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.

Rabid (1977) #400

"Rabid" is a thrilling and an unexpected surprise from writer/director David Cronenberg. As Mr. Cronenberg's fourth feature film, "Rabid" crosses genres and themes seamlessly, giving the viewer brief glimpses of material that the director would delve deeper into in the coming years. Elements of sexuality, unique violence, and general WTF moments fill this film in some of the most entertaining ways. It could be said that this film laid the groundwork for such films as "28 Days Later" and "REC", films that wouldn't grace the silver screen for more than twenty years later.

I was bracing myself for some particular cheesy acting and visuals because the film was produced in the late 1970's but my fears were quickly abated once the action began, mere minutes after the credits finished rolling. I love this movie because it IS so unique; the reasons and the way that one person makes another "rabid" is clever and completely original. The fact that all of the victims, including the host, never had any recollection of the horror that they experienced until they feel the thirst for blood and further spread the disease themselves.

Rose is severely burned after she and her boyfriend have a terrible accident on their motorcycle. Rose is rushed to a nearby plastic surgery clinic where the lead doctor tends to her wounds, using unusual techniques that have an unexpected side effects. The transplants and skin grafts take, but Rose is left with an unconscious thirst for blood and a new appendage from to which to feed. Each victim that falls prey to Rose soon becomes infected with rabies like symptoms as well as a similar thirst for blood. As the search for Rose by her boyfriend continues, the city slowly falls into chaos as more and more people become "Rabid".

Favorite moment - When the doctor that treated Rose begins to suffer is rabid tendencies while in the middle of an operation.

Scanners (1981) #392

"Scanners" is a clever, original horror film that was written and directed by a young David Cronenberg. Unlike some of his other films from the 1970's and early 1980's, While "Scanners" is pretty tame compared to Cronenberg's other films, it still has it's wild moments which include Micheal Ironside doing what he does best, acting completely terrifying and insane. The film is about a handful or telepaths and a research/government agency that tries to control and use them. The agency refers to them as scanners because they can "scan"  and control other people and even computer systems. Like other movies in the early 1980's that deal with telepathic powers, the people with these gifts don't always know how to control their powers. In the case of "Scanners", the telepaths are social outcasts, often times unable to block out the voices of the people around them. Those few who have mastered their powers are formidable and deadly.

Cameron Vale is the latest telepath to be rounded up by ConSec, a mysterious agency that trains telepaths to work for them. After their last remaining telepathic agent is killed by a rogue scanner during a conference, Mr. Vale is trained to act as an undercover agent. Vale is able to infiltrate a group of former ConSec telepaths and track down the rogue telepath, the murderous Daryl Revok.

Favorite scene - The telepathic showdown between Vale and Revok. This scene would one day inspire an epic homage that would appear on "South Park".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22Tj_l4PcPs

Videodrome (1983)

David Cronenberg made a name for himself early in his career for creating some truly fantastic, violent, reality bending films. He wrote most of his films that has directed and one of the more unusual productions from his early career is "Videodrome". The movie almost feels like a David Lynch film except for the fact that it has a clear linear plot. The movie explores themes of obsession and control by having the protagonist Max Renn (James Woods) suffering through both experiences. The film dances back and forth from reality and Max's hallucinations more and more as the story races towards its end. The special effects and make-up by Rick Baker are creative and look organic, impressive work for that time period.

Max Renn is the president of a UHF television station in Toronto who is always seeking the next "big thing", but to him the next "big thing" has to be something that pushes the boundaries of good taste and has to shock his audience; his station showcases softcore porn and similar fare. When one of his engineers comes across a pirated signal that is showing people being tortured in various ways in a large orange room, Max becomes obsessed in finding out where the signal is coming from so he can air it for his station. During his search he meets Niki Brand, a radio personality who helps people on her show. Niki turns out to love S&M and becomes more obsessed than Max, going so far as to travel to Pittsburgh when they learn that that is where the signal is coming from. As the movie progresses, Max begins to have violent hallucinations, finding it difficult to tell what is real and what isn't. It doesn't help that an expert that he seeks help from is nothing more than a deceased man who has days worth of VHS tapes that contain all of his thoughts because he refused to talk to anyone directly. When Max finds out the sinister truth about the show "Videodrome" and his connection to it, he goes on a violent revengeful rampage throughout Toronto. 

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

Nightbreed (1990)

"Nightbreed" is the second professional movie that Clive Barker directed and also his most awkward. Heavy handed studio executives telling Barker to add more here and there, effectively altering the film into something that he was not expecting. Watching the movie, you get the feeling that there are bits and pieces missing but honestly, the short story doesn't answer those questions either. This was also when Barker came out as being gay and the movie is his metaphor for that.

"Nightbreed" is about a man named Boon, who keeps having vivid dreams about a city full of monsters. He has been going to a psychiatrist for help for a few years. Dr. Decker reveals that Boon has been behind a rash of violent murders around town. He gives Boon some lithium and tells him to turn himself in. Before Boon can do so he is hit by a truck and taken to a hospital. While there, Boon meets a patient who tells him about the city of Midian before slicing his face to shreds.

Boon drives out to Midian and comes across two of the Breed, monsters that live in Midian and hide from humanity. One of them becomes enraged and bites Boon, even though it is against the law for the Breed to spill blood. Dr. Decker sets Boon up to the police, who end up gunning him down outside the gates of the city. Boon awakens in a morgue, now a member of the Nightbreed due to the bite he suffered. He returns to Midian and becomes its guardian. The movie ends with a climatic fight between Dr. Decker, the local oppressive police force, a closeted priest, the Nightbreed, Boon and his girlfriend Lori.

One of the problems I have with the movie is how is it possible that everyone is able to find Midian so easily? Boon is told where it is by Narcisse, but how did he know? How was able to find it by just stopping by a seedy trucker stop bar? Isn’t a hidden city of monsters supposed to be…hidden?

It's worth noting that Dr. Decker is played famed director David Cronenberg, Dirk Lylesberg is played by Doug Bradley, and the score was written by Danny Elfman!

Favorite moment – Any scene where Dr. Decker is dressed as his murderous alter ego.

The Fly (1986)

In 1986, famed horror director David Cronenberg decided to remake one of Hollywood’s most famous horror movies from the 50’s, “The Fly”. The basic premise is the same; a scientist who has created a machine that allows teleportation but is forever changed when tries to use the machine himself, unaware that a single household fly is in the pod with him, and the horrifying results that come from this experiment. In the original film the doctor and the fly swap body parts, an arm and their heads. In this version it’s not as simple. Instead the scientist Brundle and the fly are merged and throughout the film, we watch as Brundle slowly becomes a human sized fly. The change comes slowly first effecting his confidence, strength and stamina. Soon fingernails and teeth fall out and the doctor discovers new methods to eat. The movie is graphic and violent and we love it.

Practically everything about this movie is perfect from the quality of the story to the strength of the actors; both Jeff Goldblum, as Brundle, and Geena Davis delivery quality performances throughout the film. And since the movie was produced in the 80s, the special effects are clever and relied more on make-up more than anything else. I strongly believe that a movie of this nature would include too many CGI effects if this was filmed today. I also strongly believe that this is one of the best remakes of any movie I've seen; it honors the original while feeling updated and current. This is a horror movie for people who like horror movies.

Favorite moment – When Gina Davis delivers the famous line “Be afraid. Be very afraid.” 

A man and his teleportation machine

A man and his baboon

A fly-man and his food