Naked Lunch is a biographical/surreal/neo-noir film released in 1991.
In the film, an exterminator is forced to flee into a Western occupied zone of Northern Africa known as the Interzone after accidentally killing his wife. There, he is forced into writing reports on the murder by mysterious bug creatures working under a mysterious organization, and he soon begins to see a copy of his wife within the city. The film was directed by David Cronenberg and stars Peter Weller, Judy Davis, Ian Holm, Julian Sands, Roy Scheider and Monique Mercure.
The film is partially based off of sections from William S. Burroughs' 1959 The Naked Lunch. In reality however, the film also serves as a loose biography of William S. Burroughs, depicting his murder of his wife alongside his time living in the Tangier International Zone. It is the first film to feature the character of William "Bill" Lee who appears in many novels by Burroughs and was followed by Queer in 2024.
Victims[]
- Giant Beetle - Crushed by Bill with a shoe.
- Joan Lee - Accidentally shot in the head by Bill after he attempted to shoot a glass on her head.
- Martinelli - Eaten alive by the Clark Nova. Revived as a severed mugwump head.
- Mujahideen - Tossed off of a balcony by Fadela.
- Kiki - Assimilated by Cloquet.
- Clark Nova - Withered away after being used by Tom.
- Joan Frost - Accidentally shot in the head by Bill after he attempted to shoot a glass on her head.
Deaths[]
- Total - 7
- 4 Mutant Bugs
- 3 Humanoid
- 2 Female
- 1 Male
Kill Counts[]
- William "Bill" Lee - 3 (Alive)
- Dr. Benway/Fadela - 1 (Alive)
- Yves Cloquet - 1 (Alive)
- Clark Nova - 1 (Deceased)
Notes[]
- Due to the extremely surrealist tone of the film, it is impossible to determine what is reality and what is entirely within Bill's mind. For the sake of simplicity, every death seen in the film will be counted, including the typewriters that transform into sentient bug creatures, Kiki's death and both Joans deaths.
- The surrealist tone of the film also makes it hard to determine if Kiki and both Joans are even human, as various characters within the film seem to refute their humanity.
- It is unknown if the milking process of the mugwumps kill them or not.
- It is unknown what Tom does with his transformed Martinelli after the film.