A Cronenberg Masterpiece.
0 Comments Published by Jesse Trussell on Sunday, May 21, 2006 at 8:29 PM.
Dead Ringers (Cronenberg, 2006)
I wasn't prepared for how good Cronenberg's Dead Ringers would be. The film plays with most of Cronenberg's favorite themes: sexual perversion, dehumanization of the body and corruption of technology. But here they are all taken to there furthest extent in any of his films. The way Cronenberg crafts the tale, slowly revealing everything you need to know and constantly playing with your sympathies shows a mastery of narrative and storytelling.
In addition to this Cronenberg is given his best conduit in the utterly brilliant performance of Jeremy Irons. His ability to craft such defined characters with body language is remarkable, you always know if it is Beverly or Elliot. The arc of Beverly through out the film is one of purely-Cronenbergian tragedy, and Irons plays it beautifully.
Robin Wood argued that Cronenberg films show a sexual fear. But I feel that this is misguided. Cronenberg seems to show that sexuality has been corrupted in a corrupt world. The damaged men of his films only see their own hollowness after experiencing the female. This drives them mad, but it is not the sex that puts them over the edge it is the self realization. His films are a brilliant essay on self loathing.
I wasn't prepared for how good Cronenberg's Dead Ringers would be. The film plays with most of Cronenberg's favorite themes: sexual perversion, dehumanization of the body and corruption of technology. But here they are all taken to there furthest extent in any of his films. The way Cronenberg crafts the tale, slowly revealing everything you need to know and constantly playing with your sympathies shows a mastery of narrative and storytelling.
In addition to this Cronenberg is given his best conduit in the utterly brilliant performance of Jeremy Irons. His ability to craft such defined characters with body language is remarkable, you always know if it is Beverly or Elliot. The arc of Beverly through out the film is one of purely-Cronenbergian tragedy, and Irons plays it beautifully.
Robin Wood argued that Cronenberg films show a sexual fear. But I feel that this is misguided. Cronenberg seems to show that sexuality has been corrupted in a corrupt world. The damaged men of his films only see their own hollowness after experiencing the female. This drives them mad, but it is not the sex that puts them over the edge it is the self realization. His films are a brilliant essay on self loathing.
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