This guy makes some weird...and amazing movies. What's your favorite? How do you rank them? ALL 22 DAVID CRONENBERG MOVIES RANKED Over the course of six decades, David Cronenberg has built a bloody, slimed-over, and warped throne of flesh and bone to sit upon as the king of body horror. His first two films, Stereo and Crimes of the Future, are little-seen, ready for Cronenberg fans to re-discover and find that his obsession with pushing the boundaries of science, sexual perversity, and our oh-so-tenuous grasp on our physical self was present from the beginning. Rabid and The Brood made more of a squeamish splash with general audiences. And in the ’80s, Cronenberg came into his own: Scanners was all over horror magazines for its legendary exploding head sequence. The Dead Zone contributed to a hot streak of Stephen King adaptations happening across the industry, following Carrie and The Shining. The Fly was the rare excellent remake and had the good sense to parade Jeff Goldblum around in his underwear (and vomit). And Videodrome seemed to best express Cronenberg’s vision of how the self can be utterly compromised by sinister forces. The ’90s saw Cronenberg experimenting with an expanded dramatic palette (M. Butterfly, Naked Lunch) with varied results, which would pay dividends in the following decade. That’s when he released A History of Violence, which would become his highest-grossing movie, be nominated for two Oscars, and mark the start of a fruitful collaboration with Viggo Mortensen. The actor was nominated for the Oscar in their follow-up Eastern Promises, which boasts a bath house fight that’ll please those who think the tighty-whities Goldblum wore in The Fly were too much clothing. The third Viggo movie was A Dangerous Method, a kinky yet classy flick of psychology that brought in Keira Knightley and Michael Fassbender. And you know how Robert Pattinson is your new favorite actor, especially after you had written him off for those Twilight movies? You can thank Cronenberg for giving Pattinson the opportunity to do weird roles to shake up his image, in movies like Cosmopolis and Maps to the Stars. Cronenberg had appeared to have retired in recent years with the shifting movie and media landscape, but in 2022 he returned with Crimes of the Future, another body-horror shocker unrelated to his early film of the same name. If that’s the case, then it’s been an impressive, influential, and gross – really, really gross – career, which we’re celebrating now with all 21 David Cronenberg movies ranked – Certified Fresh films first! —Alex Vo THE FLY (1986) 93%83% #1 Critics Consensus: David Cronenberg combines his trademark affinity for gore and horror with strongly developed characters, making The Fly a surprisingly affecting tragedy. Synopsis: When scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) completes his teleportation device, he decides to test its abilities on himself. Unbeknownst to... [More] Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz, Joy Boushel Directed By: David Cronenberg THE DEAD ZONE (1983) 88%77% #2 Critics Consensus: The Dead Zone combines taut direction from David Cronenberg and and a rich performance from Christopher Walken to create one of the strongest Stephen King adaptations. Synopsis: When Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) awakens from a coma caused by a car accident, he finds that years have passed,... [More] Starring: Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom Directed By: David Cronenberg EASTERN PROMISES (2007) 89%83% #3 Critics Consensus: David Cronenberg triumphs again, showcasing the Viggo Mortensen's onscreen prowess in a daring performance. Bearing the trademarks of psychological drama and gritty violence, Eastern Promises is a very compelling crime story. Synopsis: Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen), who is both ruthless and mysterious, has ties to one of the most dangerous crime families in... [More] Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel, Armin Mueller-Stahl Directed By: David Cronenberg A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (2005) 87%76% #4 Critics Consensus: A History of Violence raises compelling and thoughtful questions about the nature of violence, while representing a return to form for director David Cronenberg in one of his more uncharacteristic pieces. Synopsis: When a pair of petty criminals attempt to rob his small-town diner, Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) quickly and easily kills... [More] Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt, Ashton Holmes Directed By: David Cronenberg SPIDER (2002) 85%68% #5 Critics Consensus: Ralph Fiennes is brilliant in this accomplished and haunting David Cronenberg film. Synopsis: Released after decades in a sanitarium, schizophrenic Dennis "Spider" Cleg (Ralph Fiennes) moves