The Brood

I didn't really know how to fit The Brood into this years horror films, but knew I wanted to watch it. Even though it's not quite fitting for Supernatural Sunday, it had to do.

The Brood has been on my radar since I worked at Hollywood Video. We had a regular customer that showed movies at one of the second-run theaters here in Portland, and he called it "SuperTrash Film Festival." One of those days we were talking and he mentioned that I looked like the actress in this film, Samantha Eggar, and he was showing it. Sadly, I never did see it at his festival, but it is a good enough time to watch it now.

Samantha Eggar as Nola

David Cronenberg is probably one of my favorite auteurs. He is one of the main originators of the body horror genre. Body horror pertains to the graphic destruction or degeneration of the body, and playing on the fear of transformation and infectious diseases. One of his films, The Fly depicts body horror through mutation and in a way, The Brood is similar. As a psychotherapist, Dr. Hal Raglan treats his patients with "Psychoplasmics" that allow them to manifest their emotions into treatable lesions and boils on the skin. Nola is his star patient. She has so much pent up anguish and rage and she easily vents her fury in their sessions. Soon, people connected to Nola are brutally murdered by mutant dwarves outside the institute. These dwarves are somehow a real-life manifestation of Nola's rage against those she feels abused and hurt by but no one knows where they came from. Her husband tries to unravel the mystery of these deaths and their connection to Nola, meanwhile fighting to keep his daughter from Nola as she slips further into an abusive and weak emotional and mental state.

One of Nola's "brood" 

The Brood is terrifying, visually disturbing and a very interesting and original story. Samantha Eggar is creepy and amazing as Nola. I think this might now be my favorite Cronenberg film. It will make you feel uncomfortable, but the images and mood set a tension that will keep you engaged. It is also a metaphor on maternal abuses and quarrelsome custody battles - an interpretation of his own life, divorce and custody battle at the time. Surprise, surprise, another one Joey decided to watch with me! So I will also include his rating in this one like I did for Feast. 

My rating:

Joey's rating: