David Hedison, Patricia Owens, Vincent Price

A mad scientist has invented a matter-transmitting device and decides to test it on himself, but when a housefly accidentally enters the machine, he finds himself doomed as his body slowly starts to t...( read more  read more... )ransform itself into that of an insect.

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62% liked it

8,143 ratings

Critics

93% liked it

30 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 34 min.

Directed by: Kurt Neumann

Release Date: July 16, 1958

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DVD Release Date: September 11, 2007

Stats: 385 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (385)


  • May 3, 2009
    After killing her husband Helene Delambre recounts the story of why she done it. Her husband was a scientist who was deeply into his work and through those long days and weeks he makes a big breakthrough in science by inventing a teleportation machine that can transmit matter fro...( read more)m one spot to another. After some glitches he fine tunes the device and decides to test it by using himself as a guinea pig. While, in the process of this test, a housefly gets caught inside with him and when he emerges from the other capsule he shares its genetic structure and physical attributes.

    "The Fly" is classic Sci-Fi / horror from the 50s and what a nice surprise this was! Unlike many of its kind in the 50s, this one didn't have a childish feel. The context may seem silly here, but its executed with enough skill and handled in a relax manner by director Kurt Neumann to set above the rest. Just don't be expecting a monster on the rampage tale. This one veers more towards a much more broaden and imaginative story with a certain eeriness contained in its psychological material rather than visuals. Even though it doesn't scare you witless, it still does provide a couple of memorable and ingenious shocks that are hard to put out of your mind. The film opens with the horrific outcome of Helene's husband Andre and then it goes into flashback mode where we learn the fate of Dr. Andre Delambre. What does make it surprisingly good is that we're treated with such passionately vivid characters and a interesting set-up that pulls you in by taking a more serious approach with a dabble of irony along the way. The talkative first hour slowly builds up to its taut last half-an-hour, where we get a smart and venomously bleak climax. Although, it could have done without that preachy conclusion. The rational script by James Clavell works by being incredibly dense with it thriving on some quick wit and sincerity. The story is more about a woman trying to save the man she loves as he slowly fights the genetic effects of the fly's DNA. He may seem hideous on the outside, but inside he is still more so human and he's trying his best to keep control of his dieing humanity. This is proved by how much he cares for his family's safety when he's willingly to take his own life for the best of everyone. It's practical story telling at its best.

    The look of the film is top shape with it being shot in vibrant Technicolor and the key is that the deformity is kept hidden, but when it's revealed it actually stands up rather well. It's ugly, that's for sure, but still it looks rather competent. They're also an inventive touch when we see the creature for the first time with multiple frames being used to represent the reflection from human fly's eyes. In Cronenberg's version we see the grotesque transformation, but because of the times and effects we don't see it here, but more so the aftermath of the mishap. All of the devices and gadgets in Andre's lab are well presented and the mounted score adds in a forceful touch with nice crisp sound effects. The performances are more than great by the likes of Al Edison, Patricia Owens, and Herbert Marshall and even though Vincent Price had a supporting role, you'll be in awe of his effortlessly suave performance.

    An excellent classic of its field that's more concern about telling a moving and fascinating story than just giving us pointless action and cheap thrills to spice up proceedings. The more you stick it out, the more compelling it does become.
  • January 26, 2009
    the introvert message within vincent price's camp classic "the fly" would be a resistant technophobia against the conceited omnipotence of technopoly who believe thru science, utopia is attainable. "the fly" got remade again in the 80s by david cronenberg who is also a fervent ad...( read more)vocater against technophiles, considering cronenberg's series of work criticizing the technopoly, like 1999 "eXistenz" starring jude law, and its main target was the disturbing immersion between reality and visceral illusion while "the matrix" commercialized virtuosity to dominate the box office. back to original track, "the fly" does have a poignant tone against the exploration of science by condemning the idealistic scientist into a de-humanized creature of deformity, THE FLY.

    it's a story about a scientist who invents an integrator which could transfer things thru wiring effect by disintegrating the atom of things in one spot then compounding all the atoms back to transmit toward another spot. he's aspired to solve the poverty and famine by conquering the geographical obstacles thru this super-machine. BUT unfortunately a careless fly joins the process of his own disintegration, then laughably he becomes a monstrous being adopted partially of the fly genes. inevitably he has to obliterate himself to avoid this catatonic revelation to others.

    from the technical aspect, "the fly" might be scorned as cheesy since its stunts are so primitive that it's just a man wears a fly head. the campiest moment would naturally be the human-headed fly trapped within the spider web in the garden while exclaiming "HELP ME!" but it does have an endearing touch of human maneuvers and it also preserves an odd aestheticism of its own as filmmakers then had to be manually creative enough to transcend a cinematic concept with limited resource (without the patronizing cgi)

    the script conveys its ruminations of science ubiquitously, due to the scientific enthusiasm, the scientist sacrifices the life of his cat and violates his humanistic principle of "no experiment on animals"..it might also reflect the mistrust of scientific revolutions at its time as if it's telling you, see how disastrous those experiments could be, content with the facilities you could utilize now, don't be fanatic with exploratory ambitions. perhaps the phobia toward scientific omnipotence could be the product inspired by the fright of atomic bombs among american commoners during 1950s. now it's just a cheer of camp for cinephilic aficionados.
  • January 16, 2009
    the story is much more interesting in this original than in the more recent cronenberg version and that's where it wins out. to be honest i even thought the dude in costume was better in this. much more watchable. vincent price only features in it for about half an hour
  • March 11, 2007
    Classic hokey horror from the Hammer school with some hilariously bad effects and a classically silly ending! Daft fun.
  • February 6, 2007
    Old movie. The special effects are laughable by today's standards. I remember being grossed out by this when I was younger.
  • November 20, 2009
    This film is awesomely good.
  • October 31, 2009
    An absolutely perfect suspense-horror film. The suspense is so expertly delivered, you're on the edge of you seat for the whole film! The acting is very deadpan, and not so hammed up as with its compatriots, while the concepts are as accessible and relevant today as they were i...( read more)n 1958. Furthermore the sci-fi design element is far more down to earth than other films from this period, and it barely shows its age. A timeless classic.
  • October 20, 2009
    The story starts when a woman is caught smashing her husband in a large compress. She is not initially arrested as the woman's husband's brother has close connections with a chief investigator, but there is a great deal of talk as to her motivations. She appears to be manic at ti...( read more)mes, but very tight-lipped. After a few days she begins her confession (which starts about 30 minutes into the movie). Though not great (pacing issues for me), it is better than the 80s remake (Jeff Goldbloom...yeeccchhhhh!). Also, it is now obvious to me from where the character design for Professor Impossible directly emanates (even moreso than being a Reed Richards knock-off).
  • September 29, 2009
    Started good, but it got awful.
  • September 26, 2009
    help me ... help me...

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  • Name the movie in which Geena Davis warned, 'Be afraid. Be very afraid.'?  Answer »
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