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Cronenberg is amazing, probably the best and most consistent director of our generation, even moreso than David Lynch (though Lynch is more interesting and better overall because he has explored many different mediums -- cartoons, comics, books -- and succeeded in every way). He's definitely my favorite non-Japanese director. He explores themes that most directors wouldn't touch -- and he directs in such a cold, focused, and direct way. He films the unfilmable and expresses the unexpressable. And The Dead Zone is one of the only films ever to make me cry. And Dead Ringers.. man... what a fucking film. I like that his films don't get marred down by scenes... everything fits, everything flows well, and none of his films are overly indulgent. Well, okay, Naked Lunch is a little bit -- but just the fact that he filmed Naked fucking Lunch is remarkable.
His films are bizarre in that, even in his "mainstream" ones (Scanners, The Fly, the last couple of films he did), they still offer plenty of food for thought, he doesn't dumb anything down.
I noticed in the other thread that you like Sofia Coppola's "lost in translation" and "virgin suicides"... what's odd is that they are filmed in a very deliberate, cold, detached style, which is what Cronenberg is known for. Obviously, they don't explore any similiar themes, but I find it kind of funny. You were right, by the way, Eyes Wide Shut sucks ass.
Anyway, since I'll never get a chance to again, ranking Cronenberg films now...
1. Videodrome
2. The Dead Zone
3. Dead Ringers
4. Crash
5. Eastern Promises
6. The Brood
7. Naked Lunch
8. The Fly
9. History of Violence
10. Shivers
11. Rabid
12. M. Butterfly
13. Spider
14. Scanners
15. Existenz
Something weird I've noticed is that a lot of his films end with gun violence. Even though he doesn't really have any action films, a gun usually comes into play at the end of his films. Just something weird to note.
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