The Fly

The Fly...will send cold chills down the spines of the most hardened horror addict. It's a dilly. [29 Aug 1958, p.9D]

The film is both fun and frightening, and can also be viewed (however modest its intentions) as a commercialized techno-version of Franz Kafka's allegory Metamorphosis.

One strong factor of the picture is its unusual believability. It is told as a mystery suspense story, so that it has a compelling interest aside from its macabre effects. There is an appealing and poignant romance between Owens and Hedison, which adds to the reality of the story, although the flashback technique purposely robs the picture of any doubt about the outcome.

The Fly is a study in how the boldness of new discoveries is compromised by science’s need for precision, but it’s also a nightmarish tale of a comfortable little family, and a nagging little buzz.

Slightly above average 50s science fiction (1958), enlivened by a nearly literate script by James Clavell (Shogun).

This is one of the best mad scientist movies from the Fifties unforgettable moments include the absurd yet horrific image of a fly with a tiny human head, screaming "Help meeee!" [27 Apr 2013, p.32]

Tacky low-budget picture about a scientist whose carelessness gets him into a tragic pickle.