Episode 9

full
Published on:

2nd Jul 2025

A History of Violence

This week on Forgotten Cinema, the Mikes step into the quiet, brutal world of "A History of Violence" (2005), directed by David Cronenberg and starring Viggo Mortensen.

Mike Field brings the praise; this is his favorite Cronenberg film. Mike Butler? Not so much. While the film’s tight runtime and strong performances are appreciated on both sides, the impact of the violence doesn’t quite land for Butler the way it does Field and apparently everyone else. Is that a product of time and increased violence in cinema?

The Mikes dig into Cronenberg’s themes, the stripped-down approach to storytelling, and it's themes about the pervasive nature of violence still resonate 20 years later.

What's your favorite Cronenberg film? Let us know in the comments below!

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0:00 - Introduction

2:45 - Film Facts

13:12 - Film Discussion

35:46 - Reviews

49:11 - Who Would You Recommend This To?

52:08 - Why Is This Forgotten?

54:48 - Plugs

#ForgottenCinema #AHistoryOfViolence #Drama #Thriller #DavidCronenberg #VigoMortensen #00sMovie #MoviePodcast #FilmDiscussion #UnderratedMovies #ClassicFilms

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About the Podcast

Forgotten Cinema
A podcast about forgotten films that deserve a second chance
Welcome to Forgotten Cinema! Each episode, Mike Field and Mike Butler highlight a film that for a variety of reasons was forgotten by audiences. Whether it be because a more popular movie was released at the same time or the movie simply didn’t catch on with an audience in the its initial run. We’ll discuss what we love about the movie or perhaps don’t love about it and decide whether the movie is worth a revisit.