By Robert Scucci
| Published
Nobody said raising kids was easy, especially when you’re trying to co-parent after a rancorous divorce which results in your wife being institutionalized and getting exposed to an experimental and controversial therapy technique known as psychoplasmics under the guidance of a cold and calculating psychotherapist with dubious intentions. I know that previous sentence sounds like I’m talking about some sort of David Cronenberg-induced nightmare, and that’s because it is, as I’m talking, of course, about 1979’s The Brood, which is currently streaming on Max.
Known for his long-reaching influence over the body horror subgenre, Cronenberg’s The Brood has all the usual trappings you’d expect, but offers a more subdued delivery in the sense that this film is framed more like a traditional horror story until it reaches its deeply disturbing climax.
The Unsettling Family Dynamic
Available for streaming on Max, The Brood centers on Frank Carveth (Art Hindle), a recently divorced man who shares custody of his daughter, Candice (Cindy Hinds), with his ex-wife, Nola (Samantha Eggar). Nola, who’s undergoing an extensive psychotherapy treatment known as psychoplasmics under the guidance of Dr. Hal Raglan (Oliver Reed), seems unfit to parent, and Frank’s suspicions of her maternal ineptitude are confirmed when he discovers scratches and bruises all over his daughter’s back after taking her home from her most recent visit to her mother.
During Nola’s intense therapy sessions, she regresses into her past memories, divulging details about how she was physically abused by her mother, Juliana Kelly (Nuala Fitzgerald), while her father, Barton (Henry Beckman), did nothing to stop the abuse.
Meanwhile, a stream of mysterious murders occur in The Brood (available on Max), including the violent death of Juliana while Candice is visiting for the weekend. Candace, rightfully traumatized by the brutal death of her grandmother at the hands of a short-statured humanoid creature of unknown origin, shuts down emotionally, and Frank is left to pick up the pieces.
Placing blame entirely on Dr. Raglan, Frank consults his lawyer and the authorities, as well as a number of Dr. Raglan’s past patients, in an attempt to not only gain sole custody of his daughter, but also have his ex-wife removed from the therapy that seems to be directly connected to the murders that are occurring.
But Where’s The Body Horror?
If you’ve never seen The Brood, you may be wondering when you’ll see some of that sweet, sweet body horror that Cronenberg is best known for when you stream it on Max. While Cronenberg has stated that The Brood is framed more like a classic horror film compared to his more unhinged works like Videodrome or The Fly, we learn Nola’s true colors, and the true nature of Dr. Raglan’s work as the film climaxes, reaching its ultra-violent conclusion that will leave you in a state of shock and awe long after the final credits fade into blackness.
Streaming The Brood On Max
The Brood is a slow-burn psychological horror that requires some patience if you want to reach its third-act payoff. Though there may be instances when you’ll probably find yourself thinking that there’s not enough tension to keep your interest, you can rest assured that absolute carnage is waiting for you just around the corner when you least expect it, making it a solid entry in Cronenberg’s storied filmography.
As of this writing, you can stream The Brood on Max.
