Videodrome

In a mixture of morbid symbolism and body horror, David Cronenberg explores mind games in this film inspired by Marshall McLuhan's cultural theory ("The medium is the message"): What are the most radical excesses the media landscape would accept? While searching for the next sensational hit, Max, the operator of a private cable station in Toronto, comes across the Videodrome channel, where violent pornography is combined with political propaganda. He tries to track down the ominous channel and meets radio presenter Nicki (Debbie Harry), who has a penchant for S&M and wants to apply to Videodrome as a performer. Max believes that he will be able to make contact with the channel through media professor O'Blivion, who only communicates via pre-recorded videotapes, but he is warned about the ideology of the operators and against conducting further research. He is told that the violence broadcast is not staged, but actually snuff videos of supposedly real murders. (hjf)