David Cronenberg Doesn’t Regret Turning Down ‘Flashdance’ Producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson: ‘I Told Them, I Will Destroy Your Movie If I Direct It’

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As a longtime admirer of David Cronenberg’s innovative and thought-provoking body of work, I find myself captivated by his candid reflections on his career and creative process. His decision to step away from “Flashdance” in favor of “The Dead Zone” and “Videodrome” showcases the bold vision that has come to define his filmography.

Looking back at his groundbreaking body of work, renowned figure David Cronenberg expressed a unique sense of satisfaction towards the one project that slipped through his fingers – or, to put it another way, which he intentionally distanced himself from emphatically: “Flashdance.

Croneberg shared during the Marrakech Film Festival on Sunday that he was taken aback by the confidence Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer had in him as director. They seemed firm in their belief that he was the ideal choice, but he admitted he couldn’t understand why they thought so. In the end, he felt compelled to decline their offer, warning them that if he were to direct the film, it would likely be a disaster for their project.

In 1983, although “Flashdance” was credited to Adrian Lyne and became the third highest grossing film of the year, Cronenberg’s dual releases, “The Dead Zone” and “Videodrome,” made a significant impact instead. These films established a unique genre characterized by exploring physical terrors with an intellectual chill, coining a new term for this style: Cronenbergian.

[My work has faced] criticism as being vile, corrupt, and immoral,” he chuckled. “In fact, it’s all quite positive in my book.

He continued, ‘I referred to myself as the ‘Baron of Blood,’ but let me assure you, I never claimed to be a king. I’ve always been quite humble,'” he said.

Regardless of the lofty titles, Cronenberg carried his nickname with the same playful, self-aware irony that pervades much of his art – employing genres as a sort of stealth vehicle to transport his distinctive perspective.

He remarked that categorizing a movie as a certain genre was primarily for selling it. Essentially, it boiled down to marketing, as creating an artistic film such as ‘Crash’ or ‘Dead Ringers’ could pose a challenge in identifying the potential viewers.

He stated that his work, specifically ‘The Fly’ from 1986, offers certain safeguards due to its unique nature. He explained it as a story involving just three characters and a monkey, which adds an intriguing twist to the genre.

The narrative unfolds around an exceptionally tall, lovely pair who encounter each other, fall deeply in love, only for him to be stricken by a dreadful, degenerative affliction and succumb to it. However, if you reimagine this as a science fiction or horror movie featuring an airborne telepod that transports people, the gloominess of the tale seems more manageable. Although it remains a romance with a tragic core, the narrative is less devastating in its portrayal.

The director shared a similar sentiment regarding his personal sorrow when creating “The Shrouds,” subtly asking audiences to focus more on the fictional aspects rather than the biographical elements in the movie.

He created the film around five to six years following his wife’s passing in 2017, partially as a reaction to her death and his personal grief. However, just because it draws from some true aspects of his life, it doesn’t inherently make it a quality movie, or even an emotionally charged one, or an engaging one. The biography of the director should not be a prerequisite for enjoying the film.

When “The Shrouds” premieres in cinemas at the beginning of next year, Cronenberg invites viewers to enjoy a good chuckle.

He remarked that the film was quite amusing, though it might not strictly be categorized as a comedy. He went on to say that having a sense of humor seems indispensable in life. In his opinion, there must be some element of humor, for he can’t fathom how one could navigate through life without it.

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2024-12-01 16:17