Videodrome

           Videodrome is a difficult film in that it pushes the boundaries for what is deemed acceptable in our society. Through the use of McLuhan's works, the film brings quite literally brings media to life by making inanimate objects such as a television and a video tape, come to life and interact with Max, the main character. these interactions, which are first deemed hallucinations, begin to drive the actions and thoughts of the main character which lead to not only his own body mutilation, but the death of many other of the films characters.
          The film also plays upon the theory that media is an extension of the human body with Professor Oblivion. As it turns out, the Professor has been dead for 6 months at the beginning of the film, yet, through the use of media his daughter is able to keep him alive in the public eye. He constantly refers to the fact that "the television is the mind's eye", which implies that all our basic social abilities such as gathering information and social interaction, can be performed through media. One no longer needs to present. This is surprisingly true in our modern world, seeing as the internet has provided an interface in which all our social needs are met without any physical interaction.
           Another topic in Videodrome that is constantly played upon is the thought that certain images and media can create paranoia in an individual. In the film, the female character that plays one of Max's business associates warns him that there are certain images that aren't meant for the public. This is because we are sheltered in how we are raised so that the atrocities of the world are hidden from us. However, Max experiences these disturbing realities first hand which in turn cause him paranoia and his hallucinations leading to what we assume is his ultimate demise. In this modern world, due to the popularity and vast reach of the internet, the public is no longer as sheltered from many disturbing images and media. Things such as mass murders, pornography, and death are all easily accesible to millions around the world. This new overload of harsh information has created a generation of individuals that are either paranoid or have become, in a way, imune to the images and media presented to them.
            Lastly, the signal of the Videodrome itself is something private and secrete. As shown in the movie the only way to access the feed was to hack into the signal, and it only lasted for a few moments. This secrecy plays upon natural human curiosity which is why Max was so eager to et his hands on the show. He wanted to understand Videodrome, but as it turns out he ended up being used as an experiment to see if you could manipulate an individual through the use of television programming. This, again, is another reference to our modern world, which is so reliant and manipulated by information presented through the media.