Second Sight Films

Humanity has been forced to adapt to a synthetic environment and the human body has undergone new transformations and mutations. 

David Cronenberg’s 20th feature, a return to the body horror that dominated his early career, gets the VIP treatment from Second Sight. The quantity and quality of the behind-the-scenes content has actually changed my opinion of the film since first seeing it theatrically.

Previously, I was fairly damning of the movie, describing it as a ‘best of Cronenberg’ mega-mix, but having watched all the value-added content on this packed 4K disc, I ‘get’ it now, and a greater understanding of the director’s intentions. Written in the late 90s, Cronenberg’s tale of body rebellion and evolution feels prophetic in a time of plastic pollution.

The 4K UHD disc is presented in Dolby Vision HDR, and the clarity is stunning, particularly in the grimy, dark locales that the movie lives in. Cronenberg’s regular production designer Carol Spier (she’s been with him since 1979’s The Brood) delivers some horrific machinery, and there’s an ominous, low-register electronic score from Howard Shore.

Interviews with Cronenberg, actors Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, Kristen Stewart and Don McKellar, producer Robert Lantos, cinematographer Douglas Koch and editor Christopher Donaldson present a range of short perspectives on the production. There’s also an audio commentary by Canadian horror movie expert Caelum Vatnsdal, a 20-minute ‘Making of’ feature, A 22-minute overview of Cronenberg’s body horror production material, and a disturbing short – The Death of David Cronenberg. The limited-edition release has a 120-page book of new writing and six art cards.

Verdict: A comprehensive package that supports a dark and unsettling dystopian future vision – unquestionably Cronenberg. 8/10

Nick Joy

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