“Too gruesome”: the 1986 horror remake that Vincent Price felt went too far
David Cronenberg’s 1986 remake of The Fly turned the original’s teleportation experiment into a drawn-out story of bodily and psychological deterioration. The article calls it one of horror’s strongest remakes, arguing that its new focus on ageing and physical decline gave the creature feature added meaning amid the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Vincent Price, who appeared in the 1958 film as François, praised Jeff Goldblum’s handwritten letter but thought the remake was too gory and lacked the original’s moralising quality. He singled out a scene in which Brundle uses acidic vomit to dissolve doughnuts, while the remake’s effects include mutations, corrosive vomit and severe injuries. The article counters that Cronenberg’s film offers a deeper reflection on physical decline than a simple cautionary tale about scientific ambition.
In short
- Cronenberg’s 1986 The Fly remake made the transformation slow and horrific.
- Vincent Price praised Goldblum’s gesture but found the gore excessive.
- The remake reframed the story around ageing and physical decline.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The remake’s graphic transformation makes Brundle’s loss of control physically immediate, giving weight to its themes of ageing, illness and the erosion of identity. Its focus on bodily decline can deepen the original’s cautionary story by showing how a scientific mistake reshapes a person’s relationships and sense of self.
The case against
The extreme gore may overwhelm the story’s ideas, making shock more memorable than reflection. The original’s moralising framework offered a clearer caution about scientific ambition, while the remake’s emphasis on physical deterioration can feel less purposeful or humane to viewers who find its violence excessive.