92 minutes – Psychodrama, Horror
Festival release date:
Release date: June 1, 1979
Distributor: New World-Mutual

Following the cult success of Shivers and Rabid, David Cronenberg had a major commercial breakthrough with this, a painful divorce psychodrama masquerading as a horror flick. Samantha Eggar plays Nola, a woman whose rage at the break-up for her marriage manifests itself physically. Whenever she is especially upset, murderous little imps in anoraks go after her nearest and dearest with mallets. By prying into her unconscious, a psychiatrist (Oliver Reed) only exacerbates her anguish. Cronenberg described The Brood as his riposte to Kramer vs Kramer, although it is hard to imagine Meryl Streep eating her afterbirth; entertaining but gruesome. – Essential Guide to Canadian Film