Another interview with Cronenberg puffing ‘A History of Violence’, with a different take on ‘Crash’ -
Q: When Crash came out, a lot of people took it literally and thought it was stupid — how can you get turned on by a car crash? — instead of thinking of it as a metaphor. I mean, it wasn’t really about cars.
A: Crash, both the book and the movie, are fairly special artworks that require a non-literal approach. [Author] J.G. Ballard invented this weird subculture to discuss the nature of subcultures — people who get into weird activities and frames of mind because they are unable to derive satisfaction from the standard forms of behavior, including sexuality. So yes, you’re right, it wasn’t about cars. Although I could make the case — just for fun — that there are people like that, that there are some subcultures that exist where people crash cars for excitement.
Q: No, there isn’t!
A: [smiles] Well . . . OK, yes, we invented it.