Videodrome cover art

Videodrome Details

1982 Certificate 18
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 4540 members

Hardcore pornography, sadomasochism, mind control, and living televisions all play crucial roles in Videodrome, one of director David Cronenberg's explorations of dangerous sexuality and technological obsession. The morally questionable hero of the tale is one Max Renn (James Woods), a television executive searching for an .. Read more

Starring James Woods, Peter Dvorsky, Deborah Harry
Director David Cronenberg
Genres Gay/Lesbian, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

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Videodrome cover art

Videodrome

Hardcore pornography, sadomasochism, mind control, and living televisions all play crucial roles in Videodrome, one of director David Cronenberg's explorations of dangerous sexuality and technological obsession. The morally questionable hero of the tale is one Max Renn (James Woods), a television executive searching for an intense new program for his sex-oriented network. He ultimately discovers an underground program called Videodrome, which appears to broadcast pornographic snuff films of actual murders. Horrified but perversely intrigued, Renn sets out to find the truth behind the program. During his search, he meets alluring femme fatale Nicki (Blondie lead singer Debbie Harry), technology cult leader Bianca O'Blivion, and other mysterious figures. Things become even more disturbing for Renn as his addiction grows, and the program begins to infect the outside world -- or perhaps merely destroy own his sanity. Cronenberg mingles his cerebral concerns about the nature of reality in the video age with enough visceral gore (courtesy of Rick Baker) to satisfy the film's intended horror audience.~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Starring James Woods, Peter Dvorsky, Deborah Harry
Director David Cronenberg
Studio UCA
Run time DVD: 1 hr 25 mins
Certificate Certificate 18
Genres Gay/Lesbian, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 03 Aug 2004
Production year: 1982
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (4) of Videodrome

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  • 4 stars out of 5

    With its subject matter of screen violence, this remains one of David Cronenberg's most personal, complex and disturbing films, even if it doesn't always make a lot of sense. James Woods plays the amoral cable programmer who gets drawn to a sickening sadomasochistic channel called “Videodrome”, which turns out to have a much more sinister purpose. Cronenberg uses this framework to explore his favourite themes — technology fusing with the human body, voyeurism, the links between sex and violence — and, although the plot begins to unravel, the startling imagery and Woods's fierce performance make for a deeply unsettling experience. The supporting cast includes Blondie singer Debbie Harry as Woods's girlfriend.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006

  • "...[Cronenberg] is developing a real genius for this sort of thing....[Woods] gives the performance a sharply authentic edge..."

    • New York Times
    • Posted 11 Mar 2005

  • Most helpful member's review of Videodrome

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  • 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Nightmarish horror fun

    This film always had a kind of arthouse thing happening which always appealed to me, and twenty years on it's still a moody, phantasmagoric, teddy bears picnic of a film. Not a traditional horror by any stretch of the imagination, but unsettling and often disturbing. James Woods holds the enigmatic story together magnificently while Debbie Harry is ineffeably, unutterably, inconceivably cool. One of Cronenberg's best, with some unmissable sequences.

      • A customer from Reading, England
      • Posted 15 Mar 2005 18:55

  • Most recent members' review of Videodrome

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Nightmarish horror fun

    This film always had a kind of arthouse thing happening which always appealed to me, and twenty years on it's still a moody, phantasmagoric, teddy bears picnic of a film. Not a traditional horror by any stretch of the imagination, but unsettling and often disturbing. James Woods holds the enigmatic story together magnificently while Debbie Harry is ineffeably, unutterably, inconceivably cool. One of Cronenberg's best, with some unmissable sequences.

      • 'Nostromo' from Reading, England
      • Posted 15 Mar 2005 18:57

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      • Hardcore pornography, sadomasochism, mind control, and living televisions all play crucial roles in Videodrome, one of director David Cronenberg's explorations of dangerous sexuality and ...