Whenever one hears the name David Cronenberg, the two words that automatically come to his/her mind are 'body horror'. But what distinguishes Cronenberg's films from most other films belonging to the 'body horror' category is his ability to add weight, depth and thematic poignancy underneath the horrifying visual aspects of watching a person's body undergo violent and horrific changes.'The Brood' is a wonderful example of an early Cronenberg film where you see him honing his skills and yet managing to make a wonderfully layered and deep film including all the body-horror madness that he is known for. Thematically, 'The Brood' explores quite a number of issues under the supernatural cloak. Some of the themes that Cronenberg delves into are:1. Divorce and custody battles - This is I believe a prominent subtext running throughout the film. We see Frank and Nola Carveth tussling against each other over the issue of who gets to spend more time with their daughter. It is also well documented that this was a very personal film for Cronenberg as he himself had gone through a similar custody battle over his child and he has called 'The Brood' his version of 'Kramer vs Kramer' and this knowledge actually makes the film far more disturbing. The film is a cinematic representation of the chaos caused by a bitter divorce.2. Disintegration of the family structure - Cronenberg is subtly making a comment on the way the general and basic family structure is getting disintegrated with the passage of time. There is clear commentary in the film on the issue of how bad and abusive parenting can have potentially permanent scarring effects on the child caught in the middle of the broken family. But in true Cronenberg style, this mental scarring is represented through external bodily growths like rashes and blisters. 3. Pride - The character of Hal Raglan is immensely interesting. He uses the phenomenon of psychoplasm to compel his patients to let go of their inner repressed anger and rage, although this will lead to the growth of disturbing rashes on their bodies, but at least they will end up getting some mental relief. I don't think Raglan was a villain. I think he genuinely wanted to help his patients. But he had one big flaw - his pride and his arrogance in thinking that he could use Nola to prove his expertise and in a way show everyone the power of psychoplasmic techniques. In trying to do so, he let his pride blind him to the fact that he was worsening the mental condition of Nola. When he realised his mistakes, it was too late.4. Rage - Last, but by no means least, 'The Brood' is certainly about rage and how repressed and inner rage when released can lead to devastating consequences.Technique-wise, the film combines restraint and flashiness very well. In the initial scenes, Cronenberg keeps the setting and the tone reasonably realistic and only faintly flirts with supernatural elements. But as the story progresses, the supernatural elements keep becoming more and more prominent. When it comes to creating tension, some parts of the film are undeniably influenced by Hitchcock, especially a murder scene which is heavily inspired by 'Psycho' judging by the editing and the music playing over it. Oliver Reed has a dominant, charismatic presence. He is dramatic and uses his booming voice to full effect. Art Hindle provides the necessary understated performance in the film. Some might say that he is a bit bland, but I think it is his realistic and understated portrayal of Frank which allows the more dramatic and flashy performances in the film to work. But for me, the best performance in the film comes from Samantha Eggar. She exudes this air of creepiness that Cronenberg accentuates with his style of shooting her face up close with a lot of close-up shots. She uses her eyes brilliantly. She also shows range as she has to break into moments of vulnerability along with the moments of rage. The conversation scenes between Eggars and Reed are masterful with Cronenberg's brilliant camera placement and editing along with brilliant performances from the two actors.My only gripe with the film is the character of Jan Hartog. I don't really think this character works in the film. The introduction is awkward and the role he plays is completely perfunctory in the context of the screenplay, but he is not at all interesting as a character. 'The Brood' is an early example of Cronenberg mastering his skills at blending 'body-horror' with deep and cerebral issues to make the film not just visually disturbing, but also intellectually provocative. Some critics have accused the film of being anti- feminist. Now I don't agree with that thought as I think Cronenberg is attacking bad parenting as a whole and not just bad mothers, but it is the kind of response that Cronenberg's films can provoke out of people due to their nature and style. 'The Brood' is not for everyone and it is not flawless(I think), but it is a film that I can't help recommending big time.

Perhaps our nowadays writers and directors should start taking a more serious look at the way films were made in the past and learn some vital lessons. 'The Brood' has all the ingredients of a well-made film. The camera-work is excellent, and the story progresses at a steady pace that makes you want to keep watching, yet the plot is unusual in that it doesn't follow your normal 'monster movie' recipe; yet there are monsters, and there is blood, but this one is different. Perhaps some may notice the absence of giddy teenagers on the romp, but I for one prefer if the kids stay away...there is a kid, though, a cute little five year old.

Frank Carveth (well played by Art Hindle) suspects that his daughter Candice (a fine and touching performance by Cindy Hinds) is being beaten by his bitter and estranged former ex-wife Nola (a supremely eerie and unnerving portrayal by Samantha Eggar), who's currently under the experimental care of and being encouraged to act out her toxic rage by controversial psychiatrist Dr. Hal Raglan (an ingeniously cast Oliver Reed, who displays admirable restraint throughout).Writer/director David Cronenberg makes the powerful and provocative point that familial abuse and violence are a cruel self-perpetuating cycle that parents pass on to their children, with a truly tragic and heartbreaking final image hammering the message home with devastating poignancy. Henry Beckman lends sound support as Nola's weakling father Barton Kelly, Susan Hogan contributes an appealing turn as sympathetic school teacher Ruth Mayer, and Robert Silverman provides amusingly wonky comic relief as vengeful eccentric Jan Hartog. Further enhanced by Howard Shore's elegant score and Mark Irwin's handsome cinematography, with an uncompromisingly grim and harsh tone, startling moments of raw brutality, and shockingly grotesque makeup f/x, this one packs quite a savage and shattering emotional wallop.

The unconventional psychotherapist Dr. Hal Raglan (Oliver Reed) uses a unique technique developed by him to expose the repressed feelings of his patients. Frank Carveth (Art Hindle) brings his daughter Candice (Cindy Hinds) home after spending the weekend visiting his ex-wife Nola Carveth (Samantha Eggar) that is interned in Dr. Raglan's Somafree Institute. He finds bruises on Candice's body and he tells Dr. Raglan that he will not bring Candice to visit Nola anymore. Meanwhile Dr. Raglan learns that Nola was abused by her mother and not protected by her father when she was young.Frank leaves Candice with his mother-in-law Juliana Kelly (Nuala Fitzgerald) to work, but she is attacked by a dwarf-like creature and brutally murdered. Her ex-husband Barton Kelly (Henry Beckman) comes to town for the funeral, but he is murdered by the same creature. However Frank kills the creature and the autopsy shows that it is not a human offspring. Then Candice's teacher Ruth Mayer (Susan Hogan) has an argument by phone with Nola and she is murdered in front of her class by two creatures that abduct Candice. Frank heads to Somafree and discovers the secret of the deformed children. "The Brood" is among the best horror movies by David Cronenberg. The plot is very well constructed and the gruesome conclusion is disturbing. The idea of Nola licking the fetus was conceived by Samantha Eggar and censored by censors in Canada, United States and United Kingdom. However the Brazilian DVD presents the uncensored version at least of this scene. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Os Filhos do Medo" ("The Sons of the Fear")