INTERZONE DISPATCHES: Report #4.1

It's a scorching 41 degrees (106 Fahrenheit) here today and I can't think straight, so I'll keep this short and to the point. This is the first of a series of posts taking a look at some recent alternative art inspired by the works of David Cronenberg. Not an exhaustive collection by any means, just a selection of my favourite alternative posters, recent home video and soundtrack covers, commissioned illustrations and fan art. Whether your kick is bug powder, the black meat or alcohol fueled teleportation, I'm sure you'll be able to find something to enjoy during the course of these posts.

Let's do this chronologically, starting with his earliest films up to and including The Brood. Try as I might, I couldn't really find anything for Stereo or Fast Company, so let's start with:

CRIMES OF THE FUTURE

A suitably minimalist poster for Mondo by Jay Shaw

SHIVERS

A trio of excellent poster redesigns by Silver Ferox

and an attractive cover for Arrow Video's recent Blu-ray

RABID

A nice likeness of Marilyn Chambers in this Mondo poster from Phantom City Creative

another skillfully composed Alt. poster from Silver Ferox

and Arrow's recent cover art

THE BROOD

My favourite Ferox of this lot, a powerful and disturbing poster design

and the most impressive artwork of today's post, Sam Wolfe Connelly's gorgeous illustration for Mondo's The Brood/Scanners OST (and a related poster).

That's it for now, next time: SCANNERS

Mondo Cronenberg

I really like this artwork for the recently released Mondo/Death Waltz double album of Howard Shore's scores for The Brood and Scanners.

I rewatched Scanners a couple of nights ago for the first time in a few years. Still love it. Michael Ironside is just so good in it. Very few characters exude madness, barely controlled rage and sheer, seething menace in the way that Darryl Revok does. The laughable primitiveness of the computer tech (that comes into play near the climax) may be a turn-off for young viewers, but there's still more than enough meat on Scanners' bones to keep it relevant and interesting for newcomers who are willing to look past that. That said, I think Cronenberg's most commercially successful movie up until The Fly is now ripe for a good R-rated remake*, probably more so than any of his other films (and I'd like to see Videodrome left well alone thanks!).

*Directed by Rian Johnson maybe? Looper had the right tone, and I like the way he handled the telekinesis aspects of the story.

Insect Politician

David Cronenberg is 67 today.

This is an appropriate time to mention my favourite auteur, as I can't think of a better expression of his idea of the New Flesh than the visceral processes of procreation and childbirth (Other examples that spring to mind are the changes wrought upon the body due to cancer, and the increasingly mundane use of body-modification to transform ourselves in ever more bizarre ways).

Birth (and rebirth) is present in so many of Cronenberg's films: Nola Carveth giving life to her inner rage through the miracle of Psychoplasmic therapy. Tom Stall's reemergence as a new man - a hybrid of his two formerly separate identities. Unfortunate Seth Brundle, enduring his agonising journey of death and renewal that could be said to be three distinct rebirths: first as super-human, then as something less than human and finally as something utterly non-human.

The twitchy president of CIVIC-TV and a pair of brilliant twin gynecologists - all of these characters and more have been put through the wringer by Mr. Cronenberg and have come out the other side... changed. They're all here tonight at David's party, looking haunted and traumatised. It's not a very happy gathering, but it is the most fascinating and exciting party in town. So whether your poison is bug powder, Mugwump jism or the black meat; raise your glass and drink:

LONG LIVE THE NEW FLESH! LONG LIVE DAVID CRONENBERG!