THE FLY, released on this day

Anniversary Dept. - Released on this day--15 August--in 1986, David Cronenberg's THE FLY. Jeff Goldblum plays a brilliant scientist who has invented a teleportation device--think STAR TREK's transporters in their earliest phase--while Geena Davis is the reporter who helps him work out the kinks, both with his machine and as his love-interest. But, of course, Something Goes Wrong! A fly in the ointment, this time rather literally.

One of the rare remakes that defies to rule of remakes by being light-years better than the original, THE FLY saw Cronenberg--"workin' fer Mel Brooks!"--bringing another of his body-horror nightmares to life with what was, up until then, the largest budget he'd ever been allowed. The sci-fi/horror/love story was a masterpiece and, for once, was appreciated, becoming a major hit, in the same Summer that ALIENS--also distributed by 20th Century Fox--was also a big hit. The ghoulish make-up effects of Chris Walas and Stephan Dupuis won an Academy Award (the movie itself should have been up for Best Picture, but such genre productions don't get those kind of nods). Pound-for-pound, Cronenberg is arguably the greatest living director of horror movies and many feel this was his best.