Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Canadian Film Development Corp./Universal via Business Insider

How a creepy 1983 cult movie got everything right about the internet

Director David ‘The Fly’ Cronenberg made some eerie predictions about the modern world, and sex…

THERE ARE TWO types of movie fans: Those who have been freaked out by the 1983 cult classic Videodrome, and those who have never heard of it.

The movie, starring James Woods and Debbie Harry, is about a cable TV executive who becomes addicted to a secret “pirate” video channel that broadcasts a late-night torture porn show called Videodrome. The show ends up taking control of his life, through a series of hallucinations.

The movie was made by director David Cronenberg, who has spent a lifetime investigating the creepy interface between sex and technology. He later became famous for The Fly, Dead Ringers, Crash and eXistenZ.

What’s interesting about Videodrome, however, is the way it explores the idea that the virtual world is more interesting than the real world, especially as it relates to sex.

Bear in mind that Cronenberg shot this idea more than a decade before the internet existed as a household device.

It’s creepy how prescient the movie is about modern life …

That audiences would watch torture porn
1 / 11
  • That audiences would watch torture porn

    The original shock of Videodrome in 1983 was the idea that people would actually watch someone being tortured. In 2004, the Saw franchise was born and torture-porn movies are now old hat. (Image: Canadian Film Development Corp./Universal)
  • Internet addiction

    In Videodrome, James Woods's character Max Renn becomes addicted to watching the show. The idea was ridiculous at the time but today the idea of being 'addicted' to the internet is widely accepted. (Image: Canadian Film Development Corp./Universal)
  • Light bondage in popular culture

    When Videodrome portrayed the kinky sex life of Nikkie Brand (Debbie Harry) in 1983, it was shocking. Today, BDSM is a pop culture staple. (Image: Canadian Film Development Corp./Universal)
  • Virtual sex lives

    In 1983, Harry's character desired to transfer her sex life to a TV studio. Today, the fear that virtual sex may be more interesting to many people than actual sex is a serious topic of pyschological study. (Image: Canadian Film Development Corp./Universal)
  • Digital customisation

    The addictive nature of Videodrome was that the hallucinogenic show was tailored to each individual viewer. Today, customised personal media - from Facebook news feeds to Tumble dashboards - are standard. (Image: Canadian Film Development Corp./Universal)
  • Gun control issues

    Videodrome echoes America's gun-control conflict - in the movie a gun drills itself into James Woods's hand and becomes part of his body. SPOILER! He later kills another man and then shoots himself in the head. (Image: Canadian Film Development Corp./Universal)
  • Cyber implants

    As the handgun consumes Woods in the movie, he yells, "Long live the new flesh!" Cyber implants are, today, a reality. Videodrome echoes America's gun-control conflict - in the movie a gun drills itself into James Woods's hand and becomes part of his body. SPOILER! He later kills another man and then shoots himself in the head. (Image: Canadian Film Development Corp./Universal)
  • 'Electronic media may be toxic' debate

    The movie famously contains a scene in which a video cassette slot opens in Woods's stomach so that he can ingest the show directly. It suggests that electronic media is a cesspool that will poison us once we allow it inside. We are still having that debate today. (Image: Canadian Film Development Corp./Universal)
  • Virtual reality helmet

    Woods dons a virtual reality helmet. Today, we're awaiting the Google Glass and Oculus Rift video headsets. (Image: Canadian Film Development Corp./Universal)
  • Online infiltrating real life mental health

    Videodrom explored the fear that we'd be unable to tell the difference between the real and the virtual and it would endanger our mental and physical health. Today, teenage suicide and the link to cyberbullying are of major concern. (Image: Canadian Film Development Corp./Universal)
  • Avatars

    One of the more intriguing characters in Videodrome is the academic Brian O'Blivion, who refuses to appear on TV unless it's via remote video screen. Today, having a virtual, fictional presence in real (social) media is commonplace. (Image: Canadian Film Development Corp./Universal)

- Jim Edwards

Smartphones the future of the internet – and 10 other predictions from AOL’s Digital Prophet>

Video: What futuristic films promised would happen by now>

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Published with permission from
View 20 comments
Close
20 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Carson
    Favourite Niall Carson
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 1:17 PM

    Where is the rest of the story? Is that it? There was more information in the
    Sub heading than in the few paragraphs below.

