10 Horror Movies That Deserved To Become Cult Classics (But Didn’t)
6. The Brood
David Cronenberg is one of the most recognisable names in horror, having created a string of movies in the '80s - including Videodrome (1983) and The Fly (1986) - which featured groundbreaking and uniquely devised practical effects, earning him the reputation as a master of body horror.
The Canadian's career really started to take off with the sci-fi-driven Scanners (1981), with its infamous head exploding scene gaining Cronenberg some serious notoriety. That said, it was with his lesser known early indie horrors such as Shivers (1975) and Rabid (1977) with which he learned his trade.
Still, it would be with 1979's largely forgotten The Brood that Cronenberg would clearly bridge the gap between being a novice filmmaker and master of his craft. With a cast that included the late, great Oliver Reed (Gladiator) in a captivating performance, the movie is a psychological thriller quite indicative of other notorious '70s horrors such as Don’t Look Now (1973).
The Brood is a deeply disturbing story which culminates in an unforgettably sinister climax, with Cronenberg at his most bizarre, showcasing the kind of body horror he would become renowned for in the following decade. This picture should certainly be looked back on and spoken of as one of David's classic early films, but for some reason it's always fallen short of reaching the kind of cult status his later movies would achieve.