The Fly [VHS]
A dashing scientist's foolhardy experiment with matter transference  leads his wife to seriously consider investing in No-pest strips in this deservedly classic melding of the horror, sci-fi, and mystery genres. The marvelous Vincent Price (as the good guy for a change!) leads an admirably straight-faced cast through this taut tale of man intruding on God's domain, presented in reverse flashback order. (Somewhat surprisingly, paid-by-the-pound novelist James Clavell was responsible for the atypically lean screenplay.) This well-paced, blackly humorous yarn can't hold a muck-encrusted candle to director David Cronenberg's ultra-visceral 1986 reimagining, but still contains some remarkably daring imagery for the time period. Squirmy, shuddery fun that still carries an icky jolt, particularly during its justifiably famous final scene.--Andrew Wright