Crash

Rating:
Summary: Sex And Car Crashes
Review: "Crash" is one of the most unique sexual movies released in 1996/1997. It stars James Spader, Rosanna Arquette, Elias Koteas, and Oscar winner Holly Hunter. This movie combines pornography and dangerous car crashes, giving a theme that few other movie producers have dared. The stunt work and the action scenes are great, especially the car accident scenes. Some may mistake such crashes as real-life ones. The visual effects are wonderful. They offer the gruesome, graphic look at car crashes. The original score was composed brilliantly, combining perfectly with the sex/car crash theme. The screenplay was uniquely written. The writer accomplished the difficult task of placing sexuality in car crashes. Another accomplished difficult task is having graphic sex scenes without distracting the plot. The acting is great. Hunter's role as an obsessed car crash artist stands out. "Crash" is a great movie for those looking for sexuality and controversy. The audiences will remember this movie for a long time.

Rating:
Summary: The Book is Better
Review: Every once in a blue moon I like to watch a David Cronenberg film. I have seen quite a few of them at this point, from some of his earliest stuff like "Rabid" and "Shivers" to his seminal reworking of "The Fly" starring Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis. One thing you will always get out of a Cronenberg film is a serious look at how technology and human beings interact. Like science fiction author J.G. Ballard (the author who wrote "Crash" back in the 1970s), Cronenberg's viewpoint towards a synthesis of man and machine is always exceedingly grim, not to mention gory as all get out. The overarching theme in his cinematic examinations seems to be that humans simply do not know enough about the technology they develop, or if they do, their arrogance in the ultimate abilities of mankind always leads them charging into experiments despite the risks. That we are just not far seeing enough to predict the outcome of using new drugs, messing around with human genetics, or exploring future psychopathologies may be a good message to take from a Cronenberg film. "Crash" should fall into a "Cronenberg 101" class about these messages. Released in 1997, this film is classic Cronenberg done up with big name actors. While "Crash" may lack much of the director's trademark gore, enough shocking scenes exist to titillate even the most jaded movie viewer.

"Crash" takes place in some undetermined time in the heart of a major city. Right from the start we know that this movie will deal with sexual peccadilloes of a most unusual manner. James and Catherine Ballard, played by James Spader and the spicy Deborah Unger respectively, each have a sexual encounter and then report back to each other about the details. It quickly becomes apparent that these two have a serious problem concerning emotional attachment, and the problem is about to become even more of an issue after James crashes his car. Seriously injured, Ballard retains enough awareness through the accident to notice the driver of the other car rocket through his windshield while noticing the wife of the dead man sitting in the other vehicle. Laid up in the hospital, James again meets the wife of the man he killed in the accident while walking down the hall. He also sees Vaughan for the first time, although he is unaware of the significance of this event at the time. The brief connection Ballard makes with his victim's wife, Helen Remington, soon grows by leaps and bounds when he encounters her again in the auto yard where his wrecked car sits. The two hit it off in a quite physical way and soon find themselves invited to a very special club that likes to reenact famous car crashes. In this case, the recreation of James Dean's death on a desert highway brings Remington and Ballard into the orbit of Vaughan, a man obsessed with car crashes and the marks left behind on the human body. Throw in Rosanna Arquette in leg braces, several violent car crashes, a whole lotta dirty talking, and you have the essence of Cronenberg's "Crash."

