Videodrome: Forging the New Flesh (2004) watch online HD

Michael Lennick narrates this 28 minute documentary which can be found as an extra on the Criterion Collection 2-disc DVD of "Videodrome". Through the use of interviews (both vintage and new) with various cast and crew, including effects legend Rick Baker, Bill Sturgeon, David Cronenberg, and James Woods among others, as well as behind-the-scenes footage, this tales the story of how the amazing special effects were created. At just under half an hour this featurette feels too short, if only because I was so fascinated by the subject matter. I would highly recommend this to even the most casual fan of the film.

My Grade: A

Videodrome: Forging the New Flesh (2004)

*** (out of 4)

Michael Lennick edited, produced, directs and narrates this twenty-eight minute documentary that features interviews with VIDEODROME special effects artists Rick Baker, David Coatsworth, Bill Sturgeon and Frank Carere. The men sit down for interviews as they discuss the difficult effects of the David Cronenberg film and how they were usually under pressure to try and get them done on budget and on time. The interviews really do a nice job at shining a light on the special effects and especially one some of the more memorable ones. There's a funny story dealing with pig guts as well as a lot of information given on how the various effects were pulled off. There's a lot of behind-the-scenes footage that was shot during the production as well as archival interviews with Cronenberg and James Woods. Fans of VIDEODROME will certainly enjoy this.

Found on the new CRITERION DVD of David Cronenberg's VIDEODROME, "Forging The New Flesh" is a darkly comic journey into the film's 1981 - 82 production, focusing on the ground-breaking make-up and visual effects. Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Michael Lennick began his career as a visual effects supervisor, often working with David Cronenberg. VIDEODROME was an early career highlight, and Lennick has assembled some very funny anecdotes from the making of this startling vision. Through personal narrative, generous clips, behind-the-scenes footage and the recollections of make-up maestro Rick Baker and the rest of the effects team, Lennick takes us through the way-too-tight shooting schedule, the many problems and solutions, and the evolution of the flesh TV and other organic visual effects that helped make VIDEODROME the timeless yet prescient classic it remains to this day.

This interesting and informative 28-minute documentary covers a lot of engrossing ground on the highly ambitious and challenging make-up and special f/x that were done for David Cronenberg's "Videodrome." Since the film was made on a modest budget and tight schedule, the special effects guys had to work extremely long and grueling hours in order to have the movie finished by its Christmas Eve deadline. Among the things we learn from this doc are that the living and breathing television set was manipulated by a keyboard, the special effects crew was mostly made up of young guys in their twenties who were fresh out of college, the make-up guys got drenched with blood from shooting Barry Convex's memorably gruesome demise, and smelly animal guts were used for the exploding TV set seen at the movie's climax. Essential viewing for fans of the film.