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Stream It Or Skip It: ‘1983’ On Netflix, A Polish Alternate-Reality Drama Where The Iron Curtain Still Exists

Where to Stream:

Are you a fan of alternate-reality series? You know, ones like  The Man In The High Castle,  where the “bad guys” are in charge because the “good guys” lost.  1983 , Netflix’s first Polish original, imagines a Poland that’s still behind the Iron Curtain in 2003 due a terrorist attack 20 years prior. Does it lean on its gimmick too much?

1983 : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot:  In 1983 Warsaw, a man is beating another man who is among the Solidarity resistance movement in Poland. Then he goes outside after leaving the man for dead. He sees a medical transport van, notices the dripping paint on it, then is killed in a massive explosion.

The Gist:  The explosion was so massive that it took down an adjacent building. We then see scenes of other massive explosions in the other major Polish cities. Cut to 2003. The Solidarity movement was derailed by these terrorist attacks and, in this reality, Poland is still under a Soviet-backed regime, where protest and sedition of any kind is punished. Also, there has been an influx of Vietnamese immigrants due to a direct trade relationship between Poland and Vietnam. There has been 20 years of relative calm, but a new resistance movement is starting to make its voice heard.

Anatol Janow (Robert Więckiewicz) is a police detective who used to work on high-profile cases, but has been busted to a lesser division because he was too outspoken. He’s called to the apartment of a known resistance operative, who’s been doing things like photocopying bootleg Harry Potter books for underground distribution; the man is found hanging in his bathroom. Janow’s colleagues want to say it’s a suicide, but Janow isn’t convinced, and his attempts at trying to dig into the case are met with resistance by higher-ups; he can’t even get information from friends who are government ministers with the highest security clearance.

In the meantime, a young law student named Kajetan Skowron (Maciej Musiał), whose parents died in the 1983 attacks, is given a case file by his mentor, a judge who has been lately questioning if doing the best thing for the state is preferable to uncovering the truth. The case was a murder of someone the judge knew before the attacks that knocked out the resistance. Janow was the lead investigator on the case and doesn’t believe the person convicted was the one who did it. Skowron appeals to Janow to look back into the case, meeting at a place determined by Janow’s boss. Bad move; government officials chase Janow down after the meeting.

Our Take: Alternate-reality dramas are always a bit squinchy to watch. What do we mean by squinchy? Well, it’s hard to watch something that takes place today or in the recent past but know that what you’re watching isn’t merely fiction, but it’s a view of what happens if the “bad guys” win. But in the case of  1983 , which was created by Joshua Long with the backing of Frank Marshall’s production company (yes,  that Frank Marshall, producer of films like  Raiders Of The Lost Ark and  The Bourne Identity ), the alternate reality is secondary to the story.

In essence, it’s a crime drama, with Janow trying to figure out how the resistance operative really died, and the conspiracy that Janow and Skowron are starting to uncover. The parts of the story that reference the Soviets or the fact that the Solidarity movement didn’t make it are incidental to the story. Will it be more significant down the road? Perhaps. There’s an English-language section where the party’s top official meets with a British operative who seems to be talking to the party leader about leading the revolution from within. It”s an intriguing part of the story that will bring the retconned history into play a bit more.

Sex and Skin: We see a flashback of the dead revolutionary sleeping with one of the movement’s young leaders, Ofelia “Effy” Ibrom (Michalina Olszańska), whose parents fought for the resistance in 1983.

Parting Shot:  As the party leader meets with the British operative, the operative plays off a quote from Alexander The Great. “We don’t need sheep; we need a lion,” as we see Skowron getting up after Janow was taken away by government thugs.

Sleeper Star: We just mentioned Michalina Olszańska as Effy; there definitely is going to be more to her character as the series goes on, and it seems that she lets emotion play more than a small part of why she does what she does.

Most Pilot-y Line:  Nothing really stands out.

Our Call: STREAM IT. 1983 is Netflix’s first Polish-language original, and it does a fine job of playing out an intriguing mystery while not leaning on its alternate-reality gimmick too hard.

