Videodrome
Seen it?1983 | 88 min | Horror, Science Fiction, Mystery
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (83% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest, though it had a lukewarm 7.2 out of 10 from audiences and soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing, horror fans and sci-fi fans. If you loved Barbarian, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Scary, mind-bending.
- The pace
- Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 28 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
As the president of a trashy TV channel, Max Renn is desperate for new programming to attract viewers. When he happens upon "Videodrome," a TV show dedicated to gratuitous torture and punishment, Max sees a potential hit and broadcasts the show on his channel. However, after his girlfriend auditions for the show and never returns, Max investigates the truth behind Videodrome and discovers that the graphic violence may not be as fake as he thought.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
83% on Rotten Tomatoes, 58 on Metacritic
- AudiencesBelow par
7.2 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$6 million worldwide on a $6 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 329K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by David Cronenberg
- James WoodsMax Renn
- Debbie HarryNicki Brand
- Sonja SmitsBianca O'Blivion
- Peter DvorskyHarlan
- Leslie CarlsonBarry Convex
- Jack CreleyBrian O'Blivion
- Lynne GormanMasha
- Julie KhanerBridey
- Reiner SchwarzMoses
- David BoltRaphael