User reviews

Although I have watched David Cronenberg's "The Brood" a number of times, I still find it unbelievably disturbing. From the beginning until the ending credits, it is unsettling horror at its morbid best.

Under the care of Dr. Hal Raglan (Oliver Reed), Nola Carveth (Samantha Eggar) is undergoing a radical and controversial form of psychiatric treatment called "Psychoplasmics". Psychoplasmics takes the role-playing of psychotherapy to a new level by training the patient to release his pent-up rage and physically expel that rage from his body. Sounds weird? That is only the beginning. Frank Carveth (Art Hindle) is Nola's estranged husband who suspects his wife of physically abusing their daughter Candace. After vowing to protect his daughter legally, murders committed by strange deformed children begin to occur.

To say anymore would be to stifle The Brood's terror-ific mystique. However, I will suggest that you consider experiencing this film on an empty stomach with the lights on. After viewing, don't be surprised if you feel compelled to make amends with anyone you might currently be at odds with.

Nola Carveth is a patient at the Somafree Institute under the care of Dr. Hal Raglan, a leader in an experimental form of therapy known as 'psychoplasmics.' Frank is Nola's estranged husband, who is battling for custody of their child Candice. Nola gets angry and her mental illness makes her unstable around the child. Meanwhile, a strange series of gruesome murders begins, with the victims all knowing the Carveths well. Deciding to learn more about Dr. Raglan and psychoplasmics himself, Frank begins to investigate, finding himself at the center of a mystery that will change his life irrevocably, in David Cronenberg's 'The Brood.'

'The Brood' is full of the blood, body horror and disturbing images that one would expect of a Cronenberg venture. It is tense and brimming with macabre thrills, chills and unsettling scenes. That is not to say the film is without dramatic or intellectual power, because 'The Brood' has more to offer than your average wild and weird horror. A comment about the effects of child-abuse and mental illness in conjunction with parenting and guardianship is being made through Cronenberg's partially autobiographical screenplay, one that is slightly obscured by the violence around it.

Although the murders add another dimension to the story, they take away from the atmosphere of quiet intrigue surrounding Raglan, the Carveths and the Institute; as well as diminish the power of the aforementioned subtle commentary about mental health and abuse. While they serve a purpose and are important to the plot, something a little less sensationalist would have been more in keeping with the eerie tone established early on in the film. In short, the psychological horror elements are fantastic, while the elements of physical horror seem lacking- or even rudimentary- in comparison.

Less rudimentary is Mark Irwin's cinematography, which is striking and stylish work. The pairing of Cronenberg and Irwin is like that of David Lynch and Frederick Elmes: a fruitful partnership with artistic leanings that has resulted in some visually stunning movies. 'The Brood' is a cold and beautiful looking film, with Irwin's use of space and his chosen composition being especially significant. He and Cronenberg made six films together; each one is texturally rich, undeniably impressive and memorable in terms of visuals.

As in most Cronenberg flicks, special effects and make-up is of tremendous importance to 'The Brood,' and Allan Cotter's work does not disappoint. He creates such disturbing, pulsating creatures and attachments that one with a weak stomach may want to forgo the film entirely. His work is on show primarily in the latter half of the film and will leave an indelible impression on the viewer- for better and for worse.

Composer Howard Shore has worked on sixteen Cronenberg films, with 'The Brood' being his first and 2022's 'Crimes of the Future' being the most recent. Shore's work in 'The Brood' is eerie and evocative, though often mournful and mysterious. It is music that helps inform scenes of tone, but never in an overly grandiose manner. For the film, Shore has created subtle, melodically pleasing compositions that linger in the mind long after the credits have gone up and the cinema is empty.

The performances from the cast are also memorable and strong, with Oliver Reed particularly impressing as Dr. Raglan. Reed had a screen presence like no other, with his remarkable calm and brooding intensity, he instantly draws the eye and keeps its' attention. Due to his reputation as a hellraiser, he received relatively few interesting roles or films from the mid-70's onward, and the ones he chose to do generally wasted his immense talents. Cronenberg doesn't let Reed's skills go to waste, and the actor turns in a powerful, reserved performance that will be remembered fondly by any who see the film.