Joel Keller ( @joelkeller ) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and tech, but he doesn’t kid himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Salon, VanityFair.com, Playboy.com, Fast Company’s Co.Create and elsewhere.

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‘1983’ | Netflix Original Series Review

A dystopian thriller, 1983 is set in an alternative 2003. Poland is subject to totalitarian rule ever since a terror attack twenty years earlier which led to the installing of a dictatorial regime. A young idealistic law student pairs up with a grizzled and disgraced inspector to solve a murder and uncover a plot that will threaten the core of the police state.

This Polish drama is now streaming on Netflix and is well worth your time. Although the themes and plot seem to belong to the 20th Century they serve as a timely reminder of where we are today in our politics. This is a world in which characters are forced to consider whether it is better to have truth or justice; whether it is better to have security (or the illusion of it) or freedom. This is a world in which propaganda has convinced it’s citizens that they have it all, that “the party” provides them with the roadmap for success and the law gives them the guidelines to follow. We, of course, learn that the reality is somewhat different as the story unfolds.

Clearly, this show is drawing heavily on Orwell’s 1984 (the title alone is a homage to the novel). We are given numerous references to “the party”, there are a few great examples of doublespeak, and there are lots of “ministries”. My favourite reference, however, is when a police officer is handed a copy of 1984 as a banned text and can be found in the background of numerous scenes reading the book with a look of increasing horror as he gradually sees the similarities between his world and Orwell’s.

Despite appearing to echo political sentiments of the 20th Century, the idea of “Truth” being a subjective concept has never been more relevant. It is this fact, along with the rise of increasingly extremist politics, that makes 1983 feel relevant and important.

The script is incredibly smart. It is steeped in history and literary references but never beholden to them. There is a risk with a drama like this that you are beaten over the head with the fact that it is trying to reflect some wider societal trend. 1983 manages to walk the line very well; by setting it’s story in an alternative version of 2003 we are given enough real-world cues to believe in it, but the device gives the writers enough room to create a distinctive and unique world. There is a lot of plot to follow and the pace is quick; viewers need to be paying attention to fully catch what is going on.

The show looks fantastic. Unsurprisingly for a dystopia, the set design is dark and grey, reflecting the idea of an Eastern European dictatorship but without ramming it down your throat. Whilst there are signs of decay, plenty of characters are well dressed and there are also signs of economic success. The way that the camera moves throughout is also impressive, the occasional switch to a handheld camera makes the viewer complicit in the unfolding plot and the direction is consistently interesting. My only complaint is the sound dubbing; this is very clunky and distracting and about 5 minutes in I turned the sound to the original Polish with English subtitles, which was much better.

This is an unexpected gem from Netflix with lots of interesting themes that feel weighty and relevant. The characters are interesting and complex, it looks wonderful and for those of you with even a passing interest in politics, there is much to enjoy.

Article by Jonathon Wilson

Jonathon is one of the co-founders of Ready Steady Cut and has been an instrumental part of the team since its inception in 2017. Jonathon has remained involved in all aspects of the site’s operation, mainly dedicated to its content output, remaining one of its primary Entertainment writers while also functioning as our dedicated Commissioning Editor, publishing over 6,500 articles.

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83 review – cricket crowdpleaser puts a new spin on the underdog movie

India’s stunning 1983 World Cup triumph is retold in endearing style by a sports film with a sharp anticolonialist drive

P reviously a fashioner of star vehicles for Salman Khan, director Kabir Khan anchors this nimble and big-hearted biopic of the India cricket team’s improbable 1983 World Cup triumph in a smiling performance from new-generation hunk Ranveer Singh as captain Kapil Dev. Dev’s wobbly English, which makes him a laughing stock among his teammates, seems to stand for the group’s inferiority complex. But inside this awkwardness is an obduracy and capacity for improvisation that becomes the guiding light of their victory run. As he blurts out on the team bus: “Taste the success once, tongue want more!”

