entertainment publication JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols talked to some of the Chucky television series cast members. During the interview, Dourif made an announcement.

“Dourif said that he’s retired from acting,” says Nichols. “The only reason he came back for the show was because of his daughter Fiona and he considers Chucky creator Don Mancini to be family. But for non-Chucky stuff, he considers himself retired.”

Dourif has voiced the possessed doll since 1988 (minus the 2019 reboot). The original movie “Child’s Play” has become such a cult classic it’s at the top of some people’s best chillers of all time. Chucky himself is ingrained in pop culture history much like Frankenstein or Jason Voorhees.

While Dourif may be known for his famous voiceover, he is also an Oscar-nominated actor for his part in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Another famous horror role is The Gemini Killer in William Peter Blatty’s Exorcist III. And who can forget Betazoid Lon Suder in Star Trek: Voyager?

The good news is that Don Mancini is already pitching a concept for season four of Chucky which might also include a feature-length movie with a series tie-in. So, Although Dourif says he is retiring from the industry, ironically he is Chucky’s friend till the end.

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Editorial

7 Great ‘Scream’ Fan Films & Shorts Worth a Watch

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The Scream franchise is such an iconic series, that many budding filmmakers take inspiration from it and make their own sequels or, at least, build upon the original universe created by screenwriter Kevin Williamson. YouTube is the perfect medium to showcase these talents (and budgets) with fan-made homages with their own personal twists.

The great thing about Ghostface is that he can appear anywhere, in any town, he just needs the signature mask, knife, and unhinged motive. Thanks to Fair Use laws it’s possible to expand upon Wes Craven’s creation by simply getting a group of young adults together and killing them off one by one. Oh, and don’t forget the twist. You’ll notice that Roger Jackson’s famous Ghostface voice is uncanny valley, but you get the gist.

We have gathered five fan films/shorts related to Scream that we thought were pretty good. Although they can’t possibly match the beats of a $33 million blockbuster, they get by on what they have. But who needs money? If you’re talented and motivated anything is possible as proven by these filmmakers who are well on their way to the big leagues.

Take a look at the below films and let us know what you think. And while you’re at it, leave these young filmmakers a thumbs up, or leave them a comment to encourage them to create more films. Besides, where else are you going to see Ghostface vs. a Katana all set to a hip-hop soundtrack?

Scream Live (2023)

Scream Live

Ghostface (2021)

Ghostface

Ghost Face (2023)

Ghost Face

Don’t Scream (2022)

Don’t Scream

Scream: A Fan Film (2023)

Scream: A Fan Film

The Scream (2023)

The Scream

A Scream Fan Film (2023)

A Scream Fan Film
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Another Creepy Spider Movie Hits Shudder This Month

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Good spider films are a theme this year. First, we had Sting and then there was Infested. The former is still in theaters and the latter is coming to Shudder starting April 26.

Infested has been getting some good reviews. People are saying that it’s not only a great creature feature but also a social commentary on racism in France.

According to IMDb: Writer/director Sébastien Vanicek was looking for ideas around the discrimination faced by black and Arab-looking people in France, and that led him to spiders, which are rarely welcome in homes; whenever they’re spotted, they’re swatted. As everyone in the story (people and spiders) is treated like vermin by society, the title came to him naturally.

Shudder has become the gold standard for streaming horror content. Since 2016, the service has been offering fans an expansive library of genre movies. in 2017, they began to stream exclusive content.

Since then Shudder has become a powerhouse in the film festival circuit, buying distribution rights to movies, or just producing some of their own. Just like Netflix, they give a film a short theatrical run before adding it to their library exclusively for subscribers.

Late Night With the Devil is a great example. It was released theatrically on March 22 and will begin streaming on the platform starting April 19.

While not getting the same buzz as Late Night, Infested is a festival favorite and many have said if you suffer from arachnophobia, you might want to take heed before watching it.

Infested

According to the synopsis, our main character, Kalib is turning 30 and dealing with some family issues. “He’s fighting with his sister over an inheritance and has cut ties with his best friend. Fascinated by exotic animals, he finds a venomous spider in a shop and brings it back to his apartment. It only takes a moment for the spider to escape and reproduce, turning the whole building into a dreadful web trap. The only option for Kaleb and his friends is to find a way out and survive.”

The film will be available to watch on Shudder starting April 26.

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