Undoubtedly one of the most frightening things about David Cronenberg's debut feature film "Shivers' to modern audiences, is the cavalcade of sheer 1970s "look" in both interior decor and clothing. The apartment building in which this zombie sex party occurs somehow becomes a character of its own, celebrating material ugliness as a mirror to the human ugliness which eventually occurs within it's soulless interiors. Somehow, the patina of years passed since the filming of this movie has rendered "Shivers" a more gut-wrenching experience. Which is worse, having a parasite (which is an obvious metaphor for fecal matter) shoved down your throat by a sex-crazed maniac or having to live in a boxy cinder-block apartment that boasts both zebra-print and daisy-print wallpaper battling for dominance in the same tiny kitchen? Still, this slice of Cronenberg's diseased reverence for "the flesh" carries the same "I need a shower now" feeling when it ends, as it did when it first unspooled on movie screens back in the day. Say what you like about this truly nasty movie, it broke a huge number of societal taboos and went many places other directors feared to go. Memorable set pieces include the appearance of the waiter at the elevator door, squeezing some kind of cherry crepes between his fingers before raping a mother and daughter...the daughter will have the dessert for her own when the door reopens. The two gay men in bathing suits who stand outside a door shielding the doctor, whispering "hey..you wanna go to a party?" through the peephole. The ugly woman attacking the waiter screaming "I'm hungry for love!". The two little girls on a leash on the basement stairs, barking. While dated, "Shivers" still packs a punch by daring to show the loves that dare not speak their names. Ugly wallpaper optional, but just try to block out the paper shade lamp-covers in the bedroom of the happy young married couple. Unforgettable!