The 1001 Movie Club is a conglomerate of film bloggers inspired by the phenomenal book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, the title of which is fairly self explanatory. A tome of cinematic information and recommendation, it is a bible for movie buffs, and the 1001 Movie Club is made up of people dedicated to watching and reviewing the acclaimed films that can be found within its pages. Be sure to visit the club’s site where the reviews will be collected and an aggregate score bestowed, and if you are so inclined, feel free to join in on the fun.NAKED LUNCH (1991)
Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction
Director: David Cronenberg
Starring: Peter Weller, Judy Davis, Ian Holm, Julian Sands, Roy Scheider
Running Time: 115 minutes (plus trailers)
"Exterminate all rational thought"
Canadian film-maker David Cronenberg is no stranger to the visceral and the bizarre. A landmark science fiction and horror director, his films often deal with graphic bodily transformation – in The Fly we witness Jeff Goldblums slow transformation into a hideous mutant fly, whilst Videodrome sees James Wood’s abdomen give way to a bloody cavity halfway between a vagina and a VCR. Cronenbergs obsession with metamorphosis is just as apparent in Naked Lunch, part biography of author William S. Burrows and part adaptation of his controversial novel with which the film shares its title. To try and explain the plot would be as difficult as it would be pointless; the film is a hallucinatory experience that is either a sci-fi detective story, a metaphor for homosexual repression or, most likely, the drug induced fantasy of its central character.The movie seems to begin with a bug exterminator, William Lee, who accidentally murders his wife and flees the country. But whilst there is some semblance of normality in this initial premise, the story soon descends into an indecipherable blend of giant insects, domineering German housekeepers, lesbian drug cabals and sexually promiscuous typewriters all mixed together with a great deal of fluid. There was not a single moment in the film, save for perhaps the first seven or eight minutes that I was not in a state of utter confusion. But it was an interested confusion, and whilst I had no better understanding of the film after watching it than I did before it began, I certainly don’t regret checking it out.
The most impressive aspect of Naked Lunch is it’s visuals; Cronenbergs use of uncomfortably real looking puppetry and make-up effects, as well as stylish costume and set deisgn help to create a genuine sense of location, whether that location be noir-ish New York City, the Arabic inspired Interzone or an enormous parrot cage in which a gigantic centipede copulates with a helpless human victim before ripping his face off with its razor sharp legs.Did I mention this movie was weird?
Peter Weller gives a great performance as Lee, a man in a constant state of bewilderment, but who nevertheless possesses a hard boiled charm that makes him a great protagonist to watch. The other big highlight is the freeform saxophone score from Howard Shore and Ornette Coleman, a great collection of riffs that match the seemingly improvisational nature of the plot itself.
The actions of the characters (both human and insect) never much sense to me, and the final reveal, which may have been intended as a shocking twist barely registers given all the narrative gibberish that came before it. But while the story is baffling (and largely unsatisfying as a result), the tantalizing mystery aspects, impressive practical effects, excellent lead performance and jazzy score make Naked Lunch an interesting film to watch, even if you have no idea what it is you are watching. And at the very least, it probably features the most emotionally effective monologue delivered about a talking arsehole that you will ever hear.Score
7/10
So does it deserve to be in the book?
It deserves to be in a book; whether it’s this one I’m not sure. I think it’s interesting enough to qualify as a movie worth seeing, but I don’t know if anyone needs to see it before they kick the bucket. And I know that many of the clubs other members actively wish they hadn't; check out everyone elses take on Naked Lunch here.
