62. The Fly – 1958 (#49)

Buzz buzz, baby! This week we’re coming to you from the past, fluttering our disgusting little wings all-around your fresh food as The Rotten Horror Picture Show brings you our 2021 Halloween Patreon coverage of the 1958 sci-fi classic The Fly!

When scientist Andre Delambre (Al Hedison) tests his matter transporter on himself, an errant housefly makes its way into the transportation chamber, and things go horribly wrong. As a result, Delambre’s head and arm are now that of the insect. Slowly losing himself to the fly, Delambre turns to his wife, Helene (Patricia Owens), for help. But when tragedy strikes, Delambre’s brother (Vincent Price) and Inspector Charas (Herbert Marshall) are forced to pick up the investigation.

Join Clay, Amanda, and Wes as they buzz on about characters who are believably and authentically French in every way, the most terrifying fake spider of all time (outside of that one episode of Punky Brewster), an uncomfortably positive ending, and the grand champion of this show, the ever-dependable questionable parenting!

1958’s the fly is, of course, the precursor to the David Cronenberg masterpiece from the 80’s, but is no slouch itself in the sci-fi department. From an era of horror that was dominated by nuclear radiation and campy mutated monsters, The Fly manages to be thoughtful as well as quite effectively creepy. Featuring a great supporting performance from genre legend Vincent Price, The Fly is worth checking out! In addition to the remake, it also birthed two sequels, the first of which was of course the inspiration for the classic Misfits tune “Return of the Fly.”

So get yourself something sugary to lap at, start typing with one hand, and transmogrify your body into half-human, half bug with us…if you dare!