Bill Hader on David Cronenberg

Bill Hader reacts to the films of Canadian auteur David Cronenberg.
Source: Eli Roth's History of Horror
Apple:
podcasts.apple...
Spotify:
open.spotify.c...

[@fgaron2000]

I often mention "Canadian lighting" as a characteristic when descring our cinema. It's totally a thing. Glad to hear it from someone else.

[@ego_share2953]

Totally blew my mind when he said it. I absolutely recognize it and didn't realize it was a thing.

[@tpop3723]

I’ve been able to tell if a movie has been filmed in Canada due to that.

[@bryangalster7647]

Yea I always notice a difference in Canadian cinema and I always describe it as very clinical, operating room in their execution.

[@NikitaOsinin-e7o]

@@bryangalster7647 And then there is Guy Maddin with his own thing, which is still very Canadian somehow 🤔

[@DoogleLawless]

You can see how Bills take on Cronenbergs grounded presentation, translates into his own directorial style. Though his method is very different, it manages to make high tension, or even high violence scenes appear so real. He doesn't focus in on the action, he often shows it from a wider perspective, like you yourself are a bystander at that moment. Haders style manages to both show the absurdity of action, and the perspective of those who witness it. Obviously vastly different to the way Cronenberg presents traumatic moments, and yet both have a grounded anchor that bring the audience right into the moment.

[@galacticwarlock2271]

You can tell he is a fan and that he gets it. His entire passion for film is like that of a Bachelor or Master in film study. Just the amount of knowledge and films he has at his disposal is aee inspiring.

[@AlexG-xl1cc]

Videodrome is so underrated. One of the best movies ever and never gets talked about

[@terrygracy8345]

Yeah. It’s fucked up. I would have thought it to find a bigger audience by now

[@user-cq5sg9cb4t]

It's too insane to be popular, but it has had a cult following for a few decades now, and has pretty much been acknowledged as one of Cronenberg's best.

[@GreenHorseVR]

It’s absolutely not underrated

[@iggypyro78]

Man, Scanners is wild. The guy's head blowing up is so intense. Hall of fame gore. Michael Ironsides just slays in that movie. The show down at the end of the film is nuts - it's so awesome. Cronenberg rules.

[@Hauerization]

Agreed - I still find it hard to sit through the ending of Scanners - its so drawn out and emotionally exhausting.

[@galaga00]

i remember that the lead actor was the weakest element of that film. a great actor in that role would have really elevated it.

[@ChristopherBlackwell]

@@galaga00 when I first saw Scanners I thought the lead actor was portraying a character with a brain injury. It made the movie so much better before realizing he's actually just the worst actor of all time.

[@galaga00]

@@ChristopherBlackwell ha! They should have just incorporated that into the script to salvage his bad acting.

[@ryandozier8053]

@@galaga00lived up to his real name- Stephen Lack

[@craigjohnson4182]

Roger Ebert was entitled to hate any movie he wished. But the fact that he, and other critics, seemed oblivious that Cronenberg's "The Brood" was about something, that is poor criticism.

[@galacticwarlock2271]

100%

[@drucktown5]

As much as I respect Ebert, he had pearl clutching, moralistic opinions over many great horror movies.

[@jonlamenza4121]

They both were complete anti horror some of the best too didn't matter until the when it was more mainstream ebert begrudgingly gave few thumbs up. But there opinions where suspect with all movies in my opinion

[@yawnberg]

No matter how many formal elements you pile on it the core of criticism is always going to be a matter of taste. One thing I always liked about Ebert was that he didn't shy away from his own emotional reaction to the films he watched. There's supposed to be an emotional reaction, after all, and results may vary from person to person as a result. To his credit, Ebert revisited many of these films and allowed his mind to change about as often as he confirmed his initial reactions.

[@AjayBlanco]

@@yawnberg Yes, he told a large audience not to watch movies he didn't like because he didn't understand those movies, and than later when other critics explained to him what he had missed he changed his mind. Great stuff. You are right, it's all about how a critic feels, no insight into how stories are being told is needed.

[@friendofphi]

I agree that Candianess is somehow harsh white and pale but also familiar and cozy.

