The Fly (1986)

Director:

David Cronenberg

Writers:

George Langelaan (short story)
Charles Edward Pogue (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Something went wrong in the lab today. Very wrong.

Plot:

A brilliant but eccentric scientist begins to transform into a giant man/fly hybrid after one of his experiments goes horribly wrong.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Teleportation | Experiment | Reporter | Science

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 5 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Jeff Goldblum	...	Seth Brundle
Geena Davis	...	Veronica Quaife
John Getz	...	Stathis Borans
Joy Boushel	...	Tawny
Leslie Carlson	...	Dr. Brent Cheevers (as Les Carlson)
George Chuvalo	...	Marky
Michael Copeman	...	2nd Man in Bar
David Cronenberg	...	Gynecologist
Carol Lazare	...	Nurse
Shawn Hewitt	...	Clerk

Also Known As:

Die Fliege (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Flugan (Finland: Swedish title) (Sweden) [sv]
La mosca (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
La mouche (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
A Mosca (Portugal) [pt]
A légy (Hungary) [hu]
Fluen (Norway) [no]
Fluen (Denmark) [da]
Ha-Zvuv (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]
I myga (Greece) [el]
Kärpänen (Finland) [fi]
La mosca (Italy) [it]
Moucha (Czechoslovakia) [cs]
Mucha (Poland) [pl]
Muha (Croatia) [hr]
Musca (Romania) [ro]
Muva (Serbia) [sr]
Sinek (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-18 (1986) (cut) | Iceland:16 | Canada:R (Ontario) | Netherlands:16 | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1989) (VHS) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1986) (theatrical) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (2006) (DVD) | Ireland:18 | Brazil:14 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Argentina:18 | Chile:18 | France:-12 | Italy:VM14 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Australia:R

Filming Locations:

John Anderson Charcoal Broiled Hamburgers, 5270 Yonge Street, Willowdale, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Brooksfilms

Trivia:

The line, "I'm saying I'm an insect who dreamt he was a man and loved it, but now that dream is over and the insect is awake," is a reference to author Franz Kafka's 1912 story "The Metamorphosis," in which a man wakes from a nightmare to find himself transformed into a giant insect.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Brundle is sat at his computer, he bites the pencil and his teeth fall out onto the keyboard making a mess. A later shot of the keyboard reveals no teeth or blood on the keyboard.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Seth Brundle: What am I working on? Uhh... I'm working on something that will change the world, and human life as we know it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "SpongeBob SquarePants: Patrick SmartPants/SquidBob TentaclePants (#4.6)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Help Me

A masterpiece aided by special effects

I think that this is a grossly underrated film - a noteworthy landmark in modern horror. I would expect nothing less than excellent from my favourite director Cronenberg, and this doesn't disappoint. Goldblum's performance is particularly good as the nervy scientist Brundle, but I think the main reason for the film's achievement is its structure - very subtle, very well made. Most of the action takes place in the last third of the picture, but there is a great suspense building up to that point. And the special effects are jaw-dropping - Brundle's hideous transformation is reminiscent of Lynch's 'The Elephant Man'. This film has a reputation for being unnecessarily gory, which is actually not at all true. It is a very intelligent picture, about love and other issues as much as horror, and a must-see for anyone.