Enjoying the new DVD special edition of the 1986 remake of THE FLY, I was taken aback by a trend I noted in the participants’ opinions: the slamming of George Langelaan’s original 1957 short story. Director David Cronenberg takes it (and the 1958 film) to task for being scientifically illogical, but co-screenwriter Charles Edward Pogue is more harsh, which is to be taken with a grain of salt from the man responsible for DRAGONHEART and KULL THE CONQUEROR.
Wondering if the tale had lost its luster, I reread it last night, for the first time in about half a decade. What I hadn’t noticed previously is that “The Fly” – or at least the first half of it – is essentially a murder mystery, beginning with the discovery of a scientist smashed under an industrial press. The identity of the button-pusher is no secret – the wife confesses to as much – but the questions of “why?” and “how?” remain. It isn’t until the scientist’s brother (played by Vincent Price in the film) probes deeper that the nature of his bizarre experiments and the consequence of their failed results come to light.
The story – first published in Playboy – is closely mirrored by the original Price classic, with only two major differences (spoiler warning): the suicide of the wife and the scientist’s merging with a fly and a cat. I don’t care what is and isn’t scientifically logical, because that’s not the aim of the story. If I needed to know the specifics of how Langelaan believed teleportation worked, I’d be missing the point. In much the same way, I don’t question why people have vaginal orifices in their armpits while watching Cronenberg films; it just is.
Langelaan’s prose may be a little archaic (“I deeply appreciate your deliciously feminine logic”), but I think it only adds to his story’s charm. His intriguing – and highly influential – premise still stands as strong as ever. You may have to do some hunting to find it (it’s on the DVD, but who wants to read on a TV screen?); I suggest either (or both!) of the movie-themed anthologies REEL FUTURE or REEL TERROR.
No related posts.
{ 1 trackback }
{ 0 comments… add one now }