In the original thriller of David Cronenberg, who likes to explore the human body through its pain points and, by his own admission, “interests in the aesthetics of disgust”, the main characters were twin brothers – successful gynecologists with their own clinic. Indistinguishable relatives used external similarity to their advantage: they exchanged patients receiving treatment and women they slept with. The second was due to the inner liberation of one and the painful shyness of the other.
Cronenberg’s painting told the story of separation and the search for one’s own identity, the story of the traumatic experience of meeting people who are the same on the outside but completely different inside. Of course, such games with their own lives, which the heroes change like costumes, ended in tragedy. In the case of Cronenberg, he acquired an unpleasant physical incarnation.
The adaptation series inherits the style of the original film with its anatomical details. From the first minutes, scenes with miscarriage, cesarean section and natural birth process fall on the audience and not everyone will be ready even if a disclaimer is preceded.
The project with Rachel Weisz largely follows the footsteps of her older brother, but at the same time tries to find ground for a new reading in Cronenberg’s material. This is understandable: a series based on a good original film immediately puts itself in a “borrower” position. It is forced to be at least as good as him, ideally outpacing his predecessor by adding some missing details to the world of history.
A show almost entirely directed by women (created by Lorraine Wolkstein) “Family friend”Karina Evans working on “Valley of Seduction” and Karin Kusama, author of a recent book “Advisor”“The Hornets” and “The Stranger”), as expected, focus on the part of the plot that Cronenberg is less interested in – all things related to the reproductive system and the birth of a new human into the world.
If in the original film we watched the work of the protagonists through the eyes of a man, in the series we look at the plot through the optics of a female gaze, which can more easily recognize the fear and pain on the faces of those waiting. Mothers The project also does not ignore the theme of failed births, dangerous bleeding, risk of injury and death – the ugly side of a process often touted as something easy.
Additionally, due to its format and longer run time, the series stretches the story over time: it ends almost in the same place as the original movie, but starts a little earlier – at a time when ambitious nurses are only looking for investors. open your own clinic. This adds new characters not in the Cronenberg movie to the plot and lets you see the main characters’ lives before the disaster.
Having to play two twins at once, Oscar-winning Weiss copes with his job brilliantly – these are not clones of Jeremy Irons’ heroes, but independent and self-contained units. Incidentally, the original movie was one of the first examples of the use of a combination shot when both incarnations of Irons looked as convincing as possible in the frame. You won’t surprise anyone with this nowadays, but back then it was a real technical breakthrough.
It’s also interesting how the show is presented. Prime Video does not base the release of its content on the principle of Netflix offering projects for all seasons. And the fact that Bound to Death – unlike the model – immediately came out in full says something about the broadcast and the producers’ strategy with their offspring, which is clearly not meant for everyone. After all, not every viewer wants to go back to the six-week story where the characters’ unhurried and sometimes boring dialogue alternates with the most realistic scenes of bleeding, autopsy, and other medical manipulations.
The original Bound to Death somewhat traumatized the audience and put their inner gynecologist fear at risk. The serial adaptation only reinforces this effect. Returning to the thesis that any series based on a feature-length picture must somehow justify its birth, then it is necessary to summarize that it only worked halfway. With Weiss, the project is bold, outspoken, and boldly working on an important issue like childbirth from the perspective of women whose experience can be physically and mentally traumatic. But at the same time, the series turns out to be less solid and complete compared to the Cronenberg tape.
What conclusion can be drawn from this, each viewer will decide for himself. But if you still take the six-hour ride through the show, calculate your strength (and put a jar of ammonia nearby).