The Fly

Last night I watched the 1986 film of The Fly on TV. The film, directed by David Cronenberg, was based on a 1957 short story by George Langelaan which was previously filmed in 1958. The story involves a nerdy scientist (played by Jeff Goldblum) who has developed a matter transmitter device. The scientist tests the machine on himself with apparently successful results, however it turns out that a housefly was trapped in the machine with him, and the scientist slowly begins to undergo bizarre transformations. It is a really good film, and probably one of the classic horror movies of the 1980s. David Cronenberg has a brief cameo as a doctor in a hospital, and apparently he was really surprised that the film was so successful because he felt that the level of gore might have put people off. The film produced a sequel, which was much less successful, and The Fly was also adapted as an opera, written by Howard Shore who composed the score for the film, and last year it was announced that Cronenberg is planning a re-make of the film.

Following that I watched the 1987 Coen Brothers movie Raising Arizona. The movie is a comedy film about an inept armed robber (Nicolas Cage) who marries a police officer (Holly Hunter). When it turns out that she can't have children, they decide to steal a baby from a local businessman who has just made the news due to his wife giving bith to quintuplets. However, they have to deal with suspicious neighbours, escaped convicts and an evil bounty hunter. The film is pretty bizarre, but very funny.

This morning I went along with my Dad to the Gyle shopping mall where we had a cup of coffee and a scone, then we split up to do our own thing. I bought a couple of books in a buy one get one for half price deal: Maskerade by Terry Pratchett and The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett. I also bought a Mother's Day card and a memory card for my camera. After that I went back to my parent's house for lunch. The new issue of Fortean Times had arrived during the week.

I also finished reading Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane. The story is set in 1954 where two US Marshals are sent to the Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane on the remote Shutter Island off the Massachusetts coast to investigate the mysterious disappearance of an inmate. It's a pretty good book and is a genuinely suspenseful thriller.