One of the greatest successes of David Cronenberg’s career—and also one of his most controversial and divisive films—*Crash* is a deranged movie about the fascination with sex and death on wheels. It offers a macabre vision of the intersection between eroticism and mutilation, calculated self-destruction and sexual desire, violent death and car accidents. James Ballard (James Spader), a commercial film producer, is involved in a serious car crash; the collision kills the other driver and injures the man's wife. While at the hospital, Ballard crosses paths with Helen Remington (Holly Hunter), the widow of the man who died in the accident. Through her, he meets Vaughan (Elias Koteas), a scientist and photographer fascinated by the erotic beauty of injuries and mutilations resulting from car crashes. Initially, Ballard is intrigued by Vaughan and his ideas about recreating famous accidents—such as the one that claimed the life of James Dean. Gradually, however, he finds himself drawn into the eroticism that emerges from this bizarre combination.