Essay Questions

What does Max inserting a gun into the slit in his stomach symbolize?

Max has a slit opening up in his belly after watching Videodrome. Then he puts a pistol inside of it. The symbolism in this act is that Max, because of his choice to watch Videodrome is choosing to place violence inside of him where it will fester until it comes out in ways he never wanted nor expected.

What is the irony of Nikki wearing a red dress on the talk show?

Nikki is in opposition to Max's airing such violent and sexually graphic and horrific images for people to see. She says it overstimulates them. The irony is that Nikki herself watches Videodrome and admits on air that she is overstimulated and the red dress is a representation of her need for this stimulation as the bright red color depicts this.

What is the purpose of Videodrome?

After O'Blivion's death the Spectacular Optical Corporation desires to have Videodrome playing on television sets. Their corrupt reasoning is that low-lifes will watch it, and by doing so the tape creates a malignant tumor in them that will kill them. It is the Corporations way of ridding the world of people they deem as unfit, a decision that is not theirs, nor anyone else's to make.