The Fly, which stars powerhouses Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis, centers around Seth Brundle, a scientist who believes that he has created the world’s first working teleportation device. He decides to put his theory and the machine to the test—using himself as the first subject. However, a housefly slips into the machine during the process without Seth’s knowledge, causing man and insect to fuse at the cellular level. Initially, Seth appears to have performed a successful teleportation. However, the fly’s cells begin to slowly and horrifyingly take over his body, forcing a disgusting mutation that begins turning him from a man into a fly, all as his girlfriend watches the horrifying transformation helplessly.
It’s a Body Horror Goldmine
As with most things from David Cronenberg, The Fly is packed with mind-bending and body-defying horror. But that’s not to say that the film isn’t without a genre-defying amount of romance or emotion, giving viewers a story that those who suffer from chronic illness or pain understand all too well—the betrayal of our bodies by our bodies, with nothing that we can do to control or stop it. “‘Romance’ isn’t always the first word that comes to mind when describing David Cronenberg’s nasty body horror nightmares, but The Fly is nothing if not a deeply loving film,” says Nadine Smith of them. Speaking about the possible interpretations of the film, Andy Klein of the Los Angeles Reader says, “Cronenberg has layered the story with so many possible interpretations and resonances that one’s head swims.”
It’s a viscerally horrifying and emotionally raw film, one which casual viewers found nearly as captivating as critics. One viewer rated the film 5 out of 5 stars, saying, “It has the spirit of a Greek or Shakespearean tragedy. The Fly is one of the greatest horror films ever made. Cronenberg has made a film where we do care about the characters since they have depth and are developed.”
The Fly achieved cult classic status for a reason and is certainly one of Cronenberg’s best films to date. At its core, it’s a grotesque and horrifying love letter to both sci-fi and horror, and you should absolutely catch it while you can.
What’s your favorite moment from The Fly? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to check out the ComicBook forum to keep the conversation going with other horror fans.