into Mrs. Wilkinson's (Lynn Redgrave) halfway house... [More] Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Miranda Richardson, Gabriel Byrne, Bradley Hall Directed By: David Cronenberg DEAD RINGERS (1988) 84%82% #6 Critics Consensus: Dead Ringers serves up a double dose of Jeremy Irons in service of a devilishly unsettling concept and commandingly creepy work from director David Cronenberg. Synopsis: Elliot (Jeremy Irons), a successful gynecologist, works at the same practice as his identical twin, Beverly (also Irons). Elliot is... [More] Starring: Jeremy Irons, Geneviève Bujold, Heidi von Palleske, Barbara Gordon Directed By: David Cronenberg VIDEODROME (1983) 79%80% #7 Critics Consensus: Visually audacious, disorienting, and just plain weird, Videodrome's musings on technology, entertainment, and politics still feel fresh today. Synopsis: As the president of a trashy TV channel, Max Renn (James Woods) is desperate for new programming to attract viewers.... [More] Starring: James Woods, Deborah Harry, Sonja Smits, Peter Dvorsky Directed By: David Cronenberg A DANGEROUS METHOD (2011) 78%50% #8 Critics Consensus: A provocative historical fiction about the early days of psychoanalysis, A Dangerous Method is buoyed by terrific performances by Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley, and Viggo Mortensen. Synopsis: In 1904 a Russian woman named Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley) arrives at Carl Jung's (Michael Fassbender) clinic, seeking treatment for... [More] Starring: Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen, Michael Fassbender, Sarah Gadon Directed By: David Cronenberg FAST COMPANY (1979) 89%29% #9 Critics Consensus: No consensus yet. Synopsis: After his sponsor replaces him with his archrival, a race-car driver decides to steal the car and race it himself.... [More] Starring: William Smith, John Saxon, Claudia Jennings Directed By: David Cronenberg THE BROOD (1979) 82%68% #10 Critics Consensus: The Brood is a grotesque, squirming, hilariously shrill exploration of the bizarre and deadly side of motherhood. Synopsis: A mad doctor (Oliver Reed) tries psychoplasmic therapy on a raging woman (Samantha Eggar) soon to be a mother.... [More] Starring: Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar, Art Hindle, Henry Beckman Directed By: David Cronenberg SHIVERS (1975) 85%58% #11 Critics Consensus: Shivers uses elementally effective basic ingredients to brilliant effect - and lays the profoundly unsettling foundation for director David Cronenberg's career to follow. Synopsis: After a scientist living in a posh apartment complex slaughters a teen girl and kills himself, investigators discover that the... [More] Starring: Paul Hampton, Joe Silver, Lynn Lowry, Allan Kolman Directed By: David Cronenberg
continued.... CRIMES OF THE FUTURE (2022) 80%45% #12 Critics Consensus: Quintessential if not classic Cronenberg, Crimes of the Future finds the director revisiting familiar themes with typically unsettling flair. Synopsis: As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. With his partner Caprice... [More] Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, Kristen Stewart, Scott Speedman Directed By: David Cronenberg RABID (1977) 76%46% #13 Critics Consensus: No consensus yet. Synopsis: Surgery leaves a Montreal motorcyclist (Marilyn Chambers) with a bloodsucking appendage in her armpit.... [More] Starring: Marilyn Chambers, Frank Moore, Joe Silver, Howard Ryshpan Directed By: David Cronenberg EXISTENZ (1999) 74%69% #14 Critics Consensus: Gooey, slimy, grotesque fun. Synopsis: Video game designer Allegra Geller (Jennifer Jason Leigh) has created a virtual reality game called eXistenZ. After a crazed fan... [More] Starring: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, Ian Holm Directed By: David Cronenberg SCANNERS (1981) 69%64% #15 Critics Consensus: Scanners is a dark sci-fi story with special effects that'll make your head explode. Synopsis: Scanners are men and women born with incredible telepathic and telekinetic powers. There are many who exercise the benefits of... [More] Starring: Stephen Lack, Jennifer O'Neill, Patrick McGoohan, Lawrence Dane Directed By: David Cronenberg NAKED LUNCH (1991) 70%77% #16 Critics Consensus: Strange, maddening, and at times incomprehensible, Naked Lunch is nonetheless an engrossing experience. Synopsis: Blank-faced bug killer Bill Lee (Peter Weller) and his dead-eyed wife, Joan (Judy Davis), like to get high on Bill's... [More] Starring: Peter Weller, Judy Davis, Ian Holm, Julian Sands Directed By: David Cronenberg COSMOPOLIS (2012) 66%31% #17 Critics Consensus: Though some may find it cold and didactic, Cosmopolis benefits from David Cronenberg's precise direction, resulting in a psychologically complex adaptation of Don DeLillo's novel. Synopsis: A 28-year-old billionaire (Robert