Art Hindle and Samantha Eggar star as Frank and Nola, facsimiles of Cronenberg and his first wife Margaret Hindson. Both deliver strong performances, though Hindle fades into the background somewhat; one gets the feeling that many other actors could have played that part. Not so with Eggar, she is intensely assured and captivating, making Nola the epitome of the unhinged housewife. She is like a black panther on a moonless night, alluring, understated and unquestionably deadly. It is a fine performance of no vanity that'll be remembered and appreciated for as long as cinema lasts.

'The Brood' is a strange, intense horror that contains delicacies of an intellectual and of a visceral kind. Featuring gory scenes and body horror a-plenty, it also explores the topics of mental health and abuse in an informed and measured way. Cronenberg's direction and screenwriting is impressive, while he makes the most of talented actors like Oliver Reed and Samantha Eggar; extracting from them fine, subdued and deeply affecting performances. While it is not perfect, 'The Brood' is an interesting, entertaining film that offers a lot more than your average slasher. If you like your movies on the dark side; it's one you're going to love.

The Brood is undoubtedly the most personal movie Cronenberg ever made : we all know the film describes Cronenberg's vision of his own divorce (and the custody of his daughter Cassandra) ; at that time, his then-wife belonged to what he thought was a cult and he did kidnap his own daughter in order to protect her. Thus The Brood is full of rage, vengeance and death wish… It is a truly frightening story and, in its own way, a candid vision of one's personal tragedy. It seems to be a tale from the Grimm brothers, and, at the same time, a reflection on the powerful link between body and spirit. The script is surprisingly complex and rich, even if, in the end, there is definitely something childish in the movie, but in a positive way: the childish belief that "thoughts can kill" only tempered by the final sequence, when we understand that this little girl, so cruelly abused, will eventually reproduce what her mother developed. The image of this mother (Samantha Eggar at her best, revealing her tortured body that evokes a Roman goddess) is one of the most terrifying one in world cinema. The Brood is a key to understand one of the Cronenberg's major themes: the uncanny… How what is closest to us, family, mother, grandparents, might suddenly become the ultimate horror. What frightens us is not outlandish or alien, on the contrary, it's always part of our intimate universe (as in Videodrome).

I really enjoyed David Cronenberg's film called The Brood. It is about a woman who is being cared for by an eccentric psychologist called Dr. Raglan(Oliver Reed). Who uses theatrical techniques to breach the psychological blocks in his patients. When their six year old daughter comes back from a visit with her mother and is covered with bruises the father Frank Carveth attempts to stop his his wife from seeing their daughter. But the psychologist Dr. Raskin will not stop his wife from seeing the girl. whilst this is happening his daughter's teacher is is attacked by two strange looking deformed children. Her father starts to believe that it is to do with Dr. Rankin and a psychotherapy cult which he may have something to do with it. This film was quite disturbing at times. I thought that Oliver Reed played a very good part in the film.

David Cronenberg has always possessed a flair for unique and disturbing visions infused with the trimmings of a genre that can be best referred to as "biohorror." "The Brood," his tale of hideous mutant children who do the bidding of mentally disturbed Nola (Samantha Eggar) under the care of new-wave psychiatrist Dr. Raglan (Oliver Reed, with a quietly sophisticated Peter Cushing sensibility), is buffered by fine performances that veer away from camp. In a way, one of Cronenberg's achievements is writing such outlandish material and making it entirely convincing and visceral, as opposed to merely settling on B-movie cheesiness, which I admire. As is the case with most Cronenberg films, here 'reality' is made the most atypical place where man can reside, and the clever script is always one careful step ahead of the audience.

