The director of Videodrome, Die Fliege and eXistenZ returns to the genre that helped establish his reputation with his first film in six years. However, when David Cronenberg shoots a new science fiction film, the Hopes for terrifying lacerations to the immeasurable.
Crimes of the Future is the promising title of his latest work, which is in competition for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. But for heaven’s sake don’t expect a Cronenberg that crosses unknown taste boundaries. Of the whirlwind hype around the film with Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux and Kristen Stewart has turned into a mild breeze at the latest by the end credits. However, mild breezes are not to be scoffed at.
Instead of panic attacks, the sci-fi horror film Crimes of the Future offers sensual organ massages
In addition to the trailers, Cronenberg should also have fueled the expectations. In an interview with IndieWire in early May, he explained:
I’m sure that [einige im Publikum] leave the room within the first five minutes will. […] Some who have seen the film said that the last 20 minutes will be pretty tough for people and there will be a lot of walkouts. A guy said he almost had one panic attack had.
What were the actual reactions in Cannes?
Check out the trailer for Crimes of the Future:
Crimes of the Future – Trailer (English) HD
At the world premiere, a few dozen are said to have left the show early, as Variety reports. That sounds like a lot, but a little less when you consider that the Auditorium Louis Lumière seats 2,300 guests. In the press demonstration, on the other hand, you could hardly hear the doors falling on their hinges. At most, panic gripped those who did flashy new Cronenberg trip longed for and had already formulated their headlines to match. Instead, they were treated to some amusing conversations in the ramshackle future.
Don’t get the wrong impression: Crimes of the Future contains a few disgusting scenes that I wouldn’t enjoy over coffee and poppy seed cake with my grandma. After all, Léa Seydoux plays a former surgeon who meets her performance art partner Viggo Mortensen in front of an audience Cuts organs from the abdominal cavity. Later in the film, a boy’s body is autopsied as part of the show. However, anyone who has horror experience and is not exactly phobic about Léa Seydoux sensually massaging organs will survive Crimes of the Future without a panic attack.
The film with Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen does not cause panic attacks, but has a special charm
Hardcore Cronenberg fans, which I definitely align myself with not count, will enjoy the many echoes of Crash and other works by the director. The science fiction film conquered my heart unexcited pacethe whimsical characters and the feeling of watching a master sharpen his time-tested tool.
© World Cinema
Crimes of the Future
The story of Crimes of the Future does without dramatic highlights and just when you think it’s really starting, the credits roll. The movie in which the digestive tract of a child makes the structure of the future shake, rather works with impressions. It’s kind of a humorous walk through a future that looks like our past in terms of technology.
One Mortensens encounters Saul sitting à la Baba Yaga on a wobbly chicken bone chair, which eases his digestion. Kristen Stewart stops by as the delightfully chirping employee of an organ registration agency. Léa Seydoux, on the other hand, anchors the film as one of the few who actually expresses emotion (and sucks on her partner’s slit peritoneum).
Although this future seems shabby, society tattered and people appear cold, a good-humored melancholy prevails in the new Cronenberg. She fascinated me, maybe because she was so casual and natural was compared to the obviously ambitious standard product in the Cannes competition. Cronenberg no longer has to prove anything to anyone he doesn’t have to surpass himself. Some colleagues can learn a lesson from this. With or without a high-tech autopsy chair.
*. . .