Videodrome
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Where to watch: Streaming on Tubi (US, subject to change)
How it scared people
The vibe
Rick Baker built a television that breathes and a slot in James Woods's abdomen that accepts cassettes, and Cronenberg meant all of it literally: media as venereal disease, the body rewritten by what it watches. Made in 1983 about late-night cable, it plays now like a documentary. The final act stops making sense on purpose.
Videodrome (1983) Parents Guide
| MPA rating | Rated R |
|---|---|
| Runtime | 87 minutes |
| Jump scares | 2/5 — on the gentler side — it favors mood and atmosphere over hard scares |
| Gore | 4/5 — heavy gore |
| Dread | 4/5 — heavy atmosphere — expect it to sit with you afterwards |
| Themes | graphic bodily transformation; psychological distress; paranoia and distrust |
Videodrome is rated R by the MPA. We score it 2/5 for jump scares, 4/5 for gore and 4/5 for lingering dread, over 87 minutes. Weigh the gore first: heavy gore. Older teens and adults, mostly on the strength of what it shows.
We rate what the film does — scares, gore, dread — not scene-level content like language or nudity, which we don't track.
Before you press play
- How scary is Videodrome?
- On our intensity scale, Videodrome rates 4/10 for jump scares and 8/10 for dread. It is on the gentler side — it favors mood and atmosphere over hard scares.
- How gory is Videodrome?
- Videodrome rates 8/10 for gore — expect heavy gore.
- How long is Videodrome?
- Videodrome runs 87 minutes (1h 27m).
- What is Videodrome rated?
- Videodrome is rated R by the MPA. On our own scale it rates 4/10 for jump scares, 8/10 for gore and 8/10 for dread — the R tells you what it was certified, those tell you what it will do to you.
- Where to watch Videodrome (1983)?
- As of our last update, Videodrome is streaming on Tubi in the US (checked 2026-09-04). Availability changes, so check your service before settling in.
