A DUO OF EARLY CLASSIC CRONENBERG Review by Steve Kirkham

A DUO OF EARLY CLASSIC CRONENBERG
The Brood (4 stars)/Scanners (4 stars)
Second Sight. Limited edition 4K and Blu ray (also available as separate Blu ray and 4K releases). Out Now

Following the low budget delights of SHIVERS (1975) and RABID (1977) and the interesting detour FAST COMPANY (1979), director David Cronenberg was given a decent budget to make THE BROOD in 1979. This enabled him to hire a couple of well known actors in the shape of Samantha Eggar and the infamous Oliver Reed.

The story is based around the institute run by Dr Raglan (a very good Reed), which expounds the virtues of a therapy called psychoplasmics. One of his patients is Nola Carveth (Eggar), who is in a battle with her husband Frank (Art Hindle) over their young daughter Candice (Cindy Hinds). The youngster has visits with her mother, as she is staying at the facility run by the doc.

However, her father is rather disturbed when, having collected her from her weekly trip to see her mum, he finds she has bruises and scratches on her body – as if she has been abused in some way. As he thinks Raglan’s methods are the height of quackery, he decides he is going to stop access.

Before long people around Frank are being attacked and killed by deformed, dwarf like children. How is this connected to the institute and more importantly his wife Nola and her sessions with the doctor?

Here is a director coming into his own, helmed with confidence from his own script – which was apparently partially inspired by his own divorce. Hindle is fine in the lead, with Reed, an actor better known for his exploits than his acting, is excellent as Raglan. Eggar, also good in her role, has to contend with some of the more grisly and gory aspects of the storyline.

This was the first film that featured a score from Howard Shore – who has gone on to work on nearly all of Cronenberg’s films since.

Next up is SCANNERS, one of Cronenberg’s best known releases – and certainly one of his most commercially minded. Who doesn’t love a movie about people who can make heads explode!

The scanners of the title are humans with extra abilities – ESP, telepathy and telekinetic powers. In the film, an organisation called ConSec see they can use these ‘super’ humans as weapons and there are some 200 out there.

One such is Cameron Vale (Stephen Lack), who is brought into the organisation, under the aegis of Dr Paul Ruth (Patrick McGoohan), who teaches him how to control his powers and also uses a drug to temporarily inhibit his abilities and prevent him from going mad.

Unlike Darryl Revok (Michael Ironside), who is somewhat mental, and leads a renegade underground group of scanners. He demonstrates his skills early on when he gains entry into a ConSec event and makes one of the attendees heads explode in suitably splattery fashion.

The plan is for Vale to infiltrate the group and stop Revok – however all is not as it seems.

A mix of science fiction, spy thriller and horror, it does eventually lead to a confrontation between Vale and Revok (and much facial grimacing).

One of the most mainstream movies from Cronenberg, this has an excellent Ironside and McGoohan to recommend it, even if Lack is a bit lacklustre. Another notable score by Shore and some outstanding make-up fx – the legendary Dick Smith was a consultant on the production.

Steve Kirkham

EXTRAS
Both feature new 4K restorations approved by Director David Cronenberg

The Brood
Two audio commentaries – Martyn Conterio and Kat Ellinger; William Beard

Interviews with Actors Art Hindle & Cindy Hinds/Executive Producer Pierre David/Cinematographer Mark Irwin/Composer Howard Shore/Actor Robert A Silverman. Archival interview with David Cronenberg

Anger Management: Cronenberg’s Brood and the Shapes of Cinematic Rage – a video essay by Leigh Singer

Limited Edition Contents
Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Krishna Shenoi/120-page book with new essays by Jenn Adams, William Beard, Craig Ian Mann, Carolyn Mauricette, Shelagh Rowan-Legg, Amber T, Alexandra West and Scott Wilson and 6 collectors’ art cards

Scanners
Two audio commentaries – Caelum Vatnsdal; William Beard

Interviews with Actor Stephen Lack/Actor Michael Ironside/Actor Lawrence Dane/Cinematographer Mark Irwin/Composer Howard Shore/Executive Producer Pierre David/Makeup Effects Artist Stephan Dupuis/ Makeup Effects Artist Chris Walas

Cronenberg’s Tech Babies: a video essay by Tim Coleman

Limited Edition Contents
Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Krishna Shenoi/120-page book with new essays by Dr Xavier Aldana Reyes, Eugenio Ercolani and Gian Giacomo Petrone, Kurt Halfyard, Craig Ian Mann, Francesco Massaccesi, Jessica Scott, Emma Westwood and Heather Wixson/6 collectors’ art cards