The Fly (1986)

Scientist Seth Brundle meets journalist Ronnie Quaife at a press event and shows her his invention: telepods that can teleport objects. They work on objects, but living things are torn apart, as shown when a baboon is turned inside out. Seth and Ronnie begin a relationship, which inspires him to teach the machine about living flesh, and he successfully teleports a second baboon.

When Ronnie leaves to confront her editor and ex-boyfriend Stathis Borans, a jealous Seth teleports himself, unaware that a housefly is in the pod with him. He seems fine, and feels stronger and more energetic than ever. But he becomes arrogant and aggressive, coarse hairs grow on his back, and when Ronnie refuses to go through the pods, he leaves her.

When his fingernails start falling off, Seth checks the computer and discovers that it fused him with the fly at a genetic level. He keeps deteriorating, losing teeth, ears and other body parts, vomiting acid on his food and climbing walls. He calls himself "Brundlefly" and fears he is losing his humanity.

Ronnie discovers she is pregnant and fears the baby will not be human. Seth kidnaps her to stop an abortion, and when Stathis comes to rescue her, Seth disables him by vomiting acid onto his hand. Seth plans to fuse himself, Ronnie and the unborn child in the telepods. In the struggle, Ronnie accidentally tears off his jaw, and he completes his transformation into a monstrous creature.

Seth traps Ronnie in one pod and enters another. Stathis shoots the cables to free Ronnie, but Seth is fused with parts of the pod. The broken creature crawls to Ronnie and silently lifts the shotgun to its own head. In tears, Ronnie shoots him.

What happens to Seth at the end? The final teleportation goes wrong, fusing Seth with pieces of the telepod. He becomes a broken, dying creature, part man, part fly, part machine.

Why does Seth ask Ronnie to shoot him? He cannot speak, but he lifts the shotgun barrel to his own head. It is his last human act, asking to be released from his suffering.

Why did Seth want to fuse with Ronnie? In his desperation, he believed combining with Ronnie and their baby would make him "more human" again.

What happens to the baby? The film does not say. The sequel, The Fly II (1989), follows the son Ronnie gives birth to.

What is the film about? Many see the transformation as a metaphor for disease, ageing and dying, and for loving someone as their body fails.