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.

Firestarter (1984)

“Firestarter” is another fun Stephen King novel that was turned into a movie in the early 1980’s, starring a young Drew Barrymore as Charlie, a girl who can create and control fire and heat. It also stars Martin Sheen in his second role as a Stephen King villain, this time in charge of the secret government agency known as The Shop, and George C. Scott as the deadly John Rainbird. It’s an easy movie to follow and understand and is simply fun to watch. Stephen King’s story is similar to “Carrie” in regards that both girls have mental powers but this film explores the “how’s and why’s” which allowed this movie to feel fresh and new.

College student Andrew McGee meets Victoria at a clinical study group that needed volunteers to test a new drug called Lot-6. They both survive the testing and discover that they have developed various mental powers. They get married and have a daughter together who ends up having a very dangerous and powerful mental gift, pyrokinesis, the ability to manipulate and create fire and heat. The government agency that performed the original testing is known as The Shop, and they become interested in harnessing the power their daughter Charlie has. The Shop kills Victoria and tries to kidnap Charlie but Andrew arrives in time to save her and the two go into hiding, trying to stay ahead of The Shop. They are eventually subdued and taken to The Shop itself where they are separated and coerced into demonstrating their abilities to the scientists there. But it’s only a matter of time before father and daughter are able to find a way to reunite and try to escape, but The Shop has other plans in mind…

Charlie unleashing her powers

John Rainbird, the assassin or the friend?

Charlie and Andrew on the run

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