David Cronenberg’s controversial film adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s cult science-fiction novel won the Special Jury Prize at Cannes in May 1996 for its ‘courage, daring and originality’. James Ballard and his wife lead a life of casual sexual encounters in a world of eight-lane highways. After a collision, James discovers the perverse pleasures of warped steel.
When he runs into the female survivor of the crash again, this soon leads to a wild sexual escapade. They are ‘discovered’ by the shady scientific researcher Vaughan, the driving force behind an obsessed group of people who enjoy reenacting famous fatal crashes, such as those of Jayne Mansfield and James Dean in his Porsche. Cronenberg uncompromisingly brings technology crashing into the human psyche, filmed in the colours of cold steel, and featuring a polished, metallic soundtrack by master composer Howard Shore.
Also see Crash Live Score by Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and Masterclass: Howard Shore.
Film details
- Country of production
- Canada
- Year
- 1996
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2020
- Length
- 100"
- Medium/Format
- DCP
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