The Fly (1958)
Produced and Directed by Kurt Neumann
Screenplay by James Clavell
Starring David Hedison, Patricia Owens, Vincent Price & Herbert Marshall
Music by Paul Sawtell
When scientist Hedison tries transporting himself in his experimental machine his particles become muddled with those of a fly. He ends up with a fly's head and wing, and the tiny fly gets his head and arm. His attempts to reverse the process fail, and he goes insane, begging his wife to crush his head in a press. The fly has its own problems, becoming trapped in a web.
Watching this classic film in the 21st century, the stereotypical white 50s all-american family is almost comical. The plot however is anything but funny.
The Fly examines the boundaries between humans and animals. It is also a love story, and questions our ability to love someone enough to let them go.
The happy ending is sadly disappointing, with the remaining characters forming a jolly new family. A deeper look at the emotional effect of the tragedy on those left behind would be more interesting.
The visual effects are desperately dated, however the fundamental ideas are just as valid today as the scientific possibility of DNA splitting and cloning advances. It is a thought-provoking and interesting film.
“A sad story of considerable pathos despite the ridiculous plot.”
,Almar Haflidason BBC December 9, 2003
“James Clavell's script successfully treads a fine line between black comedy and po-faced seriousness.”
Author: GA , Time Out
Hey Chrissie,
ReplyDeleteGreat to see this - your first review! Great, but take another look at the stipulations around your reviews - 3 stills, 3 quotes, illustration list, bibliography. Also, consider weaving your quotes into your review - using them as content and as a way to enrich your review critically.