5 Sickening David Cronenberg Films To Watch Before ‘The Shrouds’
As a ’90s kid, I wasn’t around for when most of my favorite David Cronenberg movies premiered. That’s why I ran to see his new film, The Shrouds, at the Overlook Film Fest this year. I was happy to finally see something on the big screen from the man who holds such titles as The Baron of Blood and King of Venereal Horror. The Shrouds is still a very futuristic sci-fi body horror. However, it is also a personal film from a beloved filmmaker grieving his late wife. So, while I did not get the full-on Grampa Gooey experience I bounced into the theater for, it still felt much like Cronenberg. This one will hit everyone differently, and I expect a ton of discourse now that it’s in theaters.
While unpacking my thoughts about The Shrouds, I remembered I haven’t ever written a David Cronenberg streaming guide. So I figured now is the perfect time to fix that. After all, many of us will leave his movie understanding that it is a peek behind the curtain at one of our favorite filmmakers. However, we might also want to look to his grosser films for comfort after watching something so personal and heavy. The reminder that our icons are human is somehow always jarring. So, I’m here with five of the horror king’s movies that you can stream today.
The Brood
Where You Can Watch: Max
A man uncovers a sinister psychologist’s plot that involves his mentally ill ex-wife and a series of brutal murders. The Baron of Blood was not playing with this terrifying and vicious tale. This psychological body horror hits all of the WTF notes we have come to expect from the filmmaker. This movie goes hard, and there is one scene in particular that I will never be able to unsee. It was especially shocking because I was starting to think the King of Venereal Horror was letting us off easy. I was so wrong, and I will never doubt him again.
This was the film David Cronenberg made after a bitter divorce and custody battle. That makes sense because the vibes are wild, and we watch the protagonist choke his ex-wife to death. The Brood stars Oliver Reed and Samantha Eggar, and is easier to watch if you have an iron stomach.
Crimes of the Future (2022)
Where You Can Watch: Hulu
As humans adapt to a synthetic environment, their bodies begin to mutate. A celebrated artist showcasing his transformation in grisly performances catches the attention of a mysterious group wanting to use his status for their agenda. This 2022 effort reminded people that David Cronenberg makes films for the sickos. Viggo Mortensen, Scott Speedman, Léa Seydoux, and Kristen Stewart all reached new levels of weirdness. This is also the most recent of Cronenberg’s collaborations with Mortensen and possibly my favorite. While it is not Cronenberg’s most disgusting title, it does have a few nauseating scenes amid the kink and chaos. Crimes of the Future feels like being wrapped in a plastic blanket that rubs your scar tissue. I encourage you to watch it with friends who can’t stomach his other films. Weirdly enough, it also pairs well with The Shrouds.
The Dead Zone
Where You Can Watch: Pluto TV
A man wakes from a coma to discover his loved ones have moved on and that he now has psychic abilities. This puts him in a unique situation to stop an evil politician from ascending to President of the United States and launching a nuclear strike. This Stephen King tale should be very popular this year for obvious reasons. However, this David Cronenberg screen adaptation is one of my favorite versions. Not just because the cast includes Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, and Martin Sheen, either. I dig it because King and Cronenberg matched each other’s freak and birthed one of my favorite political sci-fi thrillers. Because I watched The Dead Zone TV show first and then read the book, seeing the film a couple of years ago felt like such a treat. All three versions make me happy, but the movie is an event.
The Fly
Where You Can Watch: VOD
A brilliant scientist begins to transform into a giant man/fly hybrid when one of his newest experiments goes wrong. The Fly has been making people queasy for almost 40 years and is one of the best remakes in cinematic history. This might have been my first David Cronenberg as a child. It is the reason I have such a high bar when judging sci-fi movies. Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis have impressively long filmographies, but this is one of the first movies that comes to mind when I think of them.
Is this the best Cronenberg film? Or am I just biased because I have loved it since before I was old enough to read? Can both things be true? This is why this is the only movie on the list you have to rent. I love Grampa Gooey, but I know we are all poor. However, this goopy movie is always worth the price of admission.
Scanners
Where You Can Watch: Max
A scientist trains a telepathic man to use his scanning ability to stop another Scanner who wants to wage a war. This is arguably one of the most important David Cronenberg films on this list. Scanners helped him bring his uniquely gross body horror sci-fi aesthetic to American audiences. This cult classic was the first stop on David’s campaign to become our reigning Canadian horror king. It has the sickening special effects, social commentary, and many other trademarks we have come to expect from the beloved filmmaker. So, wherever the film falls on our own personal Cronenberg rankings, it is very significant when looking at his film legacy. My generation might never have known The Baron of Blood and King of Venereal Horror had our elders not seen this film. They helped put it on the map, which is why we’re still discovering his twisted little gems today.
I don’t know how to stop talking about David Cronenberg or his sickening brand of cinema. So, I have to sneak in a few parting shots. Shivers is available on The Roku Channel, and Dead Ringers is streaming on Pluto TV, Plex, and Prime Video. You can also see him on screen in the delightfully twisted Slasher: Flesh & Blood on AMC+ and Shudder.
The Shrouds is in theaters now.
Are you also a fan of Grampa Gooey? Then find me on Bluesky and tell me your five favorite David Cronenberg films!
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