Naked Lunch - Criterion Collection

Average customer rating:

Unwatchable trash

Lunchtime

Instant cult classic, just add mugwump juice

This movie is a Kafka high, you feel like a bug.......

Movie

Naked Lunch - Criterion Collection
Starring: Peter Weller , Judy Davis , Ian Holm , Julian Sands , and Roy Scheider
Director: David Cronenberg
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Davis, Judy | ( D ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Holm, Ian | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Louis, Justin | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
McCann, Sean | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Richings, Julian | ( R ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Sands, Julian | ( S ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Scheider, Roy | ( S ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Weller, Peter | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Zelniker, Michael | ( Z ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B0000CDUT5
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Amazon.com essential video

You are now entering Interzone, William S. Burroughs's phantasmagorical land of junk, paranoia, and crawly things. Best travel advice: "Exterminate all rational thought." In David Cronenberg's superbly shot, unnerving warp on the Burroughs novel, the novelist himself becomes a main character (played in an implacable monotone by Peter Weller), with elements from Burroughs' life--including the shooting of his wife during a "William Tell" game, and bohemian friends Kerouac and Ginsberg--added to frame the book's wild visions. This is, ironically, a somewhat rational approach to an unfilmable book (and it makes a hair-curling double bill with Barton Fink, another look at writerly madness, with both films sharing Judy Davis). Cronenberg is a natural for oozing mugwumps and typewriters that turn into giant bugs, of course. But in the end, this is really his own vision of the artistic process, rather than Burroughs's hallucinatory descent into hell. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Unwatchable trash.......2007-09-16

I kept watching to see if there was any point to all the goblins and creatures in this meaningless film, but there was none to be found. This may be a great film to watch while high on drugs, but it's not for the sober minded.

There is nothing to be learned here. There is no insight; no theme or plot. It just goes on and on for no reason. If anything, it'll make you giggle because it's about a guy who talks to his insect typewriter and because the "special effects" of these creatures is so piss poor.

Lunchtime.......2007-07-24

There's a pain in my brain
the source, I have a hunch
It's a test, to digest
portions of this naked lunch

Not enough drugs for the bugs
I used them up instead
Now the insects expand, and make demands
they're infested in my head

The story it's stressing, is rather depressing
It can be quite a load
But it's a great feature, with so many creatures
your head might just explode

Burrough's life broken, this movie a token
of the hell he endured
A dark story, with no glory
you'll freak out, rest-assured

Instant cult classic, just add mugwump juice.......2007-07-10

How you will respond to this movie depends on how well you know the sources it is drawn from (both the eponymous book and its author, William S. Burroughs) as well as how much you like director David Cronenberg's visual style. Admittedly, this movie is not for everyone, and if you are homophobic or entomophobic, you won't make it past the first half hour.

A straight-up adaption of the book is impossible because it would be X-rated, 10 hours long, and require ILM-level special effects. Therefore, Cronenberg took the interesting angle of combining some of the more choice sequences from the book and intertwining them with elements of Burroughs's own life. The result is a biopic that is more about the creation of the book than the book itself. I don't doubt that many hardcore fans of the novel will be disappointed that their favorite scene(s) from the book didn't make it into the movie. I myself feel such loss: where's Willie the Disk, Dr. Benway in the operating room, or the menu from Chez Robert? Still, I'm happy to get what I can.

My biggest problem with this movie are the special effects. Cronenberg's films all have an admittedly distinctive look, especially in the special effects department. Personally, I have never cared for his effects. I remember thinking the first time through, "if the bugs had looked better, this film would be a masterpiece." However, their amateurish and unconvincing look has somewhat grown on me over the years, as they are "so bad they're good" and it actually helps underscore that this film, like the book, is ultimately a dark comedy.

As for the Criterion Collection, the bonus disc is a goldmine of extras, including a "making of" special, plus some clips of Burroughs reading excerpts of the text. The audio commentary by Cronenberg and Weller is also very good.

This movie is a Kafka high, you feel like a bug..............2007-04-03

My favourite movie of all time, Naked lunch is just pure genius. It is a Burroughs inspired spiral fun ride deep into the madness of addiction and literary genius.
I loved Peter Weller's portrayal of Bill, Yes he is wooden, but so was William Burroughs in real life!
The acting is great and I say Naked Lunch is David Cronenburgs best movie ever.
My only gripe is that this film was too short! I wish that a sequel could be made with peter weller.
I never get sick of watching this film and the extras were also great.
With classic Burroughs dialoge like, "Your not the first person to develope a bug powder problem", "Think its about time to share my last taste of the true black meat, the flesh of the giant brazillian aquatic centipede" and "say bill, do you think you could rub some of this powder on my lips?" and "I think our metabolisms are very different, Who's, yours or Kafka's?" and many more memorable qoates too many to mention.
Classic Burroughs stories such as the talking A-hole and Bobo's unfortunate end, are just some of the many reasons why I love this film.
The imagination, talking bugs/typwriters are all inspired madness that makes for a great movie.
The extras are great and well worth having.
I can/and do watch this film over and over and see things I missed before.
I also love that David Cronenburg made reference to Naked Lunch ala Bug Powder Problem in his movie "Existenz" when it is mentioned that a character had a "Bio Port Problem".
If you love 'literary' inspired fantasy and great imaginative movies with great acting, Naked Lunch is a must.
It is a classic.

Movie.......2007-02-07

Although I paid extra for shipping, this item took 2 weeks to arrive. I am very unhappy with Amazon's service. This has not been my experience with Amazon in the past. What has changed?

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