The Dead Zone (1983) #445

“The Dead Zone” was released in movie theaters back in October of 1983. At this point, Stephen King was a well established writer with nine published novels, with four of those adapted in to films; his work was well known but he was still being discovered by a legion of new fans. Those first few films were directed by highly respected directors such as Brian De Palma, Stanley Kubrick, and George A. Romero, so it was only appropriate that an equal master of horror helmed this adaptation. David Cronenberg was brought on as director, having made his an impressive repertoire of films in the horror sub-genre of body horror.

I have read the novel and was pleased that the script was basically a streamlined version of the original source. Several scripts were presented to be considered, including a version from Mr. King, but Cronenberg found it to be “too brutal”. “The Dead Zone” was one of the more restrained stories that Mr. King had written at this point so it only made sense to carry over that restraint to the film version. Overall, the main beats of the original story help move the narrative forward from beginning to end. 

A major focal point of both the novel and film is the moral question if you would kill someone if you knew that it would save countless other lives. The example of going back in time to kill Hitler before he rose to power is asked and examined in both mediums. The novel does spend more time debating this moral dilemma while the film has Johnny ask the question before deciding what course of action to take.

Christopher Walker is perfect as Johnny Smith, a young teacher in love who is nearly killed in a tragic car accident. Mr. Walker’s physical mannerisms and his unique speech style are well suited for this particular role. Brooke Adams plays Johhny’s love interest Sarah, Herbert Lom is Dr. Sam Weizak, Johnny’s doctor who helps to identify Johnny’s psychic ability. Tom Skerritt is the perfect Sheriff Bannerman, the main law man in Castle Rock who is at his wits end to solve a series of grisly murders. The cast is rounded out with Martin Sheen as Greg Stillson, a popular but dangerous politician who keeps Johnny awake at nights.

The Dead Zone (1983)

“The Dead Zone” is another excellent film where a Stephen King story is given to an accomplished director to bring to the screen. In this case it was David Cronenberg, who was already well known as a director of horror movies after having such recent hits as “Scanners” and “Videodrome”. Unlike Kubrick and his version of “The Shining”, Cronenberg followed the original text closely enough to not avoid getting on Stephen King’s bad side…as far as I know. The movie had a talented cast that consisted of Martin Sheen, a young Christopher Walken as the main character Johnny Smith, and it was co-produced by Debra Hill. The original novel was published in 1979.

The film opens in Stephen King’s favorite town of Castle Rock, Maine. Johnny White, a school teacher, is madly in love with his girlfriend Sarah. One night while driving home, Johnny has a terrible car accident and falls into a coma for five years. When he awakes he discovers that he has developed a psychic ability to learn details about someone by touching them. He also learns that Sarah has gotten married and has a child. After word gets around about Johnny’s power, he’s approached by a sheriff of a small town to help solve a rash of serial murders. Johnny eventually agrees and learns that the killer is the sheriff’s own deputy. The deputy commits suicide but his mother shoots and wounds Johnny, who then moves away and becomes a hermit who makes a living tutoring a few children. He is approached for his powers once again and agrees to help, but in the process he learns that he can change the outcome of the future visions that he sees. This ultimately leads him to having a vision of death and destruction that involves a politician and thus sets the course for Johnny’s eventual final conflict. 

Johnny is having a vision

Johnny is hunting a candidate for the US Senate

The Prophecy (1995)

For me, “The Prophecy” is a film of highs and lows and the inability to find a consistent rhythm. I felt teased at how little screen time Eric Stoltz had and what he did during those few moments. His role started out strong but faltered. After he died and Christopher Walken became the focal point, the movie felt ok but had an annoying lack of definition; my main complaint is how did Simon (Eric Stoltz) know that Arnold Hawthorne was the soul that Gabriel (Christopher Walken) needed? But then all of a sudden Lucifer appears (Viggo Mortensen) and gives one of the best “I’m the Devil and this is what I want” speeches that I’ve ever seen. His slow, refined delivery and his complete presence were perfect for that character and moment. In the next scene we see Gaberiel with his new minion Rachel, a scene that seems more comical (although very dark) than trying to keep the suspenseful vibe that just took place. Overall, it’s a fun movie filled with big name stars (or people still coming up), half of which went “Pulp Fiction” to this film.

Ok, is it just me or did Elias Koteas come across as Bill Paxton’s doppelganger in this film? I swear you could have replaced one with the other and no one would have noticed.

“The Prophecy” is all about the angels in Heaven having a second war amongst each other over the idea that God loves humans more than angels because humans have souls. The war is not about over throwing God so I’m not sure what would happen if the angels who feel that they were second place would do if they won; I guess that is covered in one of the many sequels that followed. Anyway, Gaberil wants to find the darkest soul on Earth and recruit it to join his army of unloved angels. Simon, an angel who’s ok being second best, comes to earth and finds the soul and eats it. Simon goes to the town where the evil soul lived and hides it in a young girl. The girl’s teacher and a cop who almost became a priest are left trying to fend off Gabriel and his brought-back-from-the-dead minions.