Shivers • The Next Reel

“Why not breed a parasite that can do something useful?”David Cronenberg has long been called the ‘king of body horror,’ which is a title that he came to early in his career. When looking at his first theatrical feature, Shivers, it’s perhaps easy to see why he was dubbed with this moniker, and also easy to see why it stuck. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we kick off our David Cronenberg series with his 1975 film Shivers. We talk about the nature of Cronenberg’s films and why this film fits that Cronenberg style. We look at some of the strong work Cronenberg puts together as he gets the film started. We look at sloppy elements within the film that feel very much like a first-time filmmaker’s stumbling blocks. We debate if there’s a way to make a horror movie effective if the end result is everyone having sex. And we chat about body horror and what this film does to make itself stand out.It’s an interesting film that works on some levels while not on others, but we still enjoyed it and had a great time talking about it on the show this week. Check it out! The Next Reel – when the movie ends, our conversation begins.Join the conversation with movie lovers from around the world on The Next Reel’s Discord channel!Film SundriesThank you for supporting The Next Reel Film Podcast on Patreon!Watch this film: iTunes • Amazon • YouTubeScript TranscriptOriginal theatrical trailerOriginal poster artworkFlickchartLetterboxdSupport The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next Reel Film PodcastSitting in the DarkConnect With Us:Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream:Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Letterboxd Pro/Patron discount | Audible