In a dystopic world where a plague is killing off pubescent human females, an esoteric researcher seeks his missing mentor while trying to retain morality in the sex-obsessed society he live... Read allIn a dystopic world where a plague is killing off pubescent human females, an esoteric researcher seeks his missing mentor while trying to retain morality in the sex-obsessed society he lives in.In a dystopic world where a plague is killing off pubescent human females, an esoteric researcher seeks his missing mentor while trying to retain morality in the sex-obsessed society he lives in.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe film was shot without any sound recording because the 35mm camera made too much noise. The first-person voice-over and a few strange sound effects were added later.
- Quotes
Adrian Tripod: When Antoine Rouge disappeared, soon after he had himself contracted the disease which bears his name, we believe that he had preferred to die alone, in an exile only partially self-willed. Still, he on one occasion remarked that Rouge's malady could not possibly be fatal to Rouge, though it had already killed hundreds of thousands of women. And it is true that his death was confirmed only by certain authorities who had long wished for his death. Yet the Rouge, as my mentor and I were preternaturally close, and I feel sure that he no longer exists...
- ConnectionsFeatured in On Screen!: Shivers (2008)
This film is David Cronenberg's follow-up to "Stereo", and aside from a slightly bigger budget and moving from monochrome to color, it is clear that his themes have not shifted much (if at all). He loves the medical institutions, the sterile surroundings of the hospital, and the imposing architecture (camera shots repeatedly make the building look bigger and the hallways longer than the reality most likely is).
He again talks of medical abnormality, something he would visit again in "Rabid" and "The Brood" and "Scanners". The special effects are played down here, with a discussion of new organs having few visuals to back up the idea (some indecipherable mass in a jar). The film as a whole is really an artistic exploration of minimalism. Most scenes involve characters sitting still for minutes at a time, hardly any words are spoken (though numerous discomforting sounds are heard). The whole film's plot is drawn out by a voice-over (perhaps calling to mind Chris Marker's "La Jetee").
What differentiates great directors from poor ones is, in my opinion, the ability to know your limits and to stretch the limits while keeping the budget in mind. Cronenberg fits into this category of greatness. Like early Kubrick ("The Killing"), he knows he has no budget but makes up for it with stark contrast and searing images. While this is by no means Cronenberg's best work, it is clear to see that given another script and a bigger budget, he has the vision. He frames each scene very carefully, the camera actually taking in more than is actually there in the process.
Your average viewer would watch this and, even at the very short 62 minute running time, declare it a waste of film. Who wants to watch a bunch of ugly men in a courtyard while a voice talks about venereal disease and the need to impregnate a child? But a film student or scholar may see the film differently. Clearly, knowing what we know now about Cronenberg's success makes me biased. But still, the germ of directing genius is present here.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Преступления будущего
- Filming locations
- Massey College, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada(interiors and exteriors at the beginning)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $20,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 3 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1