Cronenberg uses every trick in the director's bag to show damaged people trying to connect with others through car wrecks and sex. The atmosphere of "Crash" is overwhelmingly bleak, the characters look sick and gray, and the dialogue achieves a level of emotional eeriness. All of these cinematic elements seek to transmit one message: that Remington, the Ballards, and Vaughan simply cannot connect with the world the rest of us live in so they seek release through the thrill of violent death. Any guy who drives around taking photographs of crash scenes, and then recreates the positions of the crash victims during his sexual liaisons as Vaughan does in the movie is sure to raise an eyebrow or two. What does it all mean? Well, for an answer to that question you need to read Ballard's book because "Crash" the movie fails to convey the full experience found in the novel. In fact, I would say skip the movie and head directly to the book if you really want to see some shocking stuff. Ballard pounds the obsessiveness of these people into your head so hard you will never forget it, and he also gives you much more information about the how the characters make connections between feeling and automobile accidents. For example, the book really harps on how the characters like to think about famous people dying in car accidents, thereby drawing a link between the fears these people have about being anonymous in a technological society with the immortality they may receive if they can also die in a spectacular auto smash up. Ultimately, the book repulsed me even as I came to understand the motivations of the characters. The movie version didn't allow me to attain the same weird disgust/empathy sensation.

The DVD offers you two options right from the get go: you can watch an 'R' rated version of the film or you can challenge yourself and head right for the goldmine of 'NC-17' land. I never even bothered with the 'R' rated cut since I figured that an edited version might lose some of what Cronenberg tried to say. Regrettably, extras are sparse here, with some bios and a trailer or two. A commentary would have been nice, but c'est la vie, I guess. I want to reiterate that if you really want to get into the ideas seen onscreen, go out and pick up a copy of Ballard's book. Without reading even a page of his novel you are merely treading water watching this film. That's not to say Cronenberg's project doesn't have merit, but it just isn't as satisfying as Ballard's vision.

Rating:
Summary: Make It A Cronenberg Night!
Review: Why don't you shelve that copy of Air Bud-Golden Receiver for tonight, grab the wife and kids and pop in David Cronenberg's masterpiece, Crash. This film always makes for a fun family movie night with my wife and child. There are many more lessons to be learned from Cronenberg's film than the entire Veggie Tales series. Crash will teach your children the do's and don'ts of safe driving......you may even learn a few things yourself! Crash will show you how to break up the boredom on a long drive or the tedious wait at your local carwash. You'll even learn a little history too-like the series of events that lead to the death of James Dean. You'll learn that a leg wound won't hinder your sex life any, but can add depth to it. You'll also discover that Holly Hunter can actually be sexy! How can you pass this up? Get your mitts on Crash and makes it a Cronenberg night.

Rating:
Summary: The David Cronenberg Fan List
Review: Even during the most extreme of my liberal moments, I can't give "Crash" any better than two stars, although I will give credit to Cronenberg for being just about the only director with the balls to take on this project.

J.G. Ballard's "Crash", like Henry Miller's "Tropic Of Cancer", was not written for the big screen, and no amount of star power could have helped it in the slightest. I see where they're going with it, but there are almost no redemptive moments in this film. With the exception of the "James Dean" re-enaction, which was a moment of exceptionally brilliant irreverence.

Unfortunately the film never really gets off the ground. The sex initially tittilates, then repels, then bores. Of course it doesn't help when the screenplay is as spare as this one, but then again, that's the cornerstone of Canadian cinema. James Spader in particular should have thought twice about doing this movie and going the route of Jeremy Irons or Julian Sands, both of whom are stuck on typecast boulevard.

Starring in a movie like "Crash" won't end your career, but it'll sure help!

Rating:
Summary: Different on EVERY level
Review: I have seen quite a few erotic movies in my lifetime, but this one ices the cake. I purchased this DVD blind and was quite impressed with the story, the acting and the general ambiance of the movie. It is a cross between David Lynch and Candida Royale. James Spader is so convincing in everything he does, but this, to me, by far, was one of his best acting roles. I really don't think that anyone else could have pulled off the role as David Ballard. Elias Kosteas plays Vaughn with an unnerving brilliance: part Norman Bates creepy, part Forrest Gump sad, and part Billy Zane in Lake Consequence sexy. Deborah Kara Unger just convinced me that a woman can be as perverted as any male character in a movie. Thumbs up to Rosanna Arquette and Holly Hunter for their minor roles as Gabrielle and Dr. Helen Remington. I think they could have expanded Holly Hunter's role, but that is my personal opinion. It does make you wonder if there are people in this world who are this extreme in what excites them sexually. I find myself wondering if I know anyone like this? I also found myself seeing a car accident on the side of the road coming home from work a few days ago and found myself looking for Vaughn right there, taking pictures...
If you are looking for SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, EROTIC AND MEZMERIZING, Crash is the movie for you.

