Year of Release: 1991
Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Peter Weller, Judy Davis, Ian Holm, Julian Sands, Roy Scheider, Monique Mercure, Nicholas Campbell, Michael Zelniker, Robert A. Silverman, Joseph Scoren, Peter Boretski
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review:
Acclaimed director David Cronenberg followed one of his most well received films, "Dead Ringers", with an adaptation of William S. Burroughs' novel of the same name. The narrative focuses on the story of Bill Lee, a writer who is making a living by exterminating bugs. The powder Bill uses for the extermination is highly addictive, having seduced his wife into a constant usage, the same going for Bill. The powder creates hallucinations, one of them making Bill believe the typewriters are these huge talking cockroaches, who tell him to kill Joan his wife (according to the cockroach, she is an enemy agent). That does end up happening, due to an unfortunate accident. Bill finds himself in the Interzone, in North Africa, where he again meets a variety of characters, including Dr. Benway, Tom and his wife Joan Frost, a doppelganger for his deceased wife. Once again his hallucinations manifest themselves, with other talking cockroaches and people who may actually be monstrous centipedes involved. Bill has to navigate these murky waters and somehow flee the Interzone towards Annexia.
"Naked Lunch" is a film adaptation that mixes elements from the novel with other elements from the life of its writer, William S. Burroughs. The novel had long been considered impossible to adapt, due to its surrealism, drug usage and gay overtones, but David Cronenberg somehow manages to digest it into something quite interesting and still very much in line with his own universe. In his capable hands and unique point of view, this film becomes a story about someone experiencing mind/reality altering situations, in a way, constantly shifting his perception of what bodies, sex and gender actually are. The surreal tones are peppered throughout the film, as are the ties with the life of Burroughs, which includes the episodes that showcase his friendship with writers Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. It's a film that has a non linear approach to itself, due to the larger than life aspect of its characters, but it's nonetheless visually compelling and finely acted, with great performances from Peter Weller, Judy Davis, Ian Holm and Roy Scheider. The cinematography from Peter Suschitzky is impeccable as is the score from Howard Shore. A very interesting film from a phenomenal director.
"Naked Lunch" is a film adaptation that mixes elements from the novel with other elements from the life of its writer, William S. Burroughs. The novel had long been considered impossible to adapt, due to its surrealism, drug usage and gay overtones, but David Cronenberg somehow manages to digest it into something quite interesting and still very much in line with his own universe. In his capable hands and unique point of view, this film becomes a story about someone experiencing mind/reality altering situations, in a way, constantly shifting his perception of what bodies, sex and gender actually are. The surreal tones are peppered throughout the film, as are the ties with the life of Burroughs, which includes the episodes that showcase his friendship with writers Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. It's a film that has a non linear approach to itself, due to the larger than life aspect of its characters, but it's nonetheless visually compelling and finely acted, with great performances from Peter Weller, Judy Davis, Ian Holm and Roy Scheider. The cinematography from Peter Suschitzky is impeccable as is the score from Howard Shore. A very interesting film from a phenomenal director.
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