If you switch on the TV to find someone's skin devouring him or her, or some gloriously icky parasite turning people into randy zombies it's all too likely there's a David Cronenberg film on. And all throughout his directorial career he has often turned to bizarre creatures and grotesque deformities, often to explain complex human emotions. Some of the best examples are to be found in his early Seventies movies.
Cronenberg's fourth film "Crimes of the Future" (1970, Canada) was made for $20,000 and was enough for him to create a futurescape of abnormal freaks. With all the women dead, men turn to various sexual kicks with 'Rouge's Foam' causing the most excitement. Unfortunately its habit of leaking from various bodily orifices creates some putrid results and ultimately death.
Clearly at ease with such subject matter Cronenberg cranked-up the madness for "Shivers" (1975, Canada). This time it's horrible giant maggot-like parasites and their entry methods that cause considerable sexual fervour for the residents of an exclusive high-rise apartment block. Most end up as depraved zombies but not before a gamut of vomit-inducing effects has grafted you to the sofa.
For "Rabid" (1977, Canada) Cronenberg moved onto parasitic skin that once transferred onto porno favourite Marilyn Chambers turns her into a blood hungry little tramp. But for real shock value "The Brood" (1979, Canada) takes some beating with an enthusiastic psychiatrist helping people give birth to their worst nightmares. These spawn come in all manners of gruesome varieties usually with sickening side effects.
And while all this grotesque carnage might sound hideous, Cronenberg has a unique talent that makes all this visceral horror uniquely compelling to watch. He has gone on to refine his technique and make it commercially viable with films like "The Fly" (1986, USA) where Jeff Goldblum's emotional disintegration is matched by his decaying body.
