The Fly

The Fly is a 1968 American science-fiction body horror film directed and cowritten by David Cronenberg. The film tells the story of an eccentric but brilliant scientist who after one of his experiments goes horribly wrong slowly turns into a giant human/fly hybrid creature. The film contains all the usual trappings being a gory, disgusting with surreal body horror film. However, past the gross visual aesthetics contains a film about the evolution of mankind, what it means to be human, humanity’s technological evolution and fears as well as acting as a metaphor for the 1980s AIDS crisis.

The film starts with Seth Brundle who meets a science journalist named Veronica “Ronnie” Quaife a science journalist at a press event. He then takes her back to his lab/home where he shows his invention that the Tele pod’s that allow teleportation to happen to subjects into the container to be transported from one pod to another. Already at the beginning of the film the fly sets up its main theme of technological evolution and fears of humanity’s progress via this invention. The film also does a good job of setting up Seth’s character as a typical week nerd that gets motion sickness, however it is Seth’s physical and mental transformation into the tragic monster that makes the fly so engaging. He puts Ronnie’s stocking in the telepod for it to be transferred from one place to another despite being extremely burnt showing that the machine isn’t done yet as well as further showcasing mankind’s fear of technological evolution which is at the heart of the fly. It then turns out that Ronnie is a reporter and has taped this whole event before this journalism is projected as her boss Stathis believes this is a joke.

Seth and Laura strike up a bargain for her to document him, as when his invention becomes successful she gets the fame and he gets the time to perfect his design, as the film yet again focuses on mankind’s technological evolution and it fears of what that might mean. Stathis and Ronnie are shown to have a prior relationship as the fly is as much a love story as it is a body horror film. Ronnie and Seth conduct an experiment sending a baboon through the transporter only for it to become mutated flesh further showcasing humanities fears of technological evolution. According to Sappho baboon die because the machine did not know the flesh which is a key theme throughout both the fly and Cronenberg’s work in general. Second Ronnie then begins a relationship further cementing how the fly can very much be taken as an allegory of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s.

This theme of the flesh comes back with the two of them having sex, indicating the fear of the flesh through sex as a parable for HIV and AIDS. This is again shown with two states one of which being transported through the Teleport. When Ronnie eats them, the non-teleported steak is better than teleporting on showcasing that the real and genuine human being is better than the genetic he also superhuman that Seth becomes. The fly comments on what it means to be human showcasing mankind’s fears of technological evolution and how science and progress could destroy an individual humanity. Stathis and Ronnie’s fractured ex-relationship shows that the fly is just as much a tragic love story as well as a body horror film. With the dead baboon coming out of the pod further showcasing the technological evolution of mankind, Seth and Ronnie and the up falling in love highlighting the AIDS crisis of the 1980s that is embedded within the film subtext, as the fly is a humanist tragic love story as much as it is a body horror film.

Ronnie and Sathis confronting one another further shows that the fly is also currently a tragic love story, a love that is doomed and can never be. Due to Seth’s jealousy he gets drunk in goes into the Teleport with a fly accidentally. This further showcases the evolution of mankind is something not to be tampered with as the film delves into humanities fears of technological evolution. This idea of jealousy is further showcasing when Seth explains this to Ronnie again showcasing that the fly is as much a love story as it is a body horror film. In the sequences that follow we slowly cease Seth changing into the fly as is faster reflexes showcase the fear of the technological evolution of mankind stop this as further shown when it is demonstrated that Seth has superhuman strength being able to perform acrobatics duties transformation into fly seemingly asking the tried and trusted sci-fi question what does it mean to be human as well as again highlighting the film’s technological fears and evolution of mankind.

With Seth and Veronica together again showing the tragic love story at the heart of this body horror film, Seth is shown oh putting a lot of sugar into his coffee symbolising his transformation into the fly. The fly also demonstrates several symbolic scenes paralleling the AIDS epidemic such as Seth’s clothes and face changing. As well as this the scene where Seth Riker have six clearly demonstrates EA’s academic and the idea of passing a virus from one person to another, with Seth being able to have sex a longer again alluding to the evolution of mankind. Veronica then finds fly hair on Seth’s back alluding to mankind’s technological evolution, asking the question what it means to be human as it is shown that Seth is slowly transforming into the fly further symbolised with him eating ice cream in this scene.

Seth tries to. Running into the teleportation for her to experience the same sort of evolution that he did however she refuses. They then get into a fight with Seth declaring her a coward, as this scene and by extension the whole film highlights the fears of mankind’s technological evolution questioning what does it mean to be human if we have ascended beyond the flesh. Seth ultimately transforms himself into what he believes is a superhuman again showcasing the evolution of humanity? Does it mean to be human as he technologically ascends into a higher state of being playing with mankind’s fears of technology. With Seth winning the arm-wrestling competition in the bar by breaking the other man’s arm and taking the girl home at further showcases the technological evolution of mankind. Seth has sex with her further showcasing The Fly’s parallels to the AIDS epidemic as he tries to force her into the machine even though she is scared further highlighting fears of a technological evolution. They are then stopped by Gina as she says the film’s famous line “be afraid to be very afraid”. Gina confronts Seth telling him that he is changed his looks and his smell. She then tells Seth the hairs that are on his back are fly hairs. Seth however rejects her fears and believes in his biological and technological evolution is showcased with him punching through a wall and pushing her away. This further demonstrates the evolution of mankind is a concept not to tamper with and highlights the dangers of playing God wrapped up in a twisted tragic romance that is at the centre of the fly.