India, who had only won a single World Cup match before the tournament, were deeply unfancied outsiders. So Khan frames the arrival in England of Dev, and other now legendary cricketers such as Sunil Gavaskar (played by Tahir Raj Bhasin) and Roger Binny (Nishant Dahiya), in jauntily comic underdog vein. They exceed import regulations by bringing in pickles to spice up British grub and ogle sex workers’ calling cards; they’re beaten in the warm-ups by a county side and condescended to by officials, journalists and commentators. What separates 83 from the likes of The Full Monty, though, is a realpolitik edge; in finding their groove and turning over a terrifying West Indies side whose fast-bowling style the film suggests was their riposte to their one-time British masters, the Indians were also mustering an anti-colonial poke in the eye.

There are a lot of matches and players to cover, but Khan skates energetically through it all, sketching tactical shifts in creaseside exchanges between batsmen and deploying economic character riffs (Viv Richards gets a funky fanfare every time he struts on). He adroitly balances entertainment and politics, mostly ducking the kind of hoarse nationalism currently creeping into Indian and Chinese blockbusters and lobbing in his anti-colonial spinners at unexpected moments. One scene in which Indira Gandhi muses on the World Cup’s potential to defuse tensions on the domestic front hints at sport’s role as part of the bread-and-circuses setup for distracting the masses.

83 doesn’t delve any further than that into what degree sporting victory ever translates to social and political progress. But it is an endearing sports film with just enough awareness of where it stands, now that Britain’s imperial legacy is being questioned more than ever, on a larger field.

83 is released in cinemas on 24 December.

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On June 25, 1983, the Lord's Cricket Ground witnessed 14 men beat the two times World Champions West Indies, putting India back onto the cricket world stage. On June 25, 1983, the Lord's Cricket Ground witnessed 14 men beat the two times World Champions West Indies, putting India back onto the cricket world stage. On June 25, 1983, the Lord's Cricket Ground witnessed 14 men beat the two times World Champions West Indies, putting India back onto the cricket world stage.

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Welcome to an exciting year-long project here at The Nerdy. 1983 was an exciting year for films giving us a lot of films that would go on to be beloved favorites and cult classics. It was also the start to a major shift in cultural and societal norms, and some of those still reverberate to this day.

We’re going to pick and choose which movies we hit, but right now the list stands at nearly four dozen.

Yes, we’re insane, but 1983 was that great of a year for film.

The articles will come out – in most cases – on the same day the films hit theaters in 1983 so that it is their true 40th anniversary. All films are also watched again for the purposes of these reviews and are not being done from memory. In some cases, it truly will be the first time we’ve seen them.

This time around, it’s October 13th, 1983, and we’re off to see All the Right Moves and The Dead Zone . (Both of these came out on Oct. 20th, but I didn’t want to pile five movies into one day.)

Quick side note: Since we launched this series this year, we’ve discovered that Vintage Video Podcast is doing the exact same project with two differences: First, it’s audio (naturally), and second, they are doing every major film. We’ve listened to numerous episodes and it’s fun checking off their thoughts against my own. Check them out over at Vintage Video Podcast.

All the Right Moves

I hope you like a lot of talk about high school football, because this movie has that, and not much else.

Tom Cruise plays Stereotypical High School Football Player From a Small Factory Town… I mean Stefen Djordjevic. And he is dating Lea Thompson who is playing Stereotypical High School Girl Who Will Sacrifice Her Happiness for Him… I mean Lisa Lietzke. But, lets not forget Stereotypical High School Football Coach Who Realizes at the End of the Movie What a Good Guy Stefan is… I mean Coach Vern Nickerson played by Craig T. Nelson.

There is not one original moment in this movie. It is the most paint-by-numbers high school sports movie I’ve watched in a long time, and it is just mind-numbingly boring. The fact I could even call out camera zooms – which I truly did – before they happened tells you just how jarringly unoriginal this film is.

It’s not that things came after this one made these moments into stereotypes, there were plenty of movies in the 50s and 60s that did that as well.

This movie didn’t have ‘all the right moves,’ it had all of the right, boring, safe story choices you could ever imagine.