7/10

Huge Cronenberg fan, but I gotta ask if i'm not as "disturbed" by this movie as everyone else, what does that say about me? I gotta be real, it was pretty boring. Then when it became "Cronenberg-ish" toward the end, it was sort of too late for me. 10 minutes do not a make a movie, and it was pretty hard for me to stay interested through most of it. The famous scene at the end just doesn't make up for it, sorry. Also it seems people defend it because of the fact that this story mirrored what he was going through in his personal life at the time and is sort of a metaphor with what he went through with his wife. As a movie watcher, I should not care nor have to know about that going into the movie, because it alters your perception of what to expect.

David Cronenberg's "The Brood" is both frightening and shocking. A tale of psychological horror guaranteed to make even the most jaded horror fan recoil in disbelief. The plot in a nutshell - In the care of an eccentric therapist (Oliver Reed), a woman (Samantha Eggar) undergoes an experimental form of anger management; while parallel to her treatment are a serious of bizarre and questionable murders. At the heart of the story is her husband (Art Hindle), who is in desperate search of the truth behind the strange goings on. The film is especially visually appealing; with perfectly framed scenes, cold & stark cinematography, and classy looking 70's costume design. The special effects though minimal throughout the film, are both amazing and disturbing. Cronenberg masterfully stages the murders in a thrillingly suspenseful and brutally violent manner, effectively balancing the terror between what is seen and not seen. It is questionable if filmmakers in today's world would be bold enough to make this film. The eerie musical score by (now veteran) Howard Shore creates an extra degree of tension to the unfolding events. The performances are all convincing, and definitely above par for a horror movie. With a shocking final twist; this movie is not to be missed, a highly recommended 9/10!

OK first I have to say, I watched this movie thinking how bizarre thanks in part to Oliver Reed's sometimes campy and in my opinion sometimes over the top performance as a strange doctor of mental health helping patients deal with anger, and childhood abuse. There are moments of unintentional humor most notably is a headline in a news article that appears midway in the movie when whats behind some of the murders occurring is brought to light...no spoilers here...but the moment appears as Art Hindle, who portrays Samantha Eggar's estranged husband, is drinking some coffee and reading the paper. It was just so out there in a way that it made me laugh....This is not to say this movie isn't downright scary. Basic plot is Samantha Eggar is this loony tunes who may or may not be abusing her young daughter and is in therapy. As she lets out her pent up anger from childhood and adulthood in sessions with Reed, playing her doctor, these little mutant children dish out murderous and gruesome vengeance on her enemies. Just why these little monsters are on a killing spree and where they come from is at the top of horror heights and be assured the last 15 minutes of this flick is pretty damn scary and disturbing as father, daughter, and doctor all face mother's rage and a little something else. Lets just say "Alien" ain't got nothing on Samantha Eggar. Creep-out city.....rent this and watch it in the dark....and ignore the noise coming from your kitchen...

Dr. Hag Raglan (Oliver Reed) offers an eccentric and controversial new psychological therapy, which engages the body into healing the mind. When Frank Carveth's (Art Hindle) daughter Candice (Cindy Hinds) returns home from visiting her institutionalised mother Nola (Candice Carveth) with scratches and bruises, the father attempts his best to avoid further visitations to the institute hideaway. After Frank attempts to gain evidence of harmful methods used by the psychologist, a series of brutal murders start occurring...

Revisiting the theme of new flesh (brought about by psychological forcing) Cronenberg's body horror "The Brood" is probably his most B-class movie rife with borderline campy performances, laughable monsters and a witty, if hyperbolically idiotic premise. After a slow and faltering build-up plodding to the finale with little interest the ultimate vision is still unique and disturbingly brilliant, but as a pure movie experience several ideas can't overcome the overall crudeness of this effort. Possibly Cronenberg's weakest outing, but still worth watching as part of the Cronenberg canon to fully grasp the specificity of his fascination with the duality of the body and the mind, as well as with the fascinating human phobias regarding his own flesh. The movie also features typically Cronenberg frigid characters, somewhat detached from emotion and increasingly troubled as a result of this disconnect.

"The Brood" introduces several themes regarding motherhood and the role of the father, while also directing some badly focused personal vendetta at females (portrayed here are full of anger and destructive intent). Nonetheless these aren't as deep or thoughtful as needed, whilst the overall B-quality horror feel forgives anyone wanting to avoid any deeper analysis into the subject matter.

One of Cronenberg's best films! It has some moments that will stick with you for a while. When the brood first appears and the beatings begin, I was not only disturbed by them, but the way that their faces look was burned onto my brain. I once read that Cronenberg calls this film his KRAMER VS. KRAMER. I think that's very interesting. He's taken the pain that he went through in his own life and manifested it in the physical form of these creatures. I find this kind of creativity to be associated only with some of the more visionary contemporary filmmakers. Cronenberg is that, there is no question. Performances by the late great Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar and Art Hindle are perfect for the film. It is scary and disturbing and should be seen by all horror film fans. I find it to be a sadly neglected classic.

David Cronenberg plainly still carried a lot of baggage about the opposite sex when he embarked on his final film of the seventies. Described as "ludicrous" by David Shipman and designated a 'BOMB!' by Leonard Martin, which makes it sound a lot more fun it actually proves to be. A large cast never really mesh as they just mill about and talk and talk before coming to gory ends committed by ugly little trolls in bright red anoraks. Oliver Reed somehow keeps a straight face as a seriously crazy psychiatrist while it's fun to hear Samantha Eggar talking like a little girl under the influence of regression therapy.

A great early film from the one and only, "Baron of Blood."

A husband is going through a hard time in his life when he must care for his daughter after his wife was sent away to a mental institution. The doctor running the institution is respected in his field, but controversial in his methods and there is a smell of something foul in the air. Things only get worse for the husband when his in-laws are killed some strange little monsters and his daughter winds up with scars after visiting her mother in the hospital. Added to that the doctor refuses to talk about the man's wife and he seems to treat her as somewhat of a prized patient giving her special care. He goes, on his own to investigate and discovers the horror behind everything that happened... The Brood.

The story is told in a very classical sense of the word horror, almost like Poe with a slow beginning, a sense of doubt and confusion in the middle, and a shocker and a kicker of an ending. And, as all good horror, there is some great visceral metaphor mixed in to the story. With this film David Cronenberg put himself on the road to the ranks of the horror film-making elite. 8/10

Rated R: violence, gore, and some profanity

Sometimes writers and directors just have to be given a chance to be boring. Some stories just can not give you the goods from beginning to end. The brood is a film that cannot put all the cards on the table right away. Cronenberg is as always exploring issues within the horror format that are usually ignored for simple baseless gore. While the plot is not going to make a lick of sense to someone without a dark imagination it is very inventive.

I can't say for sure but serious horror fans may note that the later half of this film could easily stand along many the stories in Clive Barker's books of blood. Cronenberg I think can take some credit in inspiring later works from the horror prince who would explore a lot of these issues with a little more supernatural zeal. Isn't great that Cronenberg played a serial killer for Barker in Nightbreed!

The film is slow out of the gates for sure but Oliver Reed puts in a strange and compelling performance as the weird doctor. Samatha Eggar was very brave in her performce as the brood's disturbed mother. While some of the scenes with the brood children alone in the world look silly like everything else in the film there is a pay-off in the last half hour.

If you give up early on this film you will really miss out because the last half hour is where cronenberg packs everything in. Truly vile gore, full on madness of characters and spine chilling terror for the daughter.

For serious horror fans only.

This has to be a cult classic by now; it's so twisted and effectively disturbing. Real blunt violence too, that makes you inhale and wince: the work of a strong director. Baby-making jealousy gone awry. One of the few times Oliver Reed has been bearable on screen. He's a campy presence here, as always. Playing his typical hammy authority figure. I doubt he could ever pull off a nice father role, showing him tossing the football in the back yard... The usual Cronenberg trademarks are all present; body distortion, internal rage and gross blood letting, etc... Decidingly the child actors in the picture probably required therapy after filming. Scarier than both a Grimms fairy tale and a Michael Jackson video

Stuck within the legal system, a husband trying to get his wife out of a controversial doctor's treatment center finds a stumbling block when the refusal to free her coincides with a series of strange attacks, and when he discovers a link between them tries to shut him down for good.

