THE PARASITE MURDERS (SHIVERS)

Canada, 1974, 87 minutes, Colour.
Paul Hampton, Joe Silver, Lynn Lowry, Allan Migicovsky.
Directed by David Cronenberg.

Canadian writer-director David Cronenberg has received much critical acclaim and many condemnatory reviews. His films are similar in bizarre plot but Shivers has to be one of the most visually nauseating films ever. A plague of aphrodisiac parasites infects society with insane results. Rabid is much more acceptable visually and the 'plague in society' theme is formulated in a modernised Vampire plot - Vampiric Rabies and martial law in Montreal. It is thus a horror science fiction fable of scientists' pride, mutations and destruction of individual and social structures. Shivers focuses too much on its nausea for effectiveness. Rabid is more tasteful and better paced and is for horror addicts.

The Parasite Murders (Shivers) is an earlier work by David Cronenberg. He uses the styles and the methods of exploitive sex movies for a horror parable. The film is a Canadian production and has a Canadian setting. In this film a scientist sexologist sets in motion a contagion which is an aphrodisiac and venereal disease in one and has most disturbing effects on people as they spread it. It is an ironic and ugly satire on human behaviour and frenzy. The visual effects are shocking and the film is particularly nauseating to sit through - rather difficult for most audiences. However, within its genre, albeit limited, The Parasite Murders is trying to say something about contemporary society, frenzy. Rabid is a much more polished piece of film-making and is more acceptable for a wider horror audience.