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The Brood

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Movie Info & Cast

Director:

David Cronenberg

Producer:

Claude Héroux

Release Date:

May 25, 1979

Runtime:

1hr 32m

Synopsis

A man tries to uncover an unconventional psychologist's therapy techniques on his institutionalized wife, amidst a series of brutal murders.

Cast

  • Oliver Reed
  • Samantha Eggar
  • Art Hindle
  • Henry Beckman
  • Nuala Fitzgerald
  • Cindy Hinds
  • Susan Hogan
  • Gary McKeehan
  • Michael Magee
  • Robert A. Silverman

Letterboxd User Reviews

3.6
148.4K
68.3K
40.7K
RATINGS 261 FANS
3.6
  • Oct 31, 2015

    I was trying to watch the Croods. Very disturbing.

    2.0K Likes
    Matthew Christman
    Matthew Christman

    Oliver Reed's T-levels are off the charts in this one. Amazing hair, astonishing jaw, incredible winter coats.

    1.6K Likes
    Will Menaker
    Will Menaker
    Jun 12, 2021

    rip to sigmund freud you would've loved the brood (1979)

    1.5K Likes
    amaya
    amaya
  •
    May 9, 2021

    beautiful film about motherhood

    1.1K Likes
    jourdain searles
    jourdain searles
    Jun 27, 2016

    David Cronenberg turning his own ugly feelings about his messy divorce into a disturbing dive into psychological scars of family. Art Hindle’s blank face is the perfect foil to such dissection and the film has some of the most effective horrifying images put on film…

    966 Likes
    Filipe Furtado
    Filipe Furtado
    Aug 30, 2020

    canadian mid century modern + gorgeous women with wide-set eyes +  little freaks in rainbow snowsuits ??? cronenberg i love you !!!

    959 Likes
    sarah squirm
    sarah squirm
  •
    Oct 11, 2014

    Liked this more on rewatch. As a movie it's flawed, but as a contraceptive device, it's about as good as they come.

    682 Likes
    Matt Singer
    Matt Singer
    Jun 1, 2018

    Another film that felt like a first time watch because 1) it's been over 30 years 2) Criterion's restoration is so good that it almost feels like a different film from the VHS I rented when I was in my teens. I forgot how in line this film is with Cronenberg's…

    647 Likes
    Sean Baker
    Sean Baker
    Oct 20, 2019

    The family unit is at it again

    561 Likes
    Neil Bahadur
    Neil Bahadur
See All Reviews on Letterboxd.com

Queue Community Reviews

85%
Community 554
❤️ LOVE
18%
👍 LIKE
67%
😐 MEH
12%
👎 DISLIKE
2%
Top Reviews
  • Isabel Pichardo
    Isabel Pichardo liked
    The Brood

    Definitely a more foundational movie for Cronenberg’s style. An interesting plot with a lot of psychology intertwined and great use of body horror. It is a slower start but once it gets going it keeps you invested.

    2Y
    BradLouis
    BradLouis liked
    The Brood

    Nice old-school Cronenberg, takes a little bit to get going but once we figure out what's going on, it doesn't stop. Solid start to gore and mystery becoming staples of his

    3Y
    JDecks
    JDecks liked
    The Brood

    one of the scariest of all time. watched it 20 years ago and a few of the scenes still stick with me

    6M
  • Jillian Bumstead
    Jillian Bumstead liked
    The Brood

    Definitely a classic kind of movie. Strange concept, I really like joyed it

    3Y
    Max Tarrant
    Max Tarrant liked
    The Brood

    A little slow at times but overall really interesting body horror concept

    1Y
    Mary
    Mary loved
    The Brood

    Where’d she get so many coats for all the weird children

    2Y
  • Nikkilodeon
    Nikkilodeon is "meh" on
    The Brood

    Slow at first but very interesting concept

    1Y
    Tatum
    Tatum liked
    The Brood

    Rationalized my fear of children

    2Y
    Cullen Clarke
    Cullen Clarke liked
    The Brood

    Watched with my momma

    3Y
View More Popular The Brood Reviews on Queue

Atom Users Reviews

No one has posted a user review yet.

Metacritic

63
metacritic
Based on 9 Critics
6.2

USER SCORE (11)

Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Reviews
25

The Brood is an el sleazo exploitation film, camouflaged by the presence of several well-known stars but guaranteed to nauseate you all the same.

View full review
Metacritic review by Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
80

Cronenberg’s movie was an early showcase for his tense formal style and intellectual Grand Guignol. He displays a true shock-meister’s instinct by saving the worst for last. The result is a cinematic bad dream that generates recurring nightmares.

View full review
Michael Sragow
The New Yorker
75

Undoubtedly [Cronenberg's] best from this period and also the most troubling.

View full review
Metacritic review by Eric Henderson
Eric Henderson
Slant Magazine
See All Critic Reviews on Metacritic.com

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Brood (1979) family-friendly?
The movie has been rated as R, meaning that Under 17 requires an adult accompaniment.
How long is The Brood (1979)?
The movie is 1hr 32min long.
What's The Brood (1979) about?
A man tries to uncover an unconventional psychologist's therapy techniques on his institutionalized wife, amidst a series of brutal murders.
Who's the cast of The Brood (1979)?
  • Oliver Reed as Dr. Hal Raglan
  • Samantha Eggar as Nola Carveth
  • Art Hindle as Frank Carveth
  • Henry Beckman as Barton Kelly
  • Nuala Fitzgerald as Juliana Kelly
  • Cindy Hinds as Candice Carveth
  • Susan Hogan as Ruth Mayer
  • Gary McKeehan as Mike Trellan
  • Michael Magee as Inspector
  • Robert A. Silverman as Jan Hartog
Who's the director behind The Brood (1979)?
David Cronenberg directed The Brood (1979).
Who produced The Brood (1979)?
Claude Héroux produced The Brood (1979).