Writer and director David Cronenberg is a legend in the world of arthouse cinema. This 82-year-old man from Toronto has a great deal to be proud of in an illustrious career that has lasted decades.
His work, beginning with Shivers and Rapid in the ‘70s, often explores body horror, frequently exploring how technology affects humankind physically, emotionally and intellectualy. Some of his cult classics include Scanners, Videodrome and his remake of The Fly. Films such as Dead Ringers, Crash and A History of Violence earned Cronenberg further attention and accolades from mainstream Hollywood.
Cronenberg appeared as an actor in several movies as well, among them To Die For, Nightbreed, Last Night and Jason X.
His latest project, The Shrouds, follows the story of a man named Karsh, played by Vincent Cassel, who creates software to view the dead inside their coffins and see their bodies disintegrate. Karsh’s life unravels after a traumatic series of events, including the loss of his wife, and The Shrouds is a reflection on the death of Cronenberg’s wife in real life.
On April 25, the esteemed filmmaker flew into town for The Shrouds‘ debut at Music Box Theatre and to speak with Windy City Times.
Windy City Times: Begin by talking about the incredible cinematography in The Shrouds.
David Cronenberg: It’s an interesting story because Peter Suschitzky, an English cameraman who shot The Empire Strikes Back, also shot 11 of my films. When I came to make Crimes of the Future, he could not shoot with me because England had left Eurimages and my film was a Canadian EU co-production.
People don’t think about this and there’s no reason that they should, but behind the scenes, this is what happened. I had to get a new cameraman after making so many movies with Peter. I had to watch a lot of movies and I had to use a camera person from Canada.
It turned out that Doug Koch had done some films that I thought were quite extraordinary. We collaborated on Crimes of the Future and we got along very well. I liked the work that we did, so we started on The Shrouds.
It’s always a collaboration, and we see movies that we eventually talk about. We will talk about the lighting and how some of it might apply to a movie that we’re making. It’s also about the production design, such as the Japanese apartment scene, for example, which immediately suggests certain kinds of lighting because of the light fixtures there.
So it’s always a collaboration amongst a group of people and this includes costumes as well, because we had to see if the costumes reflect the light properly or not. We might have black on black material, but some of the texture might be reflective and some is not. This can become tedious and very detailed while we are working together to make a movie.
WCT: In The Shrouds, you have once again covered modern things, such as FaceTime and AI. You don’t seem scared of the future at all with your projects.
DC: Well, for me, it’s very simple. I have read a couple of reviews that talked about there being sinister technology, and I thought, “This is just normal technology.” These people would look at a screen in their car or they would use their iPhone for that. If people are feeling it’s sinister, then they’re picking up on the sinister aspects of the screen technology that we live in right now. Some of it is great and I think most people would die before they give up their phone.
On the other hand, it does affect our relationships and it also affects our nervous systems, I mean, literally, physically. So I feel that my job as an artist is to observe the human condition as it is lived. And I’ve only made maybe one period piece or two. The rest of it is all whatever is around is what I’m working with.
I don’t have an agenda. I’m really saying, “Here’s what it is and this is us. You watch it and if you’re feeling that, there’s some sinister aspect to it, okay.”
WCT: What’s something you would like to explore next?
DC: I might be doing a screenplay based on my novel. I wrote a novel called Consumed backin 2014. I think it’s still relevant in what it deals with, but that’s a whole long story.
WCT: Can you speak on your longtime queer themes within your films over the years?
DC: It’s just natural for me. I’ve always been aware of gender fluidity and all that entailed. It has been intriguing to me, so it’s not like I have to force myself to deal with characters who are queer or anything like that.
When I was making a movie like Naked Lunch, I was dealing with the erosian version of queer. That movie was criticized in some queer quarters because of the scenes with his wife and that he’s married, but that was William S. Burroughs then. I’ve talked to Luca Guadagnino about his movie Queer based on another side to Burroughs. I like his movie very much, but it is a very different approach, of course, from what I did with Naked Lunch.
At the time, I don’t think Burroughs was accepting his queerness and he had qualms about it. He didn’t marry his wife like a normal couple. It was because she needed a passport, but they did have a kid together.
To me, the material was there, and I found it intriguing with all the variations of human possibilities there.
WCT: Have you heard from fans who are part of the LGBTQ community that have seen parts of their life reflected in some way over the years?
DC: Yes, I have heard from both men and women that they could sense in the films an openness to all of those possibilities that were there.
WCT: Is there a particular performer that you would like to work with in the future?
DC: I don’t normally think that way. It’s only when I’m casting a movie that I start to look for someone who can play a particular role and then I start to think about who I would want to work with for that part.
I’ve seen many actors and actresses over the years who were great, such as James Mason, but I never thought about working with him.
WCT: What did you think of The Substance?
DC: I liked The Substance. I thought it was a little too long and it could have been less aggressive. Coralie Fargeat is a really good filmmaker and I’d seen the film that she made before The Substance called Revenge. I’ve met Coralie before and also Julia Ducournau, who made Titane. These two French women have said that they were influenced by me, so it’s right out in the open. I think it’s lovely and they both have had great success. They both have won things that I have not. [laughs] I feel like they are my cinematic daughters.
It always feels good to hear from filmmakers that I have influenced them in some way.
WCT: What would you like audiences to take away from The Shrouds?
DC: I’ve experienced things and then I’ve created things based on those experiences. This project is not exactly the same, since this is not an autobiography or a documentary. I’m exploring these aspects of this part of the human condition right now. I’m inviting others to come along and experience it with me. I want to see what the audience’s reactions will be and I hope that they will like the film on some level, but other than that, I don’t have a particular thing that I wish they would feel. It’s not like I’m making a political statement or something like that.
WCT: Do you have a new project lined up already?
DC: I’m writing a screenplay based on my novel, but I don’t know whether or not, with this climate, if I will be able to finance it. Things are quite strange and difficult in the independent film world right now in terms of money. It is affected by the world economy and by streaming services.
I will forge ahead with good courage and I hope to make another movie. We will see what happens!
WCT: Is there one film or project you would like to be remembered by?
DC: I was just reading about Quentin Tarantino driving himself crazy trying to figure out what his one last movie will be. He should chill because he cannot control his legacy or what people will think of him in the future. They might think nothing of someone, or they might disappear without a trace, as many artists have.
His fans might not care what his last film is. They will either like it or not like it. I think it’s not important, so I don’t worry about that at all myself.
WCT: It sounds like he’s upped the pressure on himself.
DC: Yes, unnecessary pressure and that’s not healthy for the creative process. This could force the artist to make the wrong decision about a movie. The person may choose an epic film that’s big instead of choosing a small film that they really love.
The Shrouds is screening in select Chicago theaters now and opens in France on April 30, 2025.