Pattinson) senses his empire collapsing around him as he takes a limo ride across Manhattan to... [More] Starring: Robert Pattinson, Jay Baruchel, Kevin Durand, Paul Giamatti Directed By: David Cronenberg CRASH (1996) 64%61% #18 Critics Consensus: Despite the surprisingly distant, clinical direction, Crash's explicit premise and sex is classic Cronenberg territory. Synopsis: "Crash" is about the strange lure of the auto collision, provoking as it does the human fascination with death and... [More] Starring: James Spader, Holly Hunter, Elias Koteas, Deborah Unger Directed By: David Cronenberg MAPS TO THE STARS (2014) 62%44% #19 Critics Consensus: Narratively unwieldy and tonally jumbled, Maps to the Stars still has enough bite to satisfy David Cronenberg fans in need of a coolly acidic fix. Synopsis: Driven by an intense need for fame and validation, members of a dysfunctional Hollywood dynasty have lives as dramatic as... [More] Starring: Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, John Cusack, Robert Pattinson Directed By: David Cronenberg STEREO (1969) 60%29% #20 Critics Consensus: No consensus yet. Synopsis: Scientists perform surgery which allows humans to communicate through telepathy.... [More] Starring: Ronald Mlodzik, Jack Messinger, Iain Ewing, Clara Mayer Directed By: David Cronenberg CRIMES OF THE FUTURE (1970) 50%28% #21 Critics Consensus: No consensus yet. Synopsis: A man (Ronald Mlodzik) takes a bizarre journey while searching for a kidnapped 5-year-old girl.... [More] Starring: Ronald Mlodzik, Paul Mulholland, Jack Messinger, Iain Ewing Directed By: David Cronenberg M. BUTTERFLY (1993) 43%67% #22 Critics Consensus: David Cronenberg reins in his provocative sensibility and handles delicate material with restraint, yielding a disappointing adaptation that flattens M. Butterfly into a tedious soap opera. Synopsis: René Gallimard (Jeremy Irons) is a diplomat from France who has been sent to Beijing. While acclimating to life in... [More] Starring: Jeremy Irons, John Lone, Ian Richardson, Barbara Sukowa Directed By: David Cronenberg
Moar body horror! Not enough limbs getting slowly crushed in hydraulic presses, or people doing impromptu body piercings. Scanners is awesome, BTW. The telepathic head explosion scene is an all time great. Honestly didn't know that was Cronenberg, though I should have. Existenz and Naked Lunch both disquieted my teenage soul.
DEAD RINGERS (1988) It creeps me out and I'm a huge fan of Jeremy Irons (and the lovely Ms. Bujold). One of his best. THE DEAD ZONE (1983) A great cast (Christopher Walken!) in a stew of Stephen King. Yummy! THE FLY (1986) Another great cast in what might be Cronenberg's best. The cat was cookin' during the '80's.
I honestly didn’t know who Cronenberg was until he was referenced on Rick & Morty several times. I never watched several of these due to the cheesy covers in the video store. Working my way through this list. Dead Zone: good concept but the movie is done like an early 80’s made for TV movie. It hasn’t aged well. Christopher Walken rocks. The Brood: loved it. So much 1970’s psychology with the anger. Videodrome: I was surprised by how much I liked this movie, and it has freaking Blonde in it ! A History of Violence: I swear I saw this in the theatre but I have no memory of any of it. Fantastic movie. Crimes of the Future (2022): this is just weird and bad. Acting and dialogue were terrible. Concept was pretty cool but just read the plot summary online. Started watching Spider but it was so slow and dull I had to turn it off. Skipped The Fly since I’ve seen it so many times. All time great movie. Up next is Scanners.
Scanners, The Brood & Videodrome are my favorite from his 70's/80's era. I've always thought Eastern Promises was his best modern film. His son has shown some of his father's trippy body horror tendencies, I thought Possessor reminded me a lot of dad's 70s/80s vibe....
It's fascinating how similar art styles are hereditary. Look at the Kubert's comic book drawing styles.
Videodrome is probably my favorite but i loved Existenz and Naked Lunch they were some great trippy movies.
I’m probably alone here (and it WAS a different time in my life), but I LOVED Naked Lunch! Like most all movies, it wasn’t just like the book (and how could it be?), but it was every bit the strange trip.
The Brood, Videodrome, The Fly, Scanners and Dead Ringers are probably my faves. Eastern Promises, Naked Lunch, Existenz, A History of Violence, Rabid, A Dangerous Method, Cosmopolis are solid
the book was semi-autobiographical and there's no escaping the gay undertones in burroughs writing. the movie is not gay. in a way cronenberg has had two shots at naked lunch. the influence on videodrome is very apparent. it could have been the lead actors but since it's two movies i think cronenberg chose to scrub out the gay elements.
