Cronenberg Filmography: how one Toronto director changed filmmaking and turned actors into megastars
Cronenberg Filmography: how one Toronto director changed filmmaking and turned actors into megastars
By Katrina Onstad | December 3, 2013
By Katrina Onstad | 12/03/2013
Cronenberg on the set of A Dangerous Method with Viggo Mortensen (Image: Sony Pictures Classics and Entertainment One)
Over a 40-year obsession with mutants, fetishists and freaks, David Cronenberg has transformed from avant-garde boy wonder into one of Canada’s most famous director (you can read our feature profile of him here ). Below, a film-by-film guide that reveals how Cronenberg influenced filmmaking the world over—by turning actors into megastars, challenging ratings boards and earning Oscar nominations.
See our guide to the Cronenberg effect »
247399 Cronenberg cast porn star <b>Marilyn Chambers</b> as a woman who unleashes a zombie epidemic after an experimental surgery gives her a taste for human blood. <em>Rabid</em> helped Chambers go on to have a successful career in mainstream films, earning her the title "porn's most famous crossover." (Image: FRL) <em>Rabid,</em> 1977 Rabid, 1977 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-rabid-1977-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-rabid-1977.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-rabid-1977.jpg 407 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-rabid-1977/ david-cronenberg-rabid-1977 0 0
(Image: FRL)
247395 The drag racing flick—a departure for Cronenberg—co-starred actor <b>Nicholas Campbell. </b> He who went on to appear in <em>The Brood, The Dead Zone</em> and <em>Naked Lunch</em> , but found much greater popularity (and several Gemini wins) for his portrayal of Dominic Da Vinci in <em>Da Vinci's Inquest</em> and <em>Da Vinci's City Hall</em>. (Image: FRL) <em>Fast Company,</em> 1979 Fast Company, 1979 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-fast-company-1979-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-fast-company-1979.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-fast-company-1979.jpg 416 585 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-fast-company-1979/ david-cronenberg-fast-company-1979 0 0
(Image: FRL)
247400 The sci-fi horror film features <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY-03vYYAjA">an iconic scene of a human head exploding</a>. Such gory special effects inspired the pre-digital masters of horror, as well as <em>Saw</em> franchise impressario <strong>Darren Lynn Bousman</strong> who was slotted to re-make the film in 2007 (the project never came to fruition). (Image: Photofest) <em>Scanners,</em> 1981 Scanners, 1981 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-scanners-1981-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-scanners-1981.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-scanners-1981.jpg 418 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-scanners-1981/ david-cronenberg-scanners-1981 0 0
(Image: Photofest)
247405 The cult classic about snuff films stars a young<b> James Woods</b> as a sleazy TV exec and Blondie frontwoman <b>Debbie Harry</b> as a sadomasochistic psychiatrist. Both actors broke out in <em>Videodrome</em> (especially Woods) and went on to appear in dozens of films. (Image: Photofest) <em>Videodrome,</em> 1983 Videodrome, 1983 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-videodrome-1983-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-videodrome-1983.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-videodrome-1983.jpg 399 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-videodrome-1983/ david-cronenberg-videodrome-1983 0 0
(Image: Photofest)
247403 An adaptation of a <b>Stephen King </b>novel, <em>The Dead Zone</em> has Hollywood wattage courtesy of mid-career stars <b>Christopher Walken </b>and <b>Martin Sheen.</b> (Image: Photofest) <em>Dead Zone,</em> 1983 Dead Zone, 1983 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-the-dead-zone-1983-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-the-dead-zone-1983.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-the-dead-zone-1983.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-the-dead-zone-1983/ david-cronenberg-the-dead-zone-1983 0 0
(Image: Photofest)
247404 <b>Jeff Goldblum</b> is an eccentric scientist who gradually morphs into a fly-monster after a failed experiment. <b>Geena Davis</b> co-stars in the gory film, which was one of the biggest box-office successes of Cronenberg’s career and won the Academy Award for makeup. Both actors went on to acclaim in <em>Jurassic Park</em> and <em>Thelma and Louise</em>, respectively. They were also married just a year after working together on <em>The Fly</em>. (Image: 20th Century Fox) <em>The Fly,</em> 1986 The Fly, 1986 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-the-fly-1986-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-the-fly-1986.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-the-fly-1986.jpg 395 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-the-fly-1986/ david-cronenberg-the-fly-1986 0 0
(Image: 20th Century Fox)
247392 <b>Jeremy Irons </b> played a pair of twisted twin gynecologists after <b>Robert De Niro </b>and <b>William Hurt </b>both reportedly passed on the starring role. Along with <em>The Mission, Dead Ringers</em> helped Irons transition from British stage and TV to mainstream Hollywood films. (Image: FRL) <em>Dead Ringers,</em> 1988 Dead Ringers, 1988 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-dead-ringers-1988-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-dead-ringers-1988.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-dead-ringers-1988.jpg 403 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-dead-ringers-1988/ david-cronenberg-dead-ringers-1988 0 0
(Image: FRL)
