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the apprehension of pattern “as such”
This is a brilliant analysis of an under appreciated movie. “Videodrome” was based on Mcluhan’s work in a similar way to “The Matrix” being influenced by Baudrillard. I liked Videodrome better. The Matrix was more of a typical Hollywood action movie -Although, not a bad one. Your right, Existenz is basically Videodrome transposed from a television to a videogame world. I think people can see the effects of videogames on human consciousness a little more concretely than those of television. The CIA tends to recruit videogamers into their unmanned drone program because, they have already been preconditioned to kill images on a screen, without much thought or feeling. Adam Lanza was apparently a big fan of the Call of Duty games. I just saw in the news that three teenagers in Oklahoma drove up to a jogger and shot him in the back. They told the police detectives they did it because they were bored. I’m not saying that the murder had anything to do with videogames, but its a totality of media and culture that create these “people.” Maybe, that’s why zombie movies are so popular. They ‘re humans without autonomy, which we are becoming. Just like James Wood’s character in Videdrome. He became a golem of sorts. I think that’s what Cronenberg was trying to warn us about. Being aware of how the various forms of media impact our psyche, maybe the only defence against it.
There’s a recent movie made by Cronenberg’s son called “Antiviral.” I guess it was his first attempt at a film. It explores celebrity worship taken to the extreme.
I wouldn’t say that it’s real easy to watch, but it is interesting. Definetly in the vibe of his father’s work.
I’ve reviewed “Antiviral” in my new book “Post-Classic Cinema.”