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The Month of Horror Day 10: Videodrome

Basement contributor Matt Bellamy has taken it upon himself to watch and review at least one horror movie a day for the month of October . . . because he's awesome that way! And tonight Bellamy takes us into the wild and wacky world of Canadian horror with our host, David Cronenberg!

Ever seen a guy pull a gun out of his stomach? Yes? Oh... well, never mind then! It seems like that is the one scene from this film that everyone remembers most fondly, if that's even the correct word for it. Director David Cronenberg (a Canadian!) was/is the king of body horror, especially during the 80's, and Videodrome may just be his most perverse and messed up film to date. I know he has explored sexuality, self-mutilation, and horrific violence in more hardcore ways in other films however here the marriage seems most complete. James Woods stars as a cable television employee who becomes obsessed with what appears to be a reality snuff program called Videodrome. He watches people torture, rape, maim, and even murder each other all for the sick and twisted sake of deranged entertainment! Sounds a little like an evening watching 'Here Comes Honey Boo Boo'. Perhaps this flick was ahead of its time and even prophetic in a way, predicting what the state of television would become although on an exaggerated level, of course--I haven't killed anyone in the name of the "new flesh", yet...

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