“Naked Lunch” The height of Cronenberg’s “perverted” world was born!

An attempt to delve into the secrets of the original author Burroughs' life and creation.

In 1988, Cronenberg began writing the screenplay in between acting roles in Midian (1990). Based on the worldview of the original work, the story was constructed by incorporating other works by Burroughs, such as `` Okama ,'' as well as Burroughs' own experiences.

The setting is New York in 1953. The main character, Lee, who has given up on his dream of becoming a writer and works as a pest exterminator, becomes addicted to drugs with his wife, and then begins to enjoy a game he calls "Playing William Tell," in which he shoots down the apples on his head with a pistol. He accidentally kills his wife. Upset, he undertakes a mission to hide in a town called Interzone, conduct espionage, and send a report at the direction of a monster named Mugwump that he met at a bar.

"Naked Lunch" NAKED LUNCH Copyright(c) 1991 Recorded Picture Company (Productions) Limited Naked Lunch Productions Limited

Interzone people approach Lee, including a drug smuggler, a writer couple whose relationship has broken down, and a mysterious male prostitute. Lee, who continues to type reports to Mugwump on the typewriter "Clark Nova" that has been assimilated with a cockroach, eventually comes face to face with a surprising fact.

It is clear from William Tell's play that the main character Lee is Burroughs' alter ego, and Burroughs, who has experienced the tragedy of shooting his common-law wife in this play, said that when he first read the script, He said he was confused. Still, he admired the high level of artistic skill that Cronenberg put into a film. Cronenberg remained in close contact with Burroughs and continued to develop the story. "Burroughs is the pope of Interzone, and I wanted him to bless me," Cronenberg recalled.

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