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<\/a><\/p>\nDavid Cronenberg\u2019s “Videodrome” is easily the most unique of the films in the series due in no small part to its content and style. It\u2019s a hallmark of the visceral horror genre, focusing on a fusion of psychological and physical horror. It tells the story of Canadian TV executive Max Renn (James Woods) who stumbles upon a pirate broadcast titled Videodrome. Initially drawn to the hyperrealistic torture and violence in the show, Renn begins to search out the origins of the broadcast, and falls into a web of hallucinations, mind-control, ultra-violence and corruption. Unlike the other films like “Lo and Behold”\u00a0and “Her,” “Videodrome”\u00a0 is deeply rooted in surrealistic symbolism and allegorical commentary. Utilizing his trademark visceral horror style, Cronenberg crafts an uncomfortable and dark take on the future of media consumption.<\/p>\n
There are two lines in the film which are of particular importance. The first is spoken by Brian O\u2019Blivion, which ends up becoming the backbone for the majority of the plot: \u201cThe television screen is the retina of the mind’s eye. Therefore, the television screen is part of the physical structure of the brain. Therefore, whatever appears on the television screen emerges as raw experience for those who watch it. Therefore, television is reality, and reality is less than television.\u201d In “Videodrome,”<\/i>\u00a0this is shown literally. The tapes that Max Renn and others watch cause visual and physical hallucinations, quickly increasing in prevalence and complexity to a point where reality and fantasy coexist. However, Cronenberg\u2019s point wasn\u2019t meant to be taken so literally. The real focus here is on our internal changes due to media consumption, specifically the violent ones.<\/p>\n
‘Videodrome”\u00a0sets up the argument that what we watch on television or other formats changes who we are on the inside. Today, the vast majority of these shows are riddled with violence, tragedy, and scandal. If you were to turn on the news, I guarantee there would be something about a violent or offensive act in some form. The most watched TV show on air today, “The Walking Dead,” is also one of the most consistently gruesome. We, as humans, are drawn to violence by our base curiosities. To many of us, it\u2019s something that we\u2019ll never see in actuality, so to fulfill those inclinations we turn to television. In essence, violent television is nothing more than a form of masochistic voyeurism via technological means.<\/p>\n As far as its effect on us, “Videodrome” keeps it purposely vague and open-ended. Though Max Renn\u2019s life seemingly ends in tragedy, the consistency of his hallucinations allows for doubt to seep in. This uncertainty is crucial to “Videodrome” thematic ties to the university theme. Technology is an ever changing and ever evolving field, and as such, our understanding and ties to it change with remarkable frequency. However, by using it to fulfill our darkest fantasies, we can unintentionally allow it to change our thoughts and our minds. In essence, it creates disillusionment and disconnection with the actual tragedy and effects of violence in society.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n