David Cronenberg at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011
David Cronenberg is a Canadian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is known as a principal originator of the genre commonly known as body horror , with his films exploring visceral bodily transformation, infectious diseases, and the intertwining of the psychological, physical, and technological. Cronenberg is best known for exploring these themes through sci-fi horror films such as Shivers (1975), Scanners (1981), Videodrome (1983) and The Fly (1986), though he has also directed dramas , psychological thrillers and gangster films .[ 1]
He also directed the psychological thriller Dead Ringers (1988), the surrealist drama Naked Lunch (1991), erotic thriller Crash (1996), the action thriller A History of Violence (2005), the gangster film Eastern Promises (2007), the erotic historical drama A Dangerous Method (2011), the drama Cosmopolis (2012), the satirical drama Maps to the Stars (2014), and the science fiction horror film Crimes of the Future (2022). Six of his films were selected to compete for the Palme d'Or . He is known for frequently collaborating with actor Viggo Mortensen .
Film
Acting roles
Short films
Television
TV films
TV series
Year
Title
Director
Writer
Episodes
Ref.
1972
Program X
Yes
No
"Secret Weapons" and "Nothing to Declare"
1976
Peep Show
Yes
No
"The Victim" and "The Lie Chair"
Teleplay
Yes
Yes
"The Italian Machine"
1988
Friday the 13th: The Series
Yes
No
"Faith Healer"
1991
Scales of Justice
Yes
No
"Regina vs Horvath" and "Regina vs Logan"
Acting roles
Commercials
Titles
Client
Product
Agency
Production company
Ref.
Hot Showers
Ontario Hydro
Energy conservation
Burghardt Wolowich Crunkhorn
The Partners' Film Company Ltd.
[ 38]
Laundry
Cleaners
Timers
Bistro
William Neilson Ltd.
Cadbury Caramilk
Scali McCabe, Sloves (Canada) Ltd.
[ 39]
Surveillance
Transformation
Nike International
Nike Air 180
Wieden and Kennedy
[ 40]
Notes
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^ cinematographer
^ cinematographer
^ cinematographer
^ cinematographer
^ cinematographer
^ cinematographer
References
^ "David Cronenberg: 10 essential films" . British Film Institute . 14 March 2017. Archived from the original on 2022-03-16. Retrieved 2021-06-14 .
^ a b c d e f g "Hurley C. Goodall obituary" . Turner Classic Movies . Archived from the original on June 10, 2024.
^ Gleiberman, Owen (May 23, 2022). " 'Crimes of the Future' Review: Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux and Kristen Stewart Star in David Cronenberg's Savage Horror Movie as Metaphor" . Variety . Retrieved July 7, 2025 .
^ Barraclough, Leo (May 13, 2024). "David Cronenberg's 'The Shrouds' Debuts Teaser Ahead of World Premiere in Cannes Competition (EXCLUSIVE)" . Variety . Retrieved May 14, 2024 .
^ Gleiberman, Owen (May 20, 2024). " 'The Shrouds' Review: David Cronenberg Makes a Movie About Grief — and Body Horror, and Digital Gravestones — That in Its Somber Way Verges on Self-Parody" . Variety . Retrieved July 7, 2025 .
^ "Transfer" . MUBI . Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023 .
^ "From the Drain" . MUBI . Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023 .
^ "CAMERA Short Film TIFF PRELUDE David Cronenberg: Virtual Exhibition" . TIFF Originals . 4 March 2016. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023 .
^ "To Each His Own Cinema" . The Hollywood Reporter . 20 May 2007. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023 .
^ "Watch: David Cronenberg's 9-Minute NSFW Short Film 'The Nest' " . IndieWire . 30 June 2014. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023 .
^ "The Death of David Cronenberg" . MUBI . Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023 .
^ "Four Unloved Women, Adrift on a Purposeless Sea, Experience the Ecstasy of Dissection" . MUBI . Archived from the original on January 15, 2025. Retrieved January 30, 2025 .
^ "David Cronenberg Joins Cast of Sarah Polley's 'Alias Grace' Series" . IndieWire . 7 September 2016. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023 .
^ "David Cronenberg on His Mysterious 'Star Trek: Discovery' Role: 'I Still Haven't Figured Everything Out' (EXCLUSIVE)" . Variety . 11 December 2020. Archived from the original on 11 December 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2023 .
^ "Legendary filmmaker David Cronenberg on his role in Slasher: Flesh & Blood and his return to directing" . Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023 .
^ "Cronenberg, David" . Senses of Cinema . 18 April 2012. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023 .
^ "Caramilk David Cronenberg" . TIFF Originals . 4 March 2016. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023 .
^ "Classic Commercial: Nike Air 180 Artist's Series" . Complex . Archived from the original on September 20, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023 .
Works cited
External links
Feature films Short films Novel