Notes: 94 minutes.
Directed: Kurt Neumann
Starring: Al Hedison, Patricia Owens, Vincent Price, and Herbert Marshall

Summary: Man or Insect? This is a classic horror tale of science gone wrong through unforeseen circumstances. A brilliant research scientist (Hedison) discovers how to transport matter through space. But things take a bizarre turn when Hedison's atoms intermingle with those of a common household fly. His desperate battle to return to normality becomes even more difficult when he begins to lose his human will. "Help me!" (Will Wonkavision ever be perfected?)

Notes: 78 minutes.
Directed: Edward L. Bernds
Starring: Vincent Price, Brett Halsey, John Sutton, David Frankham, and Dan Seymour

Summary: The son of the original scientist who discovered how to transmit matter electronically attempts to recreate his father's experiments. Unfortunately he meets with the same fate as his father and he is transformed into the hideous fly creature after one of the insects gets into the transport machine. (Shouldn't the moron have changed that one variable?)

Notes: Rated R. 96 minutes.
Directed: David Cronenburg
Starring: Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis

Summary: A reincarnation from the 1950s, this new Fly is much more horrific than the first, thanks to the newer special effects. Seth Brundle (Goldblum) is the brilliant scientist who develops the system that transports matter through space in a matter of seconds. Being an intellectual hermit, Seth's life takes on new meaning when he falls in love with an attractive journalist (Davis), inspiring himself to correct the system's last flaw. Yet when he transports himself, his genes and molecules are accidentally fused with those of a fly. The film turns to horror when his insect half begins to take over. The Fly is a love story as well as an immensely effective thriller.

Notes: Rated R. 105 minutes.
Directed: Chris Walas
Starring: Eric Stoltz, Daphne Zuniga, Lee Richardson, Harley Cross, and John Getz

Summary: Another reincarnation of the famous 1950s films. On the surface, Martin seems to be a normal, healthy young man. But beneath his ordinary exterior, Martin is the most extraordinary person alive. For one thing, he's a genius. For another, he's a fully matured adult-though he's only five years old. Martin is the son of a human fly, a scientist whose genes were tragically altered in an experimental mishap. Now it's only a matter of time before the mutant genes inside Martin come out of their dormant state.

COMMENTARY:
"The Fly" is a half human-half insect creature who seems to be present in the monster world only because of its horrific appearance. However, aside from the special effects of the 1980s films and the thrilling aspects of the 1950s films, The Fly seems to be a deeper, more intellectual story. Critics call it a poignant love story or a chilling drama, but other themes are present as well. The recurring monster movie theme involving admonitions against messing with nature is present, of course. These films also show how frightening scientists and their work can be at times, although the transmitter seems to be some kind of prehistoric beaming machine from Star Trek. The love aspect of these films could arise from the way people are typically willing to overlook the horrible potentials within others just because of love. All in all, the films of both the 1950s and the 1980s are equally as thrilling and dramatic, and a wonderful show of science gone amok.