23. Videodrome
directed by David Cronenberg
David Cronenberg has often set his lens on the intersection of technology and humanity. In Videodrome they collide in gory, mind-bending brilliance. More than just a story of conspiracy, deception, and a man’s descent into madness, it’s a commentary on television, its pervasive nature, and its power over our lives. In a world where we carry televised entertainment in our pockets everywhere we go, the message is as powerful as ever. James Woods gives one of his career’s finest performances as Max Renn. Tumors that eat their way out of you, TVs full of intestines, and abdominal Betamax players – it’s all part of the surreal, terrifying world Cronenberg creates. Long live the new flesh.