The Dead Zone

Somehow in all of the 1980s Stephen King adaptations I had never gotten around to watching The Dead Zone . Cujo I missed for 40 years because I just don’t enjoy animal movies where they are the villains or get hurt. I think in the case of The Dead Zone I had always heard it was “weird,” but I think people have a much lower bar for weird than I do having finally watched the movie.

Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken)  gets a headache… boom, he’s psychic. That’s pretty much the extent of the explanation in the film, and you just have to roll with that. But it’s not that big of an issue. You aren’t here for some deep explanation, you’re here for the story and what he does with his new ability, and it’s interesting.

Walken walks an interesting path here of the ability being a burden. He isn’t out there using this for gains, he’s using it begrudgingly. There is a minor subplot that the power will slowly wreck his body that doesn’t really go anywhere and feels almost like an afterthought. The real throughline here is the burden of this. What do you do with this? And if you see something truly appalling, do you step in?

As Walken films go, I actually found this one of his best performances. There was much more nuance than you usually see from him, and he was engaging throughout.

The plot is fairly benign, and easily predicted, but it is Walken who shines here, which is something you don’t often get to say. As the years have passed he has become more and more of a punchline, but here he is doing some really terrific work.

1983 Movie Reviews will return on Oct. 21, 2023 with The Right Stuff , Rumble Fish , and The Wicked Lady !

Fun Jug Media, LLC (operating TheNerdy.com) has affiliate partnerships with various companies. These do not at any time have any influence on the editorial content of The Nerdy. Fun Jug Media LLC may earn a commission from these links.

Sean P. Aune

Sean Aune has been a pop culture aficionado since before there was even a term for pop culture. From the time his father brought home Amazing …

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If You Need A Good Political Thriller, Get Ready For Netflix's '1983'

Netflix has spent the last couple of years beefing up its "Original Series" content by leaps and bounds. There are the in-house creations, like Strangers Things and The Crown. But Netflix also partnered up around the world with production companies to bring foreign language series to the network. The latest of these is the first Polish production entitled 1983 , which Netflix did in conjunction with The Kennedy/Marshall Company and House Media, along with Polish director Agnieszka Holland, who directed all eight episodes. What is 1983 about ? It's a political thriller set in an alternate timeline.

The series may be called 1983 , but the action is set 20 years later in 2003. But this is not the 2003 viewers know. It is one which occurs in a universe where the Iron Curtain never fell and the communist government still reigns supreme.

What happened? Well, 20 years ago, in 1983, a series of devastating terror bombings changed the course of history, as martial law was declared in Poland, changing the direction of the Soviet Union and Gorbachev's government.

Here's the trailer:

Here's the synopsis:

The deeply frozen Cold War is heating up. Twenty years after a devastating terrorist attack in 1983 that halted the course of Poland’s liberation and the subsequent downfall of the Soviet Union, an idealistic law student and a disgraced police investigator stumble upon a conspiracy that has kept the Iron Curtain standing and Poland living under a repressive police state. Now, in 2003, after two decades of peace and prosperity, the leaders of the regime enact a secret plan made with an unlikely adversary in the 1980s that will radically transform Poland and affect the lives of every citizen in the nation — and the world. What these two men discover has the potential to ignite a revolution and those in power will stop at nothing to keep it a secret.

The show will also introduce American viewers to talents like Robert Więckiewicz, a multiple Polish Academy Award-winning actor, as well as singer-actress-writer Michalina Olszanska and TV host and actor Maciej Musiał. Więckiewicz plays the older, disgraced police officer and Musiał plays the young law student.

For those fans of The Americans looking for a Cold War-era thriller to fill the empty space left behind after FX ended the series this spring, this is a show that looks like it will fill the gap nicely. For fans of foreign language TV and movies, this Poland-based story gives the Oscar-nominated Agnieszka Holland, who worked on House of Cards , a chance to tell a political story about her home country.

When the project was first announced, Holland said in a statement :

We are really happy that we’ll be able to combine the wonderful experience of the Netflix team, our great American producers and writer, with Polish talent and a Polish sensibility.

