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 | Science | Mutant

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 5 wins & 8 nominations

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 (uncut) (2006) (DVD) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1986) (theatrical) | Ireland:18 | Brazil:14 | 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:

When David Cronenberg was hired as director, it was contingent that he'd work with the same crew of filmmakers he's always worked with that included Editor Ronald Sanders, Production Designer Carol Spier, Director of Photography Mark Irwin and Composer Howard Shore.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Brundle is giving his 'gene pool speech' to Ronny, he's walking around shirtless in his apartment. In the long shot of him (eventually) walking out of the room, the hairy wound on his back is not present. Seconds earlier in the scene, it is there and Ronny comments on it.

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 "Superjail!: Combaticus (#1.2)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Help Me

A Superb and Terrifying Movie!

I have to admit it. The Fly is the only David Cronenberg movie I have ever seen. I haven't seen any of his others, such as The Dead Zone, Naked Lunch, or eXiStenZ (I think that's how you spell it). But it's just an example that you don't have to be a Cronenberg fan to enjoy this classic. The movie was definitely not a horror movie starring a mad scientist who transforms into an evil fly. It's really not even a horror movie. It's a drama with amounts of romance and suspense/horror. Jeff Goldblum did the best performance of his career as Seth Brundle, a scientist who has invented something he calls "Telepods". They're pods that transport you from pod to pod, space to space. He tests this invention with animals and objects until one night he gets very mad because he believes his girlfriend (Geena Davis) is seeing someone else (John Getz), even though his belief is wrong. He tries the pods out for himself, unknowing that a fly got trapped in the pod with him. The pods splice them together, and slowly throughout the movie, Seth Brundle transforms into a gross and devastating creature, half man, half fly.

The movie had no errors in it. The acting was great, the terrifying score by Howard Shore was amazing, the directing was exceptional, the story was brilliant, and the extremely sick and disgusting special effects were fantastic. Go see this movie! But don't go on a full stomach, unless you want to lose that meal in you.