247398 <b>Roger Ebert’</b>s review of the film, which centres on a fictional version of writer <b>William S. Burroughs:</b> “While I admired it in an abstract way, I felt repelled by the material on a visceral level.” Repellent, sure, but Cronenberg's movie introduced Burroughs to a new generation of readers. (Image: FRL) <em>Naked Lunch,</em> 1991 Naked Lunch, 1991 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-naked-lunch-1991-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-naked-lunch-1991.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-naked-lunch-1991.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-naked-lunch-1991/ david-cronenberg-naked-lunch-1991 0 0
(Image: FRL)
247391 The movie, which is about people who take sexual pleasure from car accidents, sparked a ratings controversy in the U.K. and the U.S., and won the Special Jury Prize at Cannes. (Image: FRL) <em>Crash,</em> 1996 Crash, 1996 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-crash-1996-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-crash-1996.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-crash-1996.jpg 436 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-crash-1996/ david-cronenberg-crash-1996 0 0
(Image: FRL)
247394 <b>Jennifer Jason Leigh</b> and <b>Jude Law</b> team up in the thriller about a video game system that plugs into players’ central nervous systems. Released the same year as <em>The Talented Mr. Ripley, eXistenz</em> was part of Jude Law's filmography that solidified him as a star in North America. (Image: Photofest) <em>eXistenz,</em> 1999 eXistenz, 1999 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-eXistenz-1999-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-eXistenz-1999.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-eXistenz-1999.jpg 433 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-existenz-1999/ david-cronenberg-existenz-1999 0 0
(Image: Photofest)
247401 Cronenberg, along with stars <b>Ralph Fiennes</b> and<b> Miranda Richardson,</b> made headlines when they waived their salaries during shooting to keep production going on the underfunded psychological thriller. (Image: Photofest) <em>Spider,</em> 2002 Spider, 2002 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-spider-2002-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-spider-2002.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-spider-2002.jpg 432 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-spider-2002/ david-cronenberg-spider-2002 0 0
(Image: Photofest)
247389 The widely praised film stars <b>Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello</b> and<b> Ed Harris.</b> The screenplay received an Oscar nomination, as did supporting actor <b>William Hurt.</b> (Image: FRL) <em>A History of Violence,</em> 2005 A History of Violence, 2005 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-a-history-of-violence-2005-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-a-history-of-violence-2005.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-a-history-of-violence-2005.jpg 421 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-a-history-of-violence-2005/ david-cronenberg-a-history-of-violence-2005 0 0
(Image: FRL)
247393 Cronenberg’s look at the Russian Mafia in London won the audience prize for best film at TIFF and earned star <b>Viggo Mortenson </b>an Academy Award nomination. (Image: Photofest) <em>Eastern Promises,</em> 2007 Eastern Promises, 2007 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-eastern-promises-2007-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-eastern-promises-2007.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-eastern-promises-2007.jpg 421 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-eastern-promises-2007/ david-cronenberg-eastern-promises-2007 0 0
(Image: Photofest)
247388 Cronenberg assembled a movie star triumvirate for the period film: <b>Viggo Mortensen </b>as Sigmund Freud, <b>Michael Fassbender </b>as Carl Jung and <b>Keira Knightley </b>as one of Jung’s patients. (Image: Sony Pictures Classics and Entertainment One) <em>A Dangerous Method,</em> 2011 A Dangerous Method, 2011 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-a-dangerous-method-2011-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-a-dangerous-method-2011.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-a-dangerous-method-2011.jpg 419 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-a-dangerous-method-2011/ david-cronenberg-a-dangerous-method-2011 0 0
(Image: Sony Pictures Classics and Entertainment One)
247390 For an adaptation of the <b>Don DeLillo </b>novel, Cronenberg tapped <em>Twilight</em> hearthrob <b>Robert Pattinson.</b> Despite Pattinson’s legions of fans, the movie only earned $6 million worldwide—but it did give the erstwhile vampire one of his first serious dramatic roles. (Image: Photofest) <em>Cosmopolis,</em> 2012 Cosmopolis, 2012 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-cosmopolis-2012-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-cosmopolis-2012.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-cosmopolis-2012.jpg 459 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-cosmopolis-2012/ david-cronenberg-cosmopolis-2012 0 0
(Image: Photofest)
247397 The upcoming dark comedy about celebrity culture stars <b>John Cusack, Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, Robert Pattinson</b> and Toronto’s<b> Sarah Gadon,</b> in her third Cronenberg feature. <em>Maps to the Stars,</em> 2014 Maps to the Stars, 2014 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-maps-to-the-stars-2014-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-maps-to-the-stars-2014.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/david-cronenberg-maps-to-the-stars-2014.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/culture/the-cronenberg-filmography/slide/david-cronenberg-maps-to-the-stars-2014/ david-cronenberg-maps-to-the-stars-2014 0 0