The B-Side Episode 170 – David Cronenberg (featuring Veronica Fitzpatrick)

The B-Side Episode 170 – David Cronenberg (featuring Veronica Fitzpatrick)

      Welcome to The B-Side! In this space, we focus on film directors, not just those who created the movies that brought them fame, but also the lesser-known works they produced in between.

      Today, we delve into the world of David Cronenberg, a true Canadian genius and the filmmaker recognized for pioneering "body horror"—a term he is somewhat resistant to, for what it's worth. The B-Sides we cover today include Fast Company, The Brood, M. Butterfly, and Spider. Joining us is the remarkable Veronica Fitzpatrick, a professor at Brown University and Editor-at-Large as well as Podcast Co-Host at Bright Wall/Dark Room.

      We discuss Oliver Reed's striking appearance in The Brood, how Cronenberg's films typically burst onto the scene, the shortcomings of M. Butterfly, and confirm that Fast Company is indeed a film directed by David Cronenberg. Our conversation also touches on his novel Consumed, his numerous collaborations with exceptional actors like Jeremy Irons, and his remarkable, intellectual approach. This is a filmmaker who has adapted the works of Stephen King, William Burroughs, Don DeLillo, J.G. Ballard, and Patrick McGrath. What a diverse range!

      We explore the real-life French diplomat who inspired M. Butterfly and examine the metatextual elements in both Cronenberg’s adaptation of David Henry Hwang's work and his subsequent film A Dangerous Method. It’s Cronenberg reflecting on the psychology present in his own films! Intriguing. Veronica references B.D. Wong’s Tony acceptance speech, and we express our astonishment that Adrian Lyne's 1997 remake of Lolita (starring Jeremy Irons!) received hardly any distribution! There's so much to unpack here! Happy Halloween!

      Listen below and subscribe here. Don’t forget to follow us on Bluesky at @tfsbside.bsky.social. Enjoy!

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The B-Side Episode 170 – David Cronenberg (featuring Veronica Fitzpatrick)

Welcome to The B-Side! In this space, we focus on film directors—not the films that catapulted them to fame or sustained their celebrity, but rather the lesser-known works they created during the interim. Today, we delve into the work of David Cronenberg, a remarkable Canadian talent and the filmmaker recognized for pioneering the genre of “body horror” (a label he is not particularly fond of).