rawisnwo

Cronenberg's vision isn't just about shock value; it's about confronting the hidden structures of control that shape morality itself. The grotesque transformations, the bureaucratic conspiracies, even the unsettling humor all serve to expose the way power dictates what is deemed "normal" and what is cast into the realm of the monstrous.

The body horror elements, rather than being gratuitous, actually visualize oppression-whether through addiction, authoritarianism, or enforced conformity. Cronenberg, like Burroughs, understands that repression isn't always overt; sometimes, it seeps into the body, into language, into the very fabric of existence. That's why the film feels so claustrophobic-it traps its protagonist in a world where every action is subject to unseen forces, making escape nearly impossible.

Naked Lunch exposes the hypocrisy of these self-appointed arbiters of morality-whether they're government institutions, societal norms, or even internalized shame. It's about the limits of acceptability and how, once you start questioning them, the entire construct begins to unravel.

This is a very well made film. Not only does it have cool themes and imagery, but it also inspired later films from what I could see.

Looking back on this historically, this is a very interesting film. I feel the golem inspired Frankenstein's monster, and the wizard the sorcerer from the Sorcerer's Apprentice.

The imagery is typical of many of the silent German films of the time. Dark and foreboding. Despite some obvious limitations of the time, the golem looks intimidating and scary even today, over 100 years later. The costumes and setting of medieval Prague is quite cool too.

I think another aspect that should be considered is the parallels of the Czech king wanting the Jewry out of the ghettos in Medieval Europe and the extreme antisemitism in Europe at the time of the filming (1920's), especially Germany.