Hopefully, American fans will find 1983 's alternate history as irresistible as some of Netflix's other recent political fare, including the BBC co-production Bodyguard and the final season of House of Cards .

1983 does not yet have a release date.

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83 Movie Review : The story of India’s first world cup victory makes for a thrilling watch

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83 - Official Trailer (Hindi)

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Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

Kaushik Biswas 5481 644 days ago

Good direction with very simple details, but expectation is high. Good acting.

Subhabrata Saha 693 days ago

Total disastrous movie. Absolute trash.

agrimjaiswal 713 days ago

User agarwal 987 729 days ago, raghu6300386775 raghu 113 732 days ago.

Kapil Dev Hit the ball out of the park.

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Kapil Dev is the captain of the Indian cricket tea

The film is about the Indian cricket side of 1983,

There is a brawl on the street between racist Engl

Sex is referred to when a cricket coach tells thei

There is one use of the word "Paki" -- which is a

The Indian cricket team are seen smoking on the te

Parents need to know that ' 83 is a sports underdog drama, based on actual events, with plenty of positive messages but also some racism and smoking. The action takes place in 1983 when the Indian cricket team, led by captain Kapil Dev (Ranveer Singh), defied the odds to become world champions. The…

Positive Messages

The film is an underdog story, all about never giving up and overcoming the odds in the face of adversity. It also celebrates the importance of teamwork and how coming together can help people achieve their dreams. How sport can unify people, no matter their religious beliefs.

Positive Role Models

Kapil Dev is the captain of the Indian cricket team and leads by example. He shows tough love to his teammates but has good intentions: he just wants to win. The English cricket team and commentators show an arrogance that is peppered with racial prejudice. Commentators speak down of the Indian team, while the England cricket team claims they will make the West Indies side "grovel."

Diverse Representations

The film is about the Indian cricket side of 1983, so the leading stars hail from that nation. The Indian side's main competitors are the West Indies, meaning the film is populated by people of color. It is, however, a very male-dominated movie given it's set within a men's sporting team, with only one true female character of note. Some racist behavior and language, which is intended to show some of the hardships the Indian cricket team and their fans had to endure.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

There is a brawl on the street between racist English nationalists and Indian cricket supporters. Injuries are inflicted from hard and fast bowling on the cricket field. A ball smashes into the face of a batsman, leaving them with a facial injury and a bloody nose.

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Sex, Romance & Nudity

Sex is referred to when a cricket coach tells their players not to engage in intercourse the night before a game. Later one member of the side admits they have a sexually transmitted disease.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

There is one use of the word "Paki" -- which is a racial slur. The words "s--t," "bloody," and "bugger" are also used.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

The Indian cricket team are seen smoking on the team bus, as well as drinking alcohol. They are also shown celebrating a victory at a pub, drinking beer. Other instances of people smoking cigarettes and cricket fans are seen with alcohol in their hands.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that ' 83 is a sports underdog drama, based on actual events, with plenty of positive messages but also some racism and smoking. The action takes place in 1983 when the Indian cricket team, led by captain Kapil Dev ( Ranveer Singh ), defied the odds to become world champions. The Indian cricket team never give up and show great teamwork. Dev leads by example and is a positive role model. He shows his teammates tough love, but pushes them to succeed and to better themselves. A racially-charged brawl sees English nationalists fight a group of Indian supporters, using the racial slur "Paki" in the process. "S--t" and "bloody" are also used. Some bloodshed on the cricket field as a result of players being hit by fast balls. Sex is referred to, as one character claims to have an STD. The Indian cricket team are seen smoking on their team bus, as well as drinking in celebration. With the Indian and West Indies sides dominating the World Cup that year, it leads to an incredibly diverse cast. However, there is very little for women to do, with just one real character of note, which is Dev's wife Romi ( Deepika Padukone ). The movie is in both Hindi and English. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (1)
• Kids say (1)

Based on 1 parent review

What's the Story?