Rating:
Summary: Why was this ever made?
Review: A horrible movie in every way. Glorfies the many aspects of modern society that are wrong today to include promiscuous sex and reckless driving. It is a shame that movies like this can even be allowed to be made. This was a step down for ever actor invovled in.

Rating:
Summary: Cronenberg's disturbing but provocative film
Review: You are given the choice between watching the NC-17 and the R rated version of "Crash," but I cannot imagine any valid reason for opting for the "cleaner" version. If you are going to make up your mind about this controversial film then watch the film as director David Cronenberg intended and make up your mind on that basis.

"Crash" is a film that explores the relationship between eroticism and automobile accidents. Now, your first thought should be that no such relationship exists in the real world and that people do not achieve orgasms after surviving what for others has been a fatal car crash. Therefore, "Crash" is really about something else. I will accept the declaration above that J.G. Ballard's controversial novel, written three decades ago, was an illustration of the connection between technology and sex. However, Cronenberg's film is clearly not that argument in cinematic form, which today would be obviously couched in terms of computers and the Internet. What we have here is more of a detached meditation on fetishism as we watch a small group of people come together over their erotic enjoyment of automobile accidents. But even that seems short of the mark. There is more at work here than metaphor.

The key point to make about this film is that despite the nudity and frank sexuality, this is not a pornographic film. The definition of pornography is basically the depiction of erotic behavior intended to cause sexual excitement. However both the story and Cronenberg's direction go out of their way to take away from any such response by viewers. The erotic behavior is always linked to car crashes and the greatest irony of the film, obviously intentional, is that we cannot take our eyes away from the sexual activity any more than we could from a car crash: we have to look. But in looking we almost automatically become detached from our emotions. I am reminded of one of the concentration camp scenes in "War and Remembrance," when hundreds of naked women were being ushered into the gas chamber. There was a shot of a leering Gestapo officer, which sent a less than subtle message to the audience of what sort of wretched human being would dare to take pleasure in such a sight.

Despite their intense arousal at discovering a highway accident on the way home or witnessing a recreation of the car crash that killed James Dean, these characters remained detached from the real world and each other. James Ballard (James Spader) meets Dr. Helen Remington (Holly Hunter) in a car accident, and while they have their strange fetish in common this does not come between him and his wife, Catherine (Deborah Kara Unger). Through Helen the Ballards meet Vaughan (Elias Koteas), who literally photographs car wrecks the way other photograph sex scenes, and Gabrielle (Rosanna Arquette), whose obsession with car crashes even overcomes the limitations of her physically wrecked body. Virtually every character ends up with one of the others in some sort of sexual liaison without the slightest hint of jealousy. There are all in pursuit of the same goal and are literally there to lend each other a helping hand.

"Crash" is a provocative movie to be sure and those who will be grossly offended by the film should know that from the barest description of what it is about. Even at 100 minutes it seems a bit long, mainly because the story proceeds at such a dreamlike pace. However, when we got to the final scene I intuitively knew that this was the end, even if I still cannot make up my mind as to what the film is really about. But since Cronenberg was the producer, writer and director, there is no doubt that there is a unity of purpose here and that this is the film he wanted to make. I would also echo the sentiment that the performances of this cast are fearless, which only reinforces the conviction that there is something of value to be found in this film.

Admittedly, I have yet to come to any definitive conclusions. My current hypothesis is that this is a cinematic Rorschach test, and that "Crash" has tricked us into looking at ourselves and seeing how we are reflected, but that seems to be off the mark as well. I will be thinking about this film for some time to come, even if I never feel any desire to watch it ever again.

