Comments on: A Dangerous Method: Is Something Remiss With David Cronenberg?

By: Rod Harshcore

Rod Harshcore — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 21:21:00 +0000

“A look at how the intense relationship between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud gives birth to psychoanalysis.” – imdb

“Set on the eve of World War I, A Dangerous Method is based on the turbulent relationships between fledgling psychiatrist Carl Jung, his mentor Sigmund Freud, and Sabina Spielrein, the troubled but beautiful young woman who comes between them.” – wikipedia

based on these two corroborations, I think my facts are straight.

as for the comment “early Cronenberg” read below:

Shivers, Rabid, The Brood, Scanners, Videodrome, The Fly (1975 – 1986)

Dead Ringers, Naked Lunch, M. Butterfly, eXistenZ, Crash, Spider (1988- 2002)

A History of Violence and Eastern Promises (2005 – Present)

As you can see there are three categories roughly:

Early – horror and the great stuff from Cronenberg

Middle – more thriller/psychological drama, average caliber Cronenberg

Late – crime drama, an improvement over the middle but far less fun than the early.

Here at Yell! we enjoy horror best, its one of our main raisons d’etre. therefore early Cronenberg was the best Cronenberg. Others may have different opinions but I would guess most would mention early Cronenberg as his greatest period and his films from 75-86 as their favourite.

By: Yell! Magazine

Yell! Magazine — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 18:17:00 +0000

Yes, he was Austrian. I should have put German-speaking rather than just German, sorry for the mistake.

Rod Harshcore.

By: Yell! Magazine

Yell! Magazine — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 16:33:00 +0000

Thanks for pointing out our error in calling Freud German. It has been corrected. As for the themes of the movie, I’ll let our writer respond to that if he so chooses.

Thanks again,
Evil

By: VoR

VoR — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 09:04:00 +0000

Get your facts straight. This is not a film about two brainiacs fighting over a crazy chick and the story does not center on the relationship between Jung and Freud.
Mortensen’s role is a supporting one and there’s no hint of anything romantic going on between Freud and Spielrein.
Also, Freud wasn’t German.

Overall a very poor effort. Must try harder.

By: JimBeam

JimBeam — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 01:16:00 +0000

Cronenberg obviously has a unique touch to all his movies (we know that) and they show in his recent movies enough, but to say narrow-minded and whine about is a bit much. This is just an opinion piece. Being a fan of his older stuff is fine, I myself stopped after Existenz. Everything after that I feel has left my memory. The movies you mentioned I’d have to re-watch and really see if I admire them. I also personally like the effort put into movies when there is a budget constraint which Cronenberg had to face in his early stuff, because no one would invest enough in his vision. Having a higher budget with good looking actors and special effects don’t always do justice. We will just have to see how this one goes.

By: Barney

Barney — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:37:00 +0000

You never saw Spider? Naked Lunch? M Butterfly? None of these have anything to do with “early Cronenberg” as they’re as different from the movies he started his career with as are A History of Violence or Eastern Promises.
Cronenberg simply is a director who always consequently refused to get stuffed into a certain category. Which you as a viewer either love and respect him for or, being a narrow-minded fool, reject and whine about. Seems you fall into the latter category. Too bad for you. I, on the other hand, look forward to his next unique, wonderful, quirky movies which never cease to amaze and entertain me.

By: HK

HK — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 15:56:00 +0000

Looks like he’s aiming for an award. Your mindset changes overtime … what can you do about it. I’ll definitely check it out to see as much Cronenberg as I can.