    148
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute vv7k7Z3c
    Favourite vv7k7Z3c
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 1:21 PM

    Hi Niall,
    If you click on the slideshow, each slide has a caption that explains a different point. Can you see the slideshow?
    If not, let us know what device you are viewing it on. It’s working on desktop and I’ve just checked it on iOs
    and Android and it seems fine there too?

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Niall Carson
    Favourite Niall Carson
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 4:45 PM

    I’m still getting used to this new media way of viewing information! Sorry guys thanks

    12
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute vv7k7Z3c
    Favourite vv7k7Z3c
    Report
    Jun 10th 2013, 9:45 AM

    No problem!

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute OU812
    Favourite OU812
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 12:29 PM

    Ummm… What’s it got to do with the Internet? It’s about a pirate TV channel. These were pretty common place all across the US in the 70s & 80s.

    52
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Simon Jester
    Favourite Simon Jester
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 12:37 PM

    It was an absolute SHITE film then and now!! [
    Apart from Debbie Harry that is]. Its one of those films you can take whatever meanings you want to out of it or none at all.I took from it that whoever wrote it was on drugs when he wrote the script.

    43
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kal Ipers
    Favourite Kal Ipers
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 1:57 PM

    Very weak connections considering the movie focuses on the cathode ray tube being mystical. The addiction and effects are based on a scientist experimental beams.
    Not exactly predictions to anything.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dessie Edmunds
    Favourite Dessie Edmunds
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 2:44 PM

    Scanners. Cronebergs masterpiece. Eastern Promises underated too

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pat Murphy
    Favourite Pat Murphy
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 4:54 PM

    cronenberg is a body horror master, crash, the fly, rabid, scanners etc,etc.
    I have loved his recent progression to more drama like material like eastern promise, history of violence & a dangerous method. didn’t like cosmopolis

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pat Murphy
    Favourite Pat Murphy
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 4:55 PM

    history of violence was fantastic too!

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin Cooney
    Favourite Kevin Cooney
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 1:32 PM

    Debbie Harry yes yes and yes! The movie was terrible.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Christian Carley
    Favourite Christian Carley
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 5:34 PM

    Long live the new flesh!

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Declan Carr
    Favourite Declan Carr
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 1:24 PM

    Might be a Sh1t movie but a hell of a lot better then any Iris made Movie. and I wonder where internet comes into play it this story.
    I will read over it and over it never know it might be in there somewhere in hidden files.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michelle Philpot
    Favourite Michelle Philpot
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 1:46 PM

    Better than The Snapper? To name but one!

    It’s medication time Declan, open wide and swallow.

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Le Blanc
    Favourite Tony Le Blanc
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 3:17 PM

    I think you’ll find Michelle he said ‘Iris made’ One can only assume he was referring to East German filmmaker Iris Gusner

    Furthermore: could we all stop talking about the Snapper please? Yes, its just about better than Videodrome but then a documentary about whale sh*te would be too.

    17
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michelle Philpot
    Favourite Michelle Philpot
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 3:41 PM

    Tony la plonk

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pat Murphy
    Favourite Pat Murphy
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 4:50 PM

    declan, exactly what is your problem with Irish movies????
    you have yet to give any reasons, so stop trolling!!!

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tony Le Blanc
    Favourite Tony Le Blanc
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 9:44 PM

    @ Michelle: snappy comeback

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brant Blog
    Favourite Brant Blog
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 7:09 PM

    There’s hardly any link between Videodrome and the internet.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brendan McCormack
    Favourite Brendan McCormack
    Report
    Jun 8th 2013, 4:02 PM

    Brian O’Blivion. That about says it all. I expect the author of this wrote it while watching porn with his free hand.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds