Videodrome 1983

As Max Renn (James Woods), the president of CIVIC-TV (Channel 83, Cable 12), navigates the unapologetically sensationalistic landscape of his Toronto-based UHF television station, he becomes increasingly disillusioned with the station’s current offerings. The primary focus on softcore pornography has left him yearning for something more provocative, something that will shatter the status quo and captivate a new audience.

One fateful morning, Renn receives an invitation to meet with Harlan (Peter Dvorsky), the enigmatic operator of CIVIC-TV’s clandestine pirate satellite dish. This technologically advanced system allows Harlan to intercept broadcasts from as far away as Asia, feeding Renn’s desire for something fresh and edgy. The two men converge on a nondescript office, where Harlan introduces Renn to “Videodrome,” a mysterious television show allegedly emanating from Malaysia. The program features gruesome scenes of torture and murder, set against a backdrop of a bizarre, reddish-orange chamber. Convinced that this is the future of television - snuff TV at its most base and explicit - Renn instructs Harlan to begin pirating the show.

Renn’s defense of his station’s programming choices on Rena King’s TV talk show sparks heated debate with Nikki Brand (Deborah Harry), a self-proclaimed sadomasochistic psychiatrist, and Professor Brian O’Blivion (Jack Creley), a pop-culture analyst and philosopher who insists on appearing on television only through the lens of a remote-controlled television camera. In a surprising turn of events, O’Blivion hijacks the interview, delivering a prophetic monologue that foresees a future where television supplants reality.

Renn’s personal life becomes increasingly entwined with Videodrome as he begins dating Nikki, who confesses to being sexually aroused by Renn’s display of the show. The two engage in a provocative sexual encounter while watching an episode of Videodrome together. As Renn’s obsession with the show grows, so too does his reliance on Harlan for insight into its mysteries. During one such visit, Harlan reveals that the signal delay giving the impression that Videodrome originates from Malaysia was merely a ruse by the broadcaster. In reality, the show is being transmitted from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Renn’s concern for Nikki’s well-being prompts him to share his discovery with her, only to be met with excitement and a determination to audition for the show. When Nikki fails to return to Toronto, Renn turns to Masha Borowski (Lynne Gorman), a softcore feminist pornographer with ties to the adult film industry, seeking her expertise in uncovering the truth behind Videodrome. Through Masha, Renn learns that Videodrome is merely the public face of a political ideology movement driven by unspecified but potentially violent goals. He also discovers that Brian O’Blivion possesses knowledge about the show’s true nature, further deepening his connection to the enigmatic professor.

Max Renn’s pursuit of truth leads him to The Cathode Ray Mission, a peculiar sanctuary where the homeless gather to indulge in marathon viewing sessions, nourished by the endless stream of television programming. Run by Bianca (Sonja Smits), O’Blivion’s enigmatic daughter, this mission serves as a hub for her father’s grand vision: a world where television supplants every aspect of daily life. As Renn delves deeper into the mystery, he stumbles upon a cryptic videotape in which O’Blivion reveals that “Videodrome” is a battleground for control over the minds of North Americans.

Renn soon finds himself entwined in a surreal world, where his physical body begins to warp and distort. His torso transforms into a grotesque, vaginal VCR, and he’s plagued by vivid hallucinations. In one such episode, Renn is strapped to a chair as a hooded figure strangles him; the hood lifts, revealing Nikki (her lips filling the screen of a TV set), beckoning him with an otherworldly whisper: “Come to me.” As Renn leans in closer, the TV screen envelops his face, drawing him into its hypnotic realm.

At The Cathode Ray Mission, Bianca enlightens Renn about the perils of Videodrome. This supposedly innocuous broadcast signal is, in fact, a malicious force that insidiously infects viewers’ minds, gradually inducing a malignant brain tumor. O’Blivion, once an integral part of this project, had initially created it as a means to shape reality. However, when he realized the sinister intentions behind Videodrome, he attempted to stop his collaborators; they ultimately used his own invention against him, silencing his protest forever.

