31 Days of Horror Movies

31 Days of Horror Movies - Day 19

For today, we are continuing with the trend of remakes that are superior to the original and after The Thing there a select few that can carry that title with pride. This pick is also one of the most disturbing, grossest, and emotionally scarring films of all time so just get ready. In fact, you should...

"Be afraid. Be very afraid".

Day 19 - David Cronenberg's The Fly

A remake of the 1950s Vincent Price creature feature, transgressive Canadian filmmaker and body horror pioneer David Cronenberg takes the simple premise of mad science from the original and just blows it up by expanding upon it. Jeff Goldblum stars as Seth Brundle, a genius scientist, who invents a teleportation device but during a fateful accident, something goes terribly wrong for him. It doesn't matter if you've seen it countless times or you're watching it for the first time, there is no preparing for The Fly and how wildly transgressive it gets. Financed by Mel Brooks (yes, that Mel Brooks), The Fly is ostensibly an operatic love story between Brundle and science journalist Ronnie (played to perfection by real life couple at the time Goldblum and Geena Davis) that takes the "operatic" quality of it and multiplies it by 1000. Whether its the emotionally grueling transformation, which a lot of critics at the time view as a powerful metaphor to the AIDS crisis, or the incredibly graphic practical effects, there is absolutely no denying that Cronenberg hit a nerve when crafting this timeless classic. Everything that happens in The Fly is horrifying but its made even worse by the simple fact that Cronenberg invests the audience on the relationship between Brundle and Ronnie; so when the true horror happens it is profoundly effective and emotionally devastating. The makeup design by Chris Walas is so staggering that it actually won a Best Makeup Academy Award - whether its the final transformation of Brundle or the arm-wrestling scene or even the "nail scene" (if you know, you know), this is makeup that sticks with you long after the credits roll. Goldblum and Davis deliver knockout performances and they're supported by the relentless Howard Shore score but The Fly is truly a "one of a kind" gem that makes its premise effectively brutal. Smart, grotesque, and filled with disturbing imagery and powerful symbolism, there is a reason The Fly is still considered one of the best remakes of all time.

*All of the recommendations that we make can be found at the El Paso Public Library Catalog!

Comments

Fall Must Listens and Watches!

Fall is officially here and that means we finally get to indulge in all the wonderful things that come with it: pumpkin spice EVERYTHING, chilly weather, spooky movies, and cozy vibes! To celebrate this wonderful time of the year, we've decided to spotlight some must listens and watches that you can find at the Enrique Moreno Library that simply scream FALL. Listens Red (Taylor's Version) by Taylor Swift Don't worry we are, of course, picking the version that should be mandatory listening for any self-respecting Swiftie - Taylor's Version of Red . It might be the autumnal covers of the cover or the incredibly melancholy aspect of the entire album but Red (Taylor's Version) , along with folklore and evermore , feels like Taylor's clearly identifiable fall albums. Red (Taylor's Version) is a gargantuan piece of music; spanning 30 songs and multiple genres (including pop, indie folk, and even country), the fall vibes and emotions are on full display with

Read from our New Arrivals Section!

There's nothing like reading a new book. Whether its the flipping of the pages, or just the discovery of a brand new story; the arrival of a new book is always one of our favorite things to do here at EQ. Our improved NEW section has a myriad of titles for you to choose from, ranging from gorgeously illustrated graphic novels, cookbooks, the hottest fictional bestsellers, and how-to books! Here are 5 titles that we think deserve a little bit of a spotlight... and yes, since we're approaching October there might a a couple of spooky entries. For the Graphic Novel Fan Fantastic Four: Full Circle by Alex Ross If you're familiar with comics, then you've heard the name Alex Ross before. One of the industry's most renowned artists known for his highly realistic style, Ross' Fantastic 4 tale is top tier Marvel. Inspired by a classic Stan Lee/Jack Kirby Fantastic Four story, Ross takes that template and simply expands upon it with lavish illustrations, stylish charac

Presenting EQ's Staff Recommendations!

Hello July! Can y'all believe we are basically more than halfway through the year? We know. Neither can we. In honor of July and summer being in full swing (if you haven't registered for our summer program, click here because you can win some cool prizes), every other week we will have a friendly recommendation that you can check out at the Enrique Moreno Library. For now, we'll go ahead and call them: EQ's Staff Picks!!! For this week's inaugural pick, we'll go ahead and start with a summer recommendation and nothing says summer like a pair of friends making movies. Chances are that you've probably seen Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood , but have you read it? Expanding on his beloved screenplay and featuring his endlessly quotable dialogue, Tarantino's first novel opens the world of the film even more and serves up a glorious meal for both fans of his films and newcomers alike. Plus, there's more of Cliff Booth, Rick Dal

Enrique Moreno Library

Search This Blog