The idea of it and for lots of us, even the memory of watching it once years ago, will have you thinking that this ticks every box on the great cult classic list.
On a 20 year gap rewatch, it turns out it doesn't.
Sure there's your weird iconic moments, like getting it on with a pulsating TV, multi layered conspiracy theories, a pop culture legend in a rare film appearance and body v technology gore.
BUT there's also a sole-less monotone level of acting across the board and somehow, despite the unique plot and bizarre events it just seems to drag a little bit longer after each twist.
It's one of those films that will endure, because the debate around it is bigger and more interesting than film itself.
It offers a lot for the art house buffs to discuss; at which point did Videodrome kick in, was Nikki ever real, does it represent the paranoia of the aids crisis, do right wingers manipulate us hiding in plain site? The list of debatable ideas mixed up in this movie is endless, particularly now we can ask has this predicted our present and future?
Yet step outside this dinner party conversation mindset and you're left with characters you don't particularly care about and film that's not really going anywhere that interesting.
Obsessive dark human cravings, for constantly increasing stimulating gratification, is something our main character gets, but the audience doesn't.
I wanted to like it more, but everything I did like could be squeezed into a, "best bits", YouTube clip with a run time of ten minutes.
Overall a bit of 420 is recommended before viewing! Enjoy the weird bits, even enjoy the afterthoughts of what it all means and even though you'll probably stick around to the end, you'll probably won't really enjoy the entire journey.
Bonus star added for Blondie goes brunette once she's been droned and needs you to come to Nikki - not sure if that's just because it's Blondie or she oozes presence in those scenes, but I like it.
On a 20 year gap rewatch, it turns out it doesn't.
Sure there's your weird iconic moments, like getting it on with a pulsating TV, multi layered conspiracy theories, a pop culture legend in a rare film appearance and body v technology gore.
BUT there's also a sole-less monotone level of acting across the board and somehow, despite the unique plot and bizarre events it just seems to drag a little bit longer after each twist.
It's one of those films that will endure, because the debate around it is bigger and more interesting than film itself.
It offers a lot for the art house buffs to discuss; at which point did Videodrome kick in, was Nikki ever real, does it represent the paranoia of the aids crisis, do right wingers manipulate us hiding in plain site? The list of debatable ideas mixed up in this movie is endless, particularly now we can ask has this predicted our present and future?
Yet step outside this dinner party conversation mindset and you're left with characters you don't particularly care about and film that's not really going anywhere that interesting.
Obsessive dark human cravings, for constantly increasing stimulating gratification, is something our main character gets, but the audience doesn't.
I wanted to like it more, but everything I did like could be squeezed into a, "best bits", YouTube clip with a run time of ten minutes.
Overall a bit of 420 is recommended before viewing! Enjoy the weird bits, even enjoy the afterthoughts of what it all means and even though you'll probably stick around to the end, you'll probably won't really enjoy the entire journey.
Bonus star added for Blondie goes brunette once she's been droned and needs you to come to Nikki - not sure if that's just because it's Blondie or she oozes presence in those scenes, but I like it.