'83 is the incredible true story of the Indian cricket team who competed in the World Cup in England in 1983. Led by captain Kapil Dev ( Ranveer Singh ), the Indians are not considered to be favorites, especially considering they have to come up against the formidable West Indies side. But this is a team that never knows when to quit, as they seek to defy the odds and return home as world champions.

Is It Any Good?

This sporting drama, based on actual events, is a film that you'll have seen many times before, just in different guises. ' 83 follows the conventional sports-movie format, thriving in its celebration of the underdog. While it's incredibly familiar, it's comfortingly so, as a film that's very easy to sit back and enjoy. It is, however, far too long (not far off three hours), and as such becomes repetitive in its narrative structure.

Each and every passing game has the same dramatic conflicts. Will India defy the odds and do the unthinkable? Then they win, thus doing the unthinkable. Then comes the next round and the same questions are posed again -- and it's always the same answer. From a pedantic viewpoint, the period details are disappointing, as it doesn't truly feel like you're in 1980s London. The film is also overtly patriotic, almost nauseatingly so. But ultimately ' 83 is a film where what you see is what you get. It's uplifting, and has its charm, and by the end you're fully invested.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about some of the positive messages in '83 . What did the movie have to say about teamwork and perseverance ? Why are these such important character strengths to have?

Kapil Dev is a wonderful captain and role model that inspires his teammates and pushes them to succeed. Do you have somebody in you life who inspires you? What qualities do they demonstrate which inspire you?

Discuss some of the racism the Indian cricket team and its supporters faced? How did it make you feel seeing and hearing these things in the film? How to talk with kids about racism and racial violence.

Discuss the smoking in the film. How have attitudes toward smoking changed from when the film is set?

What do you know about the sport of cricket? Did this film inspire you to go and learn more about it? What is the appeal of sports movies?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 23, 2021
• On DVD or streaming : March 21, 2022
• Cast : Ranveer Singh , Deepika Padukone , Tahir Raj Bhasin
• Director : Kabir Khan
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Indian/South Asian actors
• Studio : Reliance Entertainment
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : Sports and Martial Arts , Great Boy Role Models , History
• Character Strengths : Perseverance , Teamwork
• Run time : 162 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : February 17, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

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No David Cronenberg Scene Is More Disturbing and Hopeless Than This One

The master of body horror knows how to devastate.

The Big Picture

• Body horror genre explores violent distortion of human form, forcing viewers to reflect on self-image.
• David Cronenberg’s Videodrome delves into media indoctrination and extremism, showcasing loss of reality.
• Max's descent into obsession in Videodrome culminates in his gruesome transformation, a chilling reflection of societal manipulation.

Body horror cinema is among the most disturbing and potentially upsetting subgenres of horror. Unlike slasher or paranormal films in which an exterior threat is responsible for terror, the body horror genre frequently features the violent and grotesque contortion of the human body. By violating an identifiable aspect of the human experience, great works of body horror can force their viewers to think critically about the way they view themselves. Although the subgenre has many great innovators , no one has contributed more to body horror than the Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg .

Ever since his directorial debut Shivers , Cronenberg has succeeded in presenting viewers with ghastly images using brilliant makeup and practical effects. Cronenberg has proven that body horror can take many shapes and forms; while Scanners and The Fly took a science fiction slant on the subgenre, films like Dead Ringers and The Brood examined the misappropriated application of medical science. Although each of his films contain shocking moments of brutality, no Cronenberg scene is more upsetting than the violent ending of his 1983 masterpiece Videodrome .

What Is ‘Videodrome’ About?

Examining themes of media indoctrination and violent extremism that were relevant at the time of the film’s release, Videodrome is a prophetic warning about losing one's grasp of reality . Set in Cronenberg’s hometown of Toronto, the film centers on the aggressive, highly egotistical television station president Max Renn ( James Woods ) whose station CIVIC-TV runs extremely disorienting programming intended to provoke extreme reactions from desensitized viewers. While Renn is constantly looking for potentially appealing content, his employer Harlan ( Peter Dvorsky ) shows him an illicit program known only as "Videodrome." Supposedly broadcast from Malaysia, Videodrome features graphic “recreations” of torture and murder.

