La mosca

A slick, clever, engaging and unique (if a bit slow-paced at first) sci-fi story. Although the special effects leave something to be desired, especially if you've seen the incredible (and incredibly nauseating) images of the 1986 remake, the film's restrained approach to horror can be very pleasurable if you get used to it, and the script is stronger and more character-driven than the one of Cronenberg's version. A surprisingly good film. (***)

The Fly is a movie I have just been dying to see, I have heard a lot about this movie, mainly the infamous "Help me! Help me!" scene. But of course the number one reason being that this is the original to the remake with Jeff Goldblum which is an incredible movie in itself, but I was curious what the original would be about. Honestly I was thinking that it was going to be very cheesy, it's a 1950's horror movie that would probably be over the top, but honestly, from the very beginning you get gore, which was odd, but sickly enough I love it! I am also a huge Vincent Price fan, this is the man of the classic B horror movies and his voice and presence make these movies worth the watch. So I finally got to see this on netflix, I absolutely loved The Fly. Is this better than the remake? Honestly, the remake is more realistic on what would happen if this really did occur, but don't overlook the original, as cheesy as a fly in a giant trench coat can be, it's all good and this story is tons of fun and really scary.

A woman named Helene Delembre phones her brother-in-law, Francois Delambre to tell him that she has just murdered her husband. Francois calls in the police and she admits killing him but refuses to say why. Later, Francois tricks her into telling the story to him and Police Inspector Charas. A scientist, Andre Delambre, has invented a teleportation device. After a few failed attempts, he succeeds with living organisms, deciding to go for the ultimate risk and transport himself. The first time works, but, unknown to him, a fly enters the cabin with him and the two are hopelessly scrambled together. The scientist emerges as a half-man, half-fly, a human with a fly's head, leg and arm/claw. His wife finds out something is wrong as she now sees him with a cloth over his head and a hidden arm. He eventually tells his wife what has happened and she first sees his claw and screams, then later sees his fly head and screams more. His wife, son and maid try to find the "fly with a white head" and fail. The son had caught it just after the accident but had been made to let it go, before any of them knew what it was. Andre attempts to reverse the process to return himself to normal, but fails and when he realizes that his mind is being overtaken by that of the fly he asks his wife to end his suffering by killing him with a heavy machine press.

The Fly is a fantastic and thrilling movie. I know that the ending sequence of "Help me! Help me!" was cheesy and over the top to some, but to me it was just plain creepy, it really scared me. The whole atmosphere of the film just felt uncomfortable and disturbing. Granted, I know these were not top of the line make up effects with the fly, I do have to laugh juts a little bit with seeing a fly in a trench coat. But still it was effective and made for a great sci-fi story. I love these old movies for a specific reason, this was the time when film meant something to the cast and crew making it and The Fly was made to give people the chills. It's just rare now-a-days, if this was made in today's world, it would be all gore and just stupid. So I do recommend that you see this film if you are looking for a good scare. Both this and the remake are terrific films and are a ton of fun to watch.

8/10

The Fly (1958)

You might be convinced to see a movie just because it has Vincent Price and Herbert Marshall in it--they come from different backgrounds, but both are serious actors with nuance and clearly chiseled personalities. And they definitely raise the movie up.

But it's the story that is the star here. A Ray Bradbury kind of science fiction, where a futuristic idea enters middle America, and where something goes terribly, bizarrely wrong. If you think about it it's disturbing, but the movie doesn't pause to let you think. One of its strengths is that it never flags. And the main character, the handsome father and scientist (who creates the invention of the century in his basement), is brilliant. He's suave, alternately relaxed and obsessed, reasonable and believable even when talking about the unbelievable.

The flaws are so obvious they you can skim over them--the fly effects at the end, their stupidity at catching and losing the fly, the notion of insanity, the television kind of family interactions--but it does make the movie more of an entertainment than some fine art classic. But hey, that's what it's supposed to be, and really enjoyable. Even in parts brilliant. Watch it!

The "help me, help meeeee" scene revolted and scared me so much as a young child that it was years before I could see this movie again. Even now I cringe when I witness that nightmarish scene. As good as Cronenberg's movie is (and it is very good), there is nothing that surpasses the delirious horror of the man-fly in the spider's grasp.

Elsewhere, the movie is rather subdued. In some spots, almost too much so. Although the first revelation of The Fly's appearance is another classic spot...the multiple reflections was a great touch. Like all great monsters, the Fly has a very sympathetic edge to it. We are revolted by the horror of this monster but we feel overwhelming pity for him as well.

Vincent Price does a workman-like job in a rather blasé part. Usually he adds a special touch to a film, but really, any number of actors could have played his part here.

The scientific basis of this movie is pure rubbish, as there is no way that insect and human parts could biologically interact with each other. The result of such a mixture would be instantly dead in real life.

But that doesn't matter here. A nightmare has its own logic. And "The Fly" is a nightmare.

In a Montreal machine shop, scientist Andre Delambre (Al Hedison) is found crush to death with his wife Helene (Patricia Owens) at the controls. She calls to confess to his brother Francois (Vincent Price). With the head crushed, Francois identifies the body with a long scar on his leg. Helene's confession seems suspicious and Andre's basement lab is trashed. Helene seems obsessed with flies and Francois pretends to have captured a white-headed fly. Helene recounts the story to him and Inspector Charas. Andre had succeeded in making a teleportation device.

This is much better than a simple 50's B-movie. The story is actually quite compelling. The acting is relatively good. Vincent Price is playing it straight. The production looks good. The directions are a little stiff which is the style of the day. It is still the story that is so great and the reveal is absolutely iconic.