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Videodrome

Videodrome

Horror · Science Fiction · Mystery · 1983

As the president of a trashy TV channel, Max Renn is desperate for new programming to attract viewers. When he happens upon "Videodrome," a TV show dedicated to gratuitous torture and punishment, Max sees a potential hit and broadcasts the show on his channel. However, after his girlfriend auditions for the show and never returns, Max investigates the truth behind Videodrome and discovers that the graphic violence may not be as fake as he thought.

Movie details

Videodrome

“First it controls your mind. Then it destroys your body.”

1983 Horror · Science Fiction · Mystery 1h 28m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.2 / 10

Community rating

As the president of a trashy TV channel, Max Renn is desperate for new programming to attract viewers. When he happens upon "Videodrome," a TV show dedicated to gratuitous torture and punishment, Max sees a potential hit and broadcasts the show on his channel. However, after his girlfriend auditions for the show and never returns, Max investigates the truth behind Videodrome and discovers that the graphic violence may not be as fake as he thought.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Videodrome?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

David Cronenberg

Written by

David Cronenberg

James Woods

James Woods

Max Renn

Debbie Harry

Debbie Harry

Nicki Brand

Sonja Smits

Sonja Smits

Bianca O'Blivion

Peter Dvorsky

Peter Dvorsky

Harlan

Leslie Carlson

Leslie Carlson

Barry Convex

J

Jack Creley

Brian O'Blivion

Lynne Gorman

Lynne Gorman

Masha

Court is in session

Put Videodrome on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Arthouse Gremlin

“Its refusal to behave is the point.”

The strange choices create the kind of friction that follows you out of the theatre and into the argument.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Oddness is not depth.”

A film can break every rule and still leave nothing behind but the memory of how hard it tried to be singular.