I think I now understand why Walter White was so obsessed with contamination in that fly episode of Breaking Bad.
Directed by Kurt Neumann
A bleak, critically acclaimed sci-fi film.
Industrialist François Delambre is called late at night by his sister-in-law, Helene, who tells him that she has just killed her husband. Reluctant at first, she eventually explains to the police that he invented a matter transportation apparatus and, while experimenting on himself, a fly entered the chamber.
The Fly is showing in 1 cinema in New York City - next screening Friday 16 October at 21:35 at Quad Cinema.
Next screenings: Friday 16 October.
Full schedule
The Fly showtimes, refreshed every morning
Pick your cinema, get a nudge before it leaves screens.
I think I now understand why Walter White was so obsessed with contamination in that fly episode of Breaking Bad.
RESEÑA EN ESPAÑOL AQUISPOOKTOBER VII: AAAHH!!! REAL MONSTERSThere wasn’t, isn’t, and never will be a person as obsessed with a fly as Patricia Owens in this movie. Even my mom, who was half-listening from the other room, asked out loud, “What’s the problem with that woman and flies?” I’m not sure if it was intentional (it has to be), but it made the whole thing hysterical.The film itself is pretty good, and it grew on me as it went along. I liked the murder-mystery framing, though the mystery isn’t exactly mysterious. Anyone walking in has already figured out what’s going on from the title alone. The transformation scene is solid, but I wish it had borrowed from Kafka’s Metamorphosis or leaned harder into the dread and horror of the change, the way the remake does.Instead, a good chunk of the runtime is our lead trying to catch a fly. If you love the Breaking Bad episode “Fly,” you’ll probably enjoy this stretch, though even that episode had more tension and suspense. Props to Owens for doing her best to sell the stress and despair of watching a loved one slowly become something else. It would have been great to see that transformation from his perspective, though. Maybe it was a budget thing, but it’s a bit of a bummer.David Hedison is solid once he’s introduced, bringing enough charm that you feel real sympathy and pity for André. Vincent Price is also here, and honestly, can you imagine if he’d been the monster? It would have turned a sad, tragic tale into a sinister horror movie. Come to think of it, that would have been pretty awesome.The CinemaScope photography turns what is basically a B movie into something that feels more “prestige,” and there’s some really good cinematography on display. The fly makeup also holds up pretty well.All in all, this had everything it needed to be legitimately terrifying, but some director and script choices drained a lot of the dread for me. Despite those shortcomings, it’s still a good monster flick.SPOOKTOBER VII: AAAHH!!! REAL MONSTERSTODAY SCHEDULESpecies: The AwakeningThe Fly (1958)The Fly II
‘58 is the Torah, ‘86 is the Talmud. Maybe the cruelest story in the sci-fi canon. It scares the boy a little but he loves it.
The film follows a scientist who accidentally merges with a housefly while testing a matter-transportion device, leading to a tragic transformation.
The Fly was directed by Kurt Neumann in 1958, known for helming genre pictures during Hollywood's studio era.
