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Been a while since I last did a franchise thread, so I thought I might buzz about THE FLY. Join me, won’t you? But do make sure to hold on firmly to your seat, please...
THE FLY 1958 is a CinemaScope nightmare, an Atomic Age sci-fi/horror wrapped in a murder mystery that influenced several genres for decades. If the ‘86 version is a parable for disease, this adaptation of Langelaan’s story is an analogy for disfigurement and mental illness.
Star David (“Al”) Hedison wasn’t sure why he was made up to be all white as the AndreFly, but the reason might’ve been makeup artist Ben Nye’s sly nod to the fact that flies age rapidly. Not only were his human parts there on that fly body, but they were old, too...
RETURN OF THE FLY trades the first film’s romantic tragedy for film noir and creature feature, and while it’s less rich than the original, it’s still a lot of fun. Price has some more to do, David Frankham plays a great heel, and Brett Halsey makes his new Fly a bit James Dean.
The opening sequence appears to be excellent photography of a real (and very patient) fly, yet some production materials seem to point to this actually being a model constructed by an effects man at 20th Century Fox.
CURSE OF THE FLY takes the series into new places, most of all Gothic Horror, with Carole Gray running around the spooky Delambre mansion and discovering how far they’re willing to go to perfect teleportation. Fantastic mid-‘60s Brit horror; a fitting end to the original films.
While body horror has always been a component of George Langelaan’s story, CURSE ups the ante considerably with a ghastly, fleshy human hybrid mishap, pointing the way toward David Cronenberg’s remake.
THE FLY ‘86 is a masterpiece of body horror. Operatic, tragic, romantic, yet perversely fun, the change to Langelaan’s story—making the scientist’s transformation a gradual one—opens up all sorts of themes of disease and aging, as well as David Cronenberg’s techno-interests.
A bit deleted from the script explained that Brundle’s favorite restaurant was a “MackDonalds”-type place due to its repeatability, like his daily uniform, an artificial certainty that would contrast with his impending wild, unpredictable transformation.
THE FLY II returns the series to its classic monster-movie roots. Director Chris Walas and writer Frank Darabont tell an effective story about a boy treated by a soulless corporation as an experiment from birth, making the fly’s ultimate revenge enjoyably sweet.
Martin’s ill-fated mutated dog was originally designed differently. Walas believed it to look too healthy and mean, so he ordered his crew to make last minute changes, resulting in the rag doll look of the final puppet.
Thanks for flying with me in this thread. Just remember, always watch out for flies with white heads, and never get into a telepod without checking the windows first...
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