[@technicolorgiallo1111]

My prediction is that Bill Hader will eventually become a filmmaker on the level of Cronenberg, simply because he's shown he's good at it, with Barry, and because he clearly has a deep, encyclopedic knowledge of good movies.

[@MicahMicahel]

doesn't he just act in it? Or does he write as well?

[@dwezel]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@MicahMicahelbill hader created, wrote, directed, and starred in Barry. That’s basically his baby. Alec berg also deserves credit too because he was the other co creator and he wrote and directed some episodes too, but hader was the driving force behind the show.

[@plasticweapon]

he'd better get a move on. also, people with encyclopedic knowledge of film tend not to be very good filmmakers.

[@jon8004]

@plasticweapon Scorsese, Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Spielberg… I could go on dude. They’re all cinephiles with encyclopedic film knowledge. Tarantino and Scorsese especially.

[@Bawookles]

Cronenberg is a genius. He was the king of body horror. His films are completely unique and idiosyncratic.

[@rickmaldoo4205]

Idiosyncratic I must look up this high falutin word

[@TonyEgg93]

His son's film 'Infinity pool' that's just been released scared the hell out of me. It's very hard for me to be freaked out by a film but this was something else.

[@dirty06maggot]

Thought it was boring

[@chelsysolis249]

Turns out i could listen to hader talk film all day!

[@BansheeMilk]

I agree. Cronenberg is one of my favorite directors.

[@thepalaceworm]

The Brood is almost impossible genius. Mr. Ebert I must part ways with you on this one. Cronenberg exists on a plane of, "Well, we're not saying that it COULDN'T happen" And that's why he works so well. We need to discuss not only his major works like Videodrome and Crash but also the "Lost Classics" such as eXisTenZ and yes, A History of Violence, even though I know that the latter is quite the departure. Has anyone seen what his son is capable of? Brandon is definitely taking over for dad one day.

[@kartierkartierkarti]

Brandon's great. I did not care of eXisTenZ at all, but his films like History of Violence that depart from his usual style are just as good as his classics, and should be examined as such.

[@mmkay32]

Brandon’s Possessor was one of the best sci fi movies I saw in years. Such an ambitious concept executed beautifully

[@magicknight13]

@@mmkay32agreed!!!!!

[@Logan_TeatherFM]

As a Canadian. I love the term "Very Canadian" and "Canadian Lighting"

[@89426]

That was an interesting point. His early films are so earnest, like it could be the last one..

[@Sektion9]

lol

[@magicknight13]

Love David Cronenberg and Brandon Cronenberg!

[@Chainsawhappy]

That was a great analysis.

[@ricchapin723]

Crash is real fucking good too.

[@stevelibby6852]

Bill Hader amazing me more again.

[@mikecantreed]

You show the picture of David Lynch like 19 times but didn’t show Cronenberg at all

[@JelloFluoride]

I was watching a video essay on Night breed, and when he got to the point about Cronenberg I was like "Wait... THAT'S HIM?!"

[@KneeAches]

Yes, I really like Ironside and McGoohan but Dane and Silverman are also perfect. I didn’t want to go too far with this thought but for me: Lack makes the movie! I think I saw him I something else and liked him in it. Cronenberg is a wonderful outlier.

[@mynameisnotearl4383]

I love maps to the stars

[@BigMeachRants]

Scanners is so underrated

[@judsongaiden9878]

Take a shot every time he says "you know."

[@markwood3389]

What movie was that at 1:12 ?

[@micahclawrence]

What movie is at 0:53? Don’t recognize it.

[@burlcummings5753]

Rabid

[@temporoboto]

💙

[@Film21Productions]

This is very good insight unlike that god awful synopsis of Dr Strangelove by De Niro, that dude must have 2 brain cells.

[@HumanABC]

lol Matt.

[@ryanflanigan6362]

Ebert got most of his reviews wrong. Sorry he's gone, but maybe really watch the movies, Don not judge them for ratings.

[@gmac2558]

I like Bill Hader's Cronenberg/ Lynch analysis. I've always felt the same way. Terry Gilliam as well.