The initial footage is disturbing enough, as the graphic content would be upsetting regardless of its authenticity; the notion that viewers would in any way find enjoyment in viewing the program only exemplifies the disturbing aspect of human nature that Cronenberg is analyzing with the film . However, revelations about the origins of Videodrome complicate the viewers’ understanding of the program's intentions . Max begins to suspect that the footage is not fake, and is broadcast by the actual torturers; it also appears that the broadcasters aim to use the program to kickstart a revolutionary political movement by appealing to disturbed individuals.

While he is not a likable protagonist in any way, Woods does a great job of showing Max’s descent into obsession . His job broadcasting disturbing material has made him desensitized to graphic footage, but Videodrome speaks to him in a way that no other program has; the enigmatic nature of its creation drives Max to succumb to his worst impulses as he tries to learn more about why the program is being spread. The film shows how Max’s obsessionist attitude allows Videodrome to expand its influence; after spending marathon sessions viewing the program, Max begins to help Videodrome find new viewers.

‘Videodrome’s Ending Is the Most Disturbing Cronenberg Scene

Throughout the film, Max’s obsession with Videodrome leads him to have violent fantasies about harming himself and others. A conversation with Videodrome producer Barry Convex ( Leslie Carson ) leads Max to realize that Spectacular Optical Corporation has recorded his fantasies to inspire future programming. The disturbing twist that Max uncovers is that Videodrome has been weaponized by Harlan to attack viewers across the continent who have become obsessed with its illicit sexual and violent content. Realizing that he is a pawn in a larger political movement, Max desperately tries to free himself from Videodrome’s influence. The film's most disturbing moment comes when Max completely forsakes his humanity ; after being brainwashed by a Betamax tape inserted into his body by Convex, Max ruthlessly murders his former coworkers and attempts to attack his love interest Bianca O'Blivion ( Sonja Smith ).

‘Videodrome’ Review: David Cronenberg’s 1983 Visionary Body Horror Still Feels New

This is an extremely upsetting ending because it shows that Max has completely lost any sense of individuality ; he has become yet another faceless drone whose singular motivation is to recreate the footage he sees through Videodrome . The greatest tragedy within Videodrome is that Max is incapable of freeing himself from the program. Although he retains some of his consciousness as he flees murder charges, Max realizes that he must ascend to the next level of the program so that he can “leave the old flesh” behind. The notion that this would in any way prevent the spread of Videodrome is utterly preposterous, but given Max’s warped worldview in this instance, it makes logical sense to him. Max’s brutal suicide makes for a shocking conclusion that speaks to the way violence continues to permeate. Max’s story is sadly one of many; Videodrome feeds off of the subjugation and seduction of easily corruptible people.

Videodrome' s ending sees Max literally transform into a weapon, as the program has corrupted his mind and forced him to shed his human shell. The grotesque way that his body envelops suggests that by sacrificing himself to Videodrome , Max has become a tool within the program's continued reign. Max slits his stomach in a way that resembles a VHS player; in this way, Cronenberg implies that he has become more machine than human. What's most horrifying is that there is a brief flash of recognition in Max's eyes; it's as if he realizes what is happening to him, yet is helpless to stop it. The brilliant practical effects from Rick Baker make the sequence even more upsetting.

‘Videodrome’ Is Cronenberg’s Scariest Film

Although he is known for making experimental horror films , Videodrome ’s commentary on the dangers of media obsession makes it Cronenberg's scariest . While Cronenberg does not suggest that art in itself would drive people to commit acts of violence, he does indicate that viewers have learned to have less empathy by distancing themselves from the content that they consume. Initially, the viewers of Videodrome are introduced to the program under the notion that what they are watching is “fake”; by the time they realize the content is legitimate, they’ve already succumbed to the program’s influence. Films like The Brood and Shivers , while terrifying, appeal to the most primal elements of horror; Videodrome presents a horrifying window into what technological oppression is capable of.