Seth then shaved his fly hair are found in the process pulls out his teeth and fingernails, not only it is symbolic of the AIDS epidemic this scene also highlights mankind’s fears of a technological evolution. Seth ends up researching what is happening to him realises that he is DNA was spliced with the flies when he went through the teleporter. This again showcases the films investigation into the evolution of mankind and what it means to be human Seth is evolving into a new type of creature further highlighting humanities fears of this technological evolution. Seth has ultimately turned into a half fly half human creature meeting him and limiting his mobility and changing his physical appearance, with his condition likened to that of cellular cancer destroying him. Despite the grotesque body horror nature of Seth vomiting on his food in his ear falling off he refuses to be dissected like an experiment and ultimately scared showing the fly as a very human horror film. This further showcases the danger in humanities interference with the evolution of mankind, demonstrating what it means to be human is a blur between man and a new type of life form is examined within the character of Seth. The film comments on the fears and dangers of technological evolution denouncing round the desire to play God as well as showcasing clear parallels to the AIDS pandemic with Seth slowly deteriorating.

Stathis and Veronica then discusses situation as she wants to help him, but he says he wants to see footage first, again showcasing the human heart to this body horror film. Seth is then shown walking on the ceiling like a fly as the disease is ultimately controlling him turning into another organism which he is dubbed “Brundle fly”. At this point Seth ultimately accepts his new creation and embraces it as showcase with him vomiting on his food like a fly and eat. The film highlights the dangers and fears of the technological evolution of mankind, showcasing what it means to be human and denouncing the idea of ascension onto a higher order. The film also clearly acts as an allegory for the AIDS epidemic in his transformation mirrors HIV infection. Ronnie then finds out that she is pregnant with Seth’s child showcasing the fear of motherhood a common trait horror film. In the dream sequence that follows Ronnie goes into the clinic to get an abortion only for the baby to be revealed as a giant maggot. This again showcases the fear of motherhood within the film, as well as acting as an allegory for the AIDS crisis showcasing how infection can be passed on between two individuals.

The film then cuts back to Seth trying to work out how to make himself human. The computer tells him that he must splice himself with another human to achieve his goal. If the computer does not recognise, his speech the film again showcases Seth’s loss of humanity as allegorical to humans fears of technological evolution, this is further showcased by his teeth falling out further showcasing parallels to AIDS. Ronnie then comes to visit Seth wanting to see him one last time. Seth is transforming intrinsic, a brutal creature with no compassion or rules. Seth is the insect no longer a man he has become the fly, as he pushes her away to save her. This showcases the dangers of meddling with the evolution of mankind, demonstrating what it means to be human Seth Jack Thompson’s health into a new type of entity. From this the film plays on the fears of technological evolution is something to be afraid of which is further illustrated with its parallels to the AIDS crisis.

Due to this point he decides that she wants an abortion goes to the clinic. This again showcases the fear of motherhood is a common theme throughout horror films as well as acting as an analogy for AIDS. Seth then crashes through the window kidnapping Ronnie to start a family. This further showcases the warning throughout the film about tampering with the evolution of mankind as well as the symbolism of the fear of motherhood present within the scene. Seth does not want her to kill the baby as it is all that is left of the real him and when she refuses, he kidnapped her. Stathis then breaks into Seth’s lab armed with a shotgun. Cefotaxime melting is handing it away with his acid to vomit and is about to kill him when he was stopped by Veronica. Seth tries to drag Veronica into the pod, but she refuses fights back whipping his jaw fatigue turns into the fly, all seems lost until Stathis shoots the controls stopping her from being transported in transport Seth instead. Seth then emerges as a transformational flying machine begin Veronica to kill him which she does by blowing his head off with a shot gun and ending this darkly stupid Gothic horror romance. This entire climax clearly demonstrates that the evolution of mankind is something up to nature and man trying to tamper with this will ultimately end in its downfall. The film demonstrates that we must retain our own humanity as the idea of ascension into a greater state will mean the end of the species. This scene also clearly showcases technological evolution as something to fear and that the primary laws of nature should not be tampered with by man. This scene once again shows how the AIDS crisis changes and destroys people resulting in the deaths and should be a topic taking seriously particularly during the 1980s when the AIDS pandemic was at its highest.

David Cronenberg’s The Fly is a lot more than just a gory body horror monster movie. Rather than just relying on its grotesque visual imagery aligned the fly we say fascinating precautionary tale about humanities fears and the dangers of a technological evolution, delving into the nature of mankind itself as well as acting as an allegorical metaphor for the 1980s AIDS epidemic.