The Fly

In its galvanizing portrait of a body ravaged and sexual stasis infected by bugs, The Fly might be Cronenberg’s most direct horror film ever.

David Cronenberg's The Fly is that absolute rarity of the '80s: a film that is at once a pure, personal expression and a superbly successful commercial enterprise. [15 Aug 1986]

As a remake, The Fly transcends the original, taking it in new directions and exploring its underutilized potential.

A gross-your-eyes-out horror movie that is also the year's most poignant romance.

The Fly is a mass-market, horror- film masterpiece that is also a work of art; it is the very movie the timorous feared "Aliens" would be - a gruesome, disturbing, fundamentally uncompromising shocker that accesses the subconscious. [15 Aug 1986]

A film that tries to be too many things at once - funny but not campy, sad and scary, a horror story and a human tragedy

This picture is disgusting. [15 Aug 1986]

The movie is my go-to for romance. It is my favorite Valentine's Day movie. I swoon over their relationship. There are quarrels, there are moments they must separate, but she ultimately shows her devotion to him. He does not deserve her but likely he is not in the right mind (an understatement). Her love is the kind I aspire to achieve.

Der Bodyhorror ist sehr gut gemacht, vor allem für die Zeit. Und Goldblum ist sehr überzeugend. Aber abseits davon wirkt es träge und fast schon überzogen. Selbst für diese art von Horror. Sehenswert? Wenn man einen guten Bodyhorror sehen will, auf jeden Fall. Ansonsten, eher nicht

I liked the subject of the film. Makeup is quite successful according to the period. The speech under the transformation was impressive. You can empathize with the main character until the end of the film. Worth watching.

Günümüz izleyicisinin uzak durması gerektiğini düşünüyorum bu yapımdan. Farklı bir şeyler arayanlar belki bir bakabilirler.

Have to admit not liking this version of The Fly, it relied too much on the gore aspects of the story. But I do recall a friend lending me a B/W copy of the 1958 version of this infamous movie way back. I also seem to recall the earlier version may have been banned in Australia for some horror elements? (eloquently done by today’s standards). So when I saw an ad for a re-mastered DVD in vivid color, it just had to be ordered. I suppose it had to be expected that a story like this, made in 1958, might just not hold up too well over the years. This outrageous story was given a lush 20th Century Fox production (complete with a ballet scene!) and also made a lot of money – it had an interesting original story and a neat screenplay by Australian novelist and filmmaker James Clavell - but our understanding of the science and movie making styles have simply changed so much! What was left of the memory of its story has sadly become somewhat laughable. The print transfer to DVD is nothing short of a visual delight, with lovely color, clear images and sound, but oh the acting (except Herbert Marshall) and situations now probably make it a must for the send-up buffs. Patricia Owens is pretty but no great actress and the eloquently voiced Vincent Price looks uncomfortable and hammy in his co-star part. The disc has been treated to a commentary which must rate as one of the worst of its type. Perhaps some things are best left to memory... BUT have to admit, the final scene of the fly in the garden still has a chilling impact! View either version at your own peril.