Videodrome shows that Cronenberg’s best films combine psychological dread with graphic content . The film is terrifying not just because of the violent nature of Max’s demise, but for how it tracks how a character like him could gradually become part of a mind control conspiracy. Unlike other protagonists in Cronenberg's films, Max is initially willing to subjugate himself to Videodrome's influence and understands only too late that he's no longer in control of his thoughts. In 1983, Videodrome was a breakthrough work of imaginative horror; today, its commentary on the way that violent extremist groups garner new members is horrifically prescient.

Videodrome is available to rent on Amazon.

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Wryly amusing, technically impressive, and ultimately thought-provoking, Zelig represents Woody Allen in complete command of his craft.

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"Bad Boys" tells the story of some tough Chicago street gang kids who get in a lot of trouble, get sent to a juvenile correctional institution and get in a lot more trouble once they're inside.

Following the tradition governing such movies, the story eventually comes to a moral decision at which a bad boy has to decide whether to become a good man -- and that's too bad, because until the movie turns predictable, it is very, very good. The acting, the direction and the sense of place in "Bad Boys" is so strong that the movie deserves more than an obligatory right scene for its conclusion.

The movie stars Sean Penn as Mick O'Brien, a teenage Irish-American hood from the Bridgeport neighborhood, and Esai Morales as Paco, a Latino hood from the Pilsen district. They are both tough, mean, anti-social kids; this movie doesn't sentimentalize street gangs. Their paths cross in connection with a drug deal that Paco is doing with a black gang. There's a misunderstanding, a sudden, shocking exchange of gunfire, and Paco's kid brother is dead. Mick killed him. Mick is sent to prison, and then Paco has his revenge by raping Mick's girlfriend ( Ally Sheedy ). Paco is caught and sent to the same prison where Mick is being held.

Mick already has learned the ropes, and Paco learns them quickly: The prison guards preside sincerely but ineffectually over a reign of terror enforced by the toughest kids in the prison. Violence and sexual crimes are commonplace. The strongest survive. This situation is complicated, of course, by the fact that everyone in the prison immediately knows that Mick and Paco will have to fight to the death over their feud of honor.

And it's at precisely that moment, when the two kids are being set up for an eventual showdown, that "Bad Boys" begins to unwind. The first hour of this movie is so good it's scary; Penn and Morales and the supporting actors are completely convincing, and "Bad Boys" is the first movie I've seen in which the street gangs are not glamorized (" West Side Story "), stylized (" The Warriors ") or romanticized ("The Wanderers"). We believe, watching "Bad Boys," that we are observing an approximation of the real thing.

The direction, by Richard Rosenthal , is sure-footed, confident and fluid; we are in the hands of a fine director, even if he did make " Halloween II ." Sean Penn is mean and defiant in a real star performance, and the other kids in the prison include such inimitable characters as Horowitz ( Eric Gurry ), a bright kid who invents things and talks casually of his arson conviction; Viking ( Clancy Brown ), the hard but vulnerable boss of the prisoners, and Tweety (Robert Lee Rush), who rules at Viking's side.

These performances are good. That's why it's such a disappointment when the movie allows itself to become just another prison picture. Although the second half of the movie continues its close, convincing observations of everyday life in the youth prison, the story structure begins to feel programmed: We know we're heading for a big fight, we think we know who'll win -- and what is this, anyway? They've already made " Rocky " three times.

"Bad Boys" misses its chance at greatness, but it's saying something that this movie had a chance. I have a notion it will stand as one of those bench-mark movies that we'll look back at for the talent it introduced. On the basis of their work here, Penn, Morales and Rosenthal have important careers ahead of them, and some of the supporting actors may have, too. This movie's not a complete success, but it's a damned good try.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Bad Boys (1983)

104 minutes

Esai Morales as Paco Moreno

Eric Gurry as Horowitz

Clancy Brown as Viking Lofgren

Sean Penn as Mick O'Brien

Reni Santoni as Ramon Herrera

Jim Moody as Gene Daniels

Screenplay by

• Richard Di Lello

Photographed by

• Donald Thorin
• Bruce Surtees

Produced by

• Robert Solo
• Anthony Gibbs

Directed by

• Richard Rosenthal

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