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The Fly (1986)

R  |   |  Horror, Romance, Sci-Fi  |  15 August 1986 (USA)
7.5
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Ratings: 7.5/10 from 108,686 users   Metascore: 79/100
Reviews: 280 user | 183 critic | 11 from Metacritic.com

A brilliant but eccentric scientist begins to transform into a giant man/fly hybrid after one of his experiments goes horribly wrong.

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(short story), (screenplay), 1 more credit »
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Title: The Fly (1986)

The Fly (1986) on IMDb 7.5/10

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Won 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 11 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Complete credited cast:
...
...
...
Joy Boushel ...
Leslie Carlson ...
Dr. Brent Cheevers (as Les Carlson)
...
...
2nd Man in Bar
...
Gynecologist
Carol Lazare ...
Nurse
Shawn Hewitt ...
Clerk
Edit

Storyline

Seth Brundle, a brilliant but eccentric scientist attempts to woo investigative journalist Veronica Quaife by offering her a scoop on his latest research in the field of matter transportation, which against all the expectations of the scientific establishment have proved successful. Up to a point. Brundle thinks he has ironed out the last problem when he successfully transports a living creature, but when he attempts to teleport himself a fly enters one of the transmission booths, and Brundle finds he is a changed man. This Science-Gone-Mad film is the source of the quotable quote "Be afraid. Be very afraid." Written by Mark Thompson <mrt@oasis.icl.co.uk>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

Something went wrong in the lab today. Very wrong. See more »

Genres:

Horror | Romance | Sci-Fi

Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

| |

Language:

Release Date:

15 August 1986 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

La mosca  »

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$37,585,252 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (original cut)

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

This was the last film on which Mark Irwin and David Cronenberg collaborated. Irwin was unavailable to work on Dead Ringers (1988) as he was already committed to The Blob (1988). Irwin told Cronenberg, "I wouldn't leave one of your films to work on somebody else's". Cronenberg instead hired Peter Suschitzky, having admired his work on Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and has used him as cinematographer on every one of his films since. See more »

Goofs

Every time Seth or any other creature for that matter goes through the teleporter, they're completely naked so as to avoid confusing the computer and introducing more foreign materials. However, at the end of the movie, Brundlefly shoves Veronica into the telepod fully clothed. Whilst the resulting merge of DNA would be human, it would in fact create a worse mutation due to there now being a combination of human, fly and clothing material merged. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Seth Brundle: What am I working on? Uhh... I'm working on something that will change the world, and human life as we know it.
See more »

Crazy Credits

Jim Smash Issac Sir Guy of Hudson See more »

Connections

References An American Werewolf in London (1981) See more »

Soundtracks

Help Me
Performed by Bryan Ferry
Written by Nile Rodgers, Bryan Ferry
Nile Rodgers and Bryan Ferry appear through the courtesy by Warner Bro. Records
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
A Superb and Terrifying Movie!
9 January 2000 | by (Hawthorn Woods, IL) – See all my reviews

I have to admit it. The Fly is the only David Cronenberg movie I have ever seen. I haven't seen any of his others, such as The Dead Zone, Naked Lunch, or eXiStenZ (I think that's how you spell it). But it's just an example that you don't have to be a Cronenberg fan to enjoy this classic. The movie was definitely not a horror movie starring a mad scientist who transforms into an evil fly. It's really not even a horror movie. It's a drama with amounts of romance and suspense/horror. Jeff Goldblum did the best performance of his career as Seth Brundle, a scientist who has invented something he calls "Telepods". They're pods that transport you from pod to pod, space to space. He tests this invention with animals and objects until one night he gets very mad because he believes his girlfriend (Geena Davis) is seeing someone else (John Getz), even though his belief is wrong. He tries the pods out for himself, unknowing that a fly got trapped in the pod with him. The pods splice them together, and slowly throughout the movie, Seth Brundle transforms into a gross and devastating creature, half man, half fly.

The movie had no errors in it. The acting was great, the terrifying score by Howard Shore was amazing, the directing was exceptional, the story was brilliant, and the extremely sick and disgusting special effects were fantastic. Go see this movie! But don't go on a full stomach, unless you want to lose that meal in you.


51 of 73 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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