Videodrome

     Videodrome takes McLuhan's idea of media as an extension of the human body to a completely new level.  McLuhan says "Any invention or technology is an extension or self amputation of our physical bodies, and such extension also demands new ratios or new equilibriums among the other organs and extensions of the body." In the movie, Max Renn becomes apart of the television and the television becomes apart of him.  He then has hallucinations and starts being controlled by Spectacular Optical through the violence of Videodrome.
     McLuhan's idea of media as an extension of the body is seen through many visual metaphors in the movie.  For example, during his hallucinations, due to watching Videodrome, the gun literally becomes part of his body as it appears as a growth where his hand should be.  Also, when he is in his apartment the TV becomes humanlike as it reaches out with a hand to try to grab Max and moves with fluid motions as if breathing.
     The television exposes us to so many different ideas and new images, that it makes the viewer start to question what is real or not in their own life.  The TV contributes to much anxiety and paranoia of this century, according to John David Ebert.  As the viewer sees more and more disturbing images on TV it can make them scared of the world and worried whats out there or it can intrigue them creating psychotic individuals.  Which is what happened in Videodrome.
     In the movie Max's brain is being bombarded with crazy thoughts that he would not normally possess if it was without TV.  This idea is parallel to McLuhan's theory that viewers themselves are  screens upon which television is projected.  The TV is implanting violent and dangerous images in Max's head.  These images intrigue him.  At the end of the movie his hallucinations become real and have lethal consequences in his life.  At first Spectacular Optical puts the idea in his head that he should kill both his partners so Videodrome can take over channel 83, but then O'Blivion gets a hold of Max and has him kill Harlan and Barry in order to eliminate Videodrome.  At the end Max's bizarre hallucinations force him to kill himself.