As Renn leaves the mission with an armful of videotapes, Bianca dispatches him on a journey of discovery. As he watches one tape, clutching a pistol, he scratches his stomach – and finds himself staring into a gaping, vagina-like void that swallows his gun whole. On the tape, O’Blivion’s eerie voice intones: “There is nothing real outside our perception of reality, is there?”

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Renn’s world is suddenly disrupted by the Spectacular Optical Corporation, an eyeglasses company masquerading as a front for a NATO weapons manufacturer. The enigmatic Barry Convex (Leslie Carlson), spearheading this operation, reaches out to Renn with an unusual proposition from Videodrome’s producer, Harlan. Convex’s true intention is to enlist Renn in a clandestine government plot to morally and ideologically “purge” North America by targeting individuals fixated on extreme sex and violence. The plan involves broadcasting Videodrome, a show that would supposedly induce fatal brain tumors in its viewers.

As part of this scheme, Convex equips Renn with a high-tech helmet designed to record his hallucinations, aiming to uncover why he remains unaffected despite the other “test subjects” succumbing to their own mortality. Once the helmet is strapped on, Renn’s mind begins to unravel as he becomes one with Videodrome, merging with Nicki in a surreal fusion of reality and fantasy.

Renn awakens in his bed, finding Masha lifeless by his side. His grip on reality tenuous at best, he calls Harlan to come over and document the scene, but when the producer arrives, Renn realizes that there’s nothing to photograph. As events unfold, Renn becomes increasingly disoriented, convinced that he has appeared in last night’s broadcast of Videodrome. However, Harlan reveals a shocking truth: the show never aired; instead, pre-recorded tapes were played, which neither of them watched.

Just as Renn is struggling to comprehend the true nature of events, Convex reappears, offering cryptic insights about Channel 83 and its role in broadcasting the Videodrome signal. Under his influence, Renn’s body undergoes a transformation, with pulsating tendrils emerging from his stomach slit as he receives the corporation’s program.

As Renn’s actions become more erratic, Convex orders him to eliminate his partners and secure control of Channel 83. The once-human host is now driven by a single-minded purpose, his gun hand morphing into an organic fusion as he carries out Convex’s directives.

Renn’s next target is Bianca O’Blivion, the enigmatic figure who has been secretly manipulating events from behind the scenes. He breaks into her Mission, only to hesitate when confronted with the gruesome truth about Nikki’s death and the countless others who perished in the same manner. A flesh-gun bursts forth from the TV screen, delivering a violent deprogramming that shatters Renn’s illusions.

As Bianca reprograms him to seek vengeance against those responsible for creating Videodrome, she imparts a profound message: “You are the video word made flesh. Death to Videodrome. Long live the new flesh.” With this newfound purpose, Renn embarks on a quest to destroy the very thing that has consumed him, seeking justice and redemption in a world torn asunder by the insidious forces of Spectacular Optical Corporation.

As Harlan’s triumphant smile begins to fade, a sinister revelation strikes him - his hand, once a symbol of congratulations, has transformed into a gruesome, ticking time bomb. The blast that ensues claims Harlan’s life, shattering the wall of the Channel 83 studios and leaving Renn eerily unperturbed as he steps out into the chaos. Meanwhile, at the Toronto Convention Centre, Convex is preparing to unveil his new Medici range at the Spectacular Optical trade show. However, Renn has other plans in store for him. With a calculating calmness, Renn dispatches Convex with his gun-hand, and the entrepreneur’s body disintegrates into a grotesque, tumor-ridden mass. The stunned onlookers are left reeling as Renn raises his arm-grenade to the assembly, proclaiming, “Death to Videodrome! Long live the New Flesh!”

In the aftermath of this gruesome display, Renn finds solace on an abandoned boat in a decrepit harbor, where Nicki materializes on another television screen. As Renn settles onto a squalid mattress, Nicki delivers a somber message: despite weakening Videodrome, Renn must surrender his “old flesh” to ultimately vanquish the entity. The TV then broadcasts an image of Renn committing self-destruction with his gun-hand, prompting the screen to explode and shower the deck with a grisly mix of human innards and multicolored fluids. Mimicking the televised scenario, Renn utters his final words, “Long live the New Flesh,” before pulling the trigger on his own fate.