This one ended up being rather troubling overall. The main issue to be had here is the endless series of psychobabble that runs wild throughout here. There's very little info given early on to describe what's going on, rather dropping us off immediately with this troubled family and the lunatic doctor who's ruffling the feathers of the husband over his treatment with the wife due to the belief that the daughter is in physical danger. It's an incredibly strong setup to establish here and the film doesn't give us much of a clue about several big questions involved here, from what happened to the family to the previous encounters they've had to the doctors' experimental treatments that are unconventional and confusing to have played out here. As well, all those issues with the storyline questions leave feeling bored with the film as a result. Since we're not aware of anything about what's going on, this means we end up following an irrational husbands' quest to get past a cold, emotionless doctor plying a secretive therapy regimen on his wife for the sake of his daughter and while that's a great baseline to work off of there's little reasoning for anything. Without knowing anything about the mother's sanity issues, his pleas to see her, the threats to get her free or the interactions with the daughter instead serve to stretch out the running time here making for a mostly dull and bland experience. On top of that, the last flaw here is that these issues don't make for an exciting genre effort. Since the first hour here pretty much is devoid of any specific take on the killer kids running around, their inclusion comes off as an afterthought since there's never any mention of where they came from, what they're supposed to be or their methods for choosing their targets until much later, making them feel incredibly disjointed and unconvincing. When the full extent of the situation is revealed, that ends up answering some but bringing about more questions about the creatures' purpose rather than clarifying anything which leaves these scenes a mess as a result since we're confused about them in general and completely unscared of them. These here are the main problems with the film. This one does have a few solid points about it. The attacks by the strange creatures are exceptionally brutal and quite graphic which manages to give them some semblance of enjoyment here, especially with the first attack resembling a haunted house ambush with all the various objects flying around from an unseen source before showing the vicious attack on the victim. With the later attacks on the grandfather in his home or the schoolteacher in the classroom in front of the kids were especially brutal and jarring, that stand out more than the first encounter and set up the grand finale at the farmhouse where it goes overboard with some stellar confrontations and wild ideas that are rather nicely utilized. However, that's all that holds this one up overall.

Rated R: Graphic Violence, Language and children-in-jeopardy.

With apologies to any fans of Shivers, Rabid, or Fast Company, I consider The Brood to be the first great Cronenberg film. This was a film born out of Cronenberg's anger towards his soon to be ex-wife at the time, and man does it show. While Kramer vs Kramer did a good job of showing all sides of a divorce and managed to make them all look sympathetic, Cronenberg instead focused on the anger, fear, and chaos that occurs in divorce. Just as this movie became the physical symbol of Cronenberg's rage, the brood in the film become an equally terrifying physical presence of rage and retribution.

What I think made this movie so good was that all of the actors, even the child actors, were very good. Oliver Reed in particular just seems to grab your attention in every scene that he is in. I believe this was the first of what would become one of the greatest director-composer collaborations in cinematic history between Cronenberg and Howard Shore, and the score for this film is excellent. It constantly borders on a Psycho-esque Hitchcock tone, but manages to be its own eerily unique composition. The effects and visuals are absolutely fantastic and shocking, as one should expect from a Cronenberg film.

One may find fault that the movie starts off very slow. However, I really liked how the movie started off slow and built up further and further until peaking at the climax, and I think the climax of this movie may be one of the tensest moments I have ever experienced in cinema. The movie ends in true Cronenberg fashion, and I think that the final shot of the film was probably scariest in concept to Cronenberg himself with what he was going through in real life at the time. This film was very personal to him, and it is obvious that he invested a lot of himself into it. I only wish more directors would do the same with their movies.