The Fly

This was the original 1958 version, complete with a fainting lady and Vincent Price. We watched at Al's on his projector, and I'd lost out in a vote between this and Man Bites Dog, which I'd had a sudden urge to watch again. Nevertheless, this film had its moments, most of them unintentionally funny.



It created a strange, nearly claustrophobic atmosphere by shooting the majority of the film in the same house, the atmosphere made stranger by the house's outward appearance of calm, family life: the big garden with hammock, the neat kitchen, the young son running round shouting to his mommy to come and look at something. All of this whilst underneath the genius professor in his den/laboratory fiddles away at a machine that will transport people. It reminded me of that bit in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when Mike TV is transported into the TV.

This clip is probably the most memorable. It reminded me of Tod Browning's Devil Doll.



This atmosphere aside, I came away with a strange empty feeling. Yes it was fun, yes we laughed at outmoded 50s notions and Vincent Price's ridiculous acting, but beyond that these films have a limited appeal. They're almost museum pieces. I'm aware of their interest in terms of a subconscious working through of the notorious "Red Threat" but some are just plain trash. And there's a limit to trash.