Rating:
Summary: This, my friends, is creativity !
Review: I'd heard of the reputation of JGBallard and of this movie be4 viewing it and hence was a bit prepared for the disorderly and seemingly meaningless storyline.

However, I admit that what I witnessed was very much beyond my expectations. At the outset, its very much apparent that the movie consists of seemingly inconsistent bits and pieces of highly eroticized scenes between a privy group of people, irrespective of gender. Albeit, after some careful thought I arrived at the following opinions.

Vaughan, the group's leader who is accorded a demi-god status, is the proponent of the movie's ideology. He claims to have discovered a futuristic sexual methodology derived on automobile crashes that would give greater holistic fulfillment. The characters, led by the hyper-cool James Ballard, in a truly postmodernistic fashion, live out their daily lives by revelling in their erotic encounters with each other and exploring their newfound sexual orientation. Their extreme faith in Vaughan's futuristic vision seems to stem partly from their insatiable appetite for more intensity in their erotic encounters, as Vaughan's ideology not his personna seems to be the driving force for them. Vaughan, on the other hand seems to realize this very much, but on the other hand, also wants to deterministically disseminate his opinions. This is evident from the way he, very much reminiscent of Fight Club's Tyler Durden, seems to've planned out how each character's sexuality is to be provoked and when they ought to explore it.

Though the characters are seemingly emotionally disaffected, they nonetheless seem to realize a much higher truth of the ephemeral nature of one's existence and seem to be preoccupied with their relativistic truth viz., fulfillment and more intense realization of their nascent sexuality. Though it seems rather inhuman esp the way they even eroticize the tragic deaths of their counterparts in auto crashes, it should be remembered that characters here are merely portals of a certain set of opinions and ideas of the director. We could also grant them leeway as probably they must've genuinely conceived the magnitude of sexual satisfaction (or enlightenment, depending on your perspective) the victims of auto crashes would've obtained in the last few minutes of their lives.

Finally, it'd be a mockery of this review if no accolade is spared for Cronenberg. This is one of his best works I've ever seen, and evidently a very courageous attempt too. The cast led by James spader, Deborah Unger and Elias Koteas have played their parts to perfection literally seeping into their respective roles. Especially, James Spader, with his haunting eyes seems to magically carry us through this bizzarely fascinating erotic revelry.

Rating:
Summary: Crash.
Review: I first read about this movie in a book where it was highly favored and found its summary to be truly fascinating. A Shocking, no holds, brilliant film by a director whom I liked, David Cronenberg, with a great cast. So how could I go wrong? Well I did. While its story is interesting at first sight, it quickly lost my interest. After reading so much about it I expected it to be a shocking tour de force, instead I was sadly let down by lack of shock and intrique. Its certain to please fans of Cronenberg, others beware. Its actors are not at their most brillant. Not all of the film is a complete let down. It is notably ambitous and beatifully photographed. It is certanly memorable for mixing the disturbing and the beautiful, often in the same scene. For those who want to own this one the dvd is the perfect choice.

Rating:
Summary: Crash into Me, Baby!
Review: The ridiculous made into the sublime! CRASH takes a fetish that thankfully does not exsist or is not too popular - the car crash as sexual release and expression. The movie becomes an allegory for the dangers of sexual obsession - especially when you detach from people. None of the characters here can connect, and again you have a very literal expression of not being able to merge. DAVID CRONENBERG has been mining this material for years, and Crash is probably his most successful effort to date! It's a hard movie to watch. Slow-paced, breathless line delivery, and eye-popping scenes of sex and violence. The cast is top-notch -- James Spader, Holly Hunter, Rosanna Arquette, and Elias Koteas all turn in subtle and over-the-top performances simulatneously. But the stand-out to me has always been Deborah Kara Unger playing Ballard's wife. Sexy as hell, remote, and erotic -she holds the key to this car. Like a real car crash you can't take your eyes off it.