[@MrJohndoakes]

2:03 The idea for "Videodrome" came to Cronenberg from his childhood habit of watching late-night American TV that would leak into Toronto, Canada after the Canadian TV stations would shut off, and he was always on edge that they might show something "forbidden" that late at night. So this all comes from TV DXing (long distance viewing) back when television was analog and the signals traveled farther.

[@ianjohnston-r1c]

Yep. I grew up in Canada on Lake Erie, so I got stations from Erie, Pennsylvania and Cleveland. But...when CityTV arrived in Toronto, it was far more edgy than any American stations, often airing uncut films etc....

[@americanpancakelive]

Cronenberg's body horror was always tied to the cultural fears and angst of his time. A very under-rated Director, so incredibly subversive.

[@BIacklce]

come for the body horror stay for the god awful 1970s toronto area architecture

[@slicktheslickster]

Bill Hader's the best!

[@matthew_tenenbaum]

Love this channel. Keep up the great work!

[@BIacklce]

Roger Ebert using 110% of his brain to not understand the concept of symbolism used in horror settings.

[@FluxNomad678]

Interesting comment on the retro character in Scanners. Maybe similar for Brian O'blivion providing a different and informed perspective on the unfolding story?

[@markcox3024]

What podcast is this stolen from again?

[@Research0digo]

1:00 Billie Elish. :D 1:10 & 3:43, is that Frank Oz? #BillHader

[@Iansanonce-lp4nx]

Naked Lunch is a masterpiece.

[@MakeThingsAudio]

this video couldnt be any more "up my alley" if it tried.

[@DiamorphineDeath]

Cronenberg is a superior version of Lynch in my opinion; always resonated much more with his films.

[@artofsam]

I think Cronenberg has a wider commercial appeal especially with horror fans sort like Carpenter was, it wasn’t until Crash towards the end of the 90s did Cronenberg start doing more obscure genres. Where as to me Lynch is more of a true artist in my opinion, you won’t find many other directors doing something as audacious as Eraserhead at the beginning of their career and maintain that voice with each film, the only exception being dune. They are both great filmmakers but to me Lynch gets more credit just because he took way more risks creatively.

[@DiamorphineDeath]

@@artofsam Scanners and Videodrome, coupled with his vision of body horror and how it manifested in say Scanners, or The Fly. I think his influence and study under McLuhan is a huge thing, as Videodrome is a piece of art that actually has something positive to grasp onto as far as message, or commentary expressed. And that's why that film for me anyway, is such a favorite, it was in no way a commerical appeal type film in the slightest. I think Crash is what Cronenberg is taken to it's limit, as he allowed it to go all the way, especially with a Ballard type story, which follows the same Baudrillard/McLuhan style commentary. I've never gotten Lynch as an artist, as everything he does is truly nothing, it is surrealist visual expressions not rooted in anything, its like one perpetual open ended question. Reminds me of Modern Art, it has a built in get out of jail free card as if the piece says nothing, than it can't be held to anything, and as such, it can be held as a pretentious "deep" work as if there is something there, it's just oh so difficult to find. Lynch did a network television series, in addition to the ridiculous Dune adaptation, which I think was great, but it never stands out as art to me in the way Videodrome or Crash do. Those films asked serious questions and were legit trangressive pieces of media. Versus what, the wacky presentations in Muholland Drive? The random open ended whimsical characters in a plotless film? Take Wild at Heart....it's shlock, campy shlock modeled after The Wizard of Oz. Failing to see what makes all of that art, versus Cronenberg's actual vision. Again, I'd take defined coherent approaches to life in film, over open ended abstract strokes set in surreal sepia toned suburban america. Eraserhead was experimental, and gets kudos for experimenting, but it never says anything. How I've always felt with Lynch, so I'm gonna have to push back as say he's a poor man's Cronenberg.

[@artofsam]

@@DiamorphineDeath You’re out of your mind if you think I’m replying to that, keep it short and concise because I honestly don’t understand what point it is you are trying to make.

[@rockinresurrection6542]

​@@artofsam He basically just said he doesn't understand Lynch

[@artofsam]

@@rockinresurrection6542 That's what I gathered and I don't have the time to break down the allogorical meaning of his movies to someone who doesn't care to understand subtext.