The Brood was David Cronenberg's third feature release and the film that got him noticed outside Canada and the horror genre. With heavy weight actors Oliver Reed and Samantha Egger, Cronenberg's excellent script - Oliver Reed said it was the best written part he had had since The Devils - and a story more psychological than outright horror, though there are a few gory scenes, Mr Cronenberg was onto a winner. This is a film that stays with you long after the final credits have rolled. There are many influences playing through the film, the brood children are reminiscent of the 'dwarf' from Don't Look Now, Howard Shore's excellent strings only score a nod to Bernard Herrman's score for Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.
The picture quality is okay for a film of this vintage, however, this film could have done with a digital wash and brush-up, as some of the interior scenes are a little washed out, lacking contrast and definition. A 5.1 soundtrack would have been welcome too, but the audio is okay if not brilliant. There is a nice little docu about the films of David Cronenberg - up to eXistenZ and a bunch of trailers, one for The Brood, Scanners and surprisingly (as he had nothing to do with them) Scanners II and Scanners III. Also some bios of the cast.
On this two disc version (very good value for money) there is the UNCUT UK release version and if your interested on the second disc the American version - which Cronenberg hated because of some cuts made by the censors which gave a different twist to the end!
Get this DVD now! it should be in your collection, quick before some idiot does a remake with CGI brood and no plot or subtext!
