“I’m becoming something that never existed before.”
synopsis
Directed by David Cronenberg, this remake of the 1958 sci-fi horror film follows scientist Seth Brundle, who invents teleportation pods. After successfully transporting inanimate objects, he impulsively tests the machine on himself — unaware that a housefly has entered the chamber. What follows is not an immediate monster transformation but a gradual, horrifying physical and psychological deterioration.
pairs well with ...
mini-review
This is body horror elevated to tragedy. Jeff Goldblum brings manic charm and vulnerability, making Brundle’s decay devastating rather than merely grotesque. The practical effects are legendary — repulsive, yes, but purposeful. Beneath the mutation is a meditation on disease, ego, and mortality. It’s less about a fly than about the terror of losing control of your own body.
Not during dinner. Best watched when you’re in the mood for something unsettling but emotionally grounded.
Absurdist's Corner
A scientist invents teleportation — one of humanity’s greatest breakthroughs — and immediately uses it alone in a warehouse at night without thorough testing. Peer review matters.
fun facts
Director David Cronenberg reimagined the 1958 original as a tragic romance wrapped in body horror.
Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis were romantically involved during filming, intensifying their on-screen chemistry.
The elaborate practical makeup effects by Chris Walas won the Academy Award for Best Makeup.
Cronenberg has said the film is fundamentally about disease and decay—many critics later interpreted it as an allegory for the AIDS crisis.