The Dead Zone (1983)
The Dead Zone (1983)
As Stephen King literary adaptations go, 1983’s The Dead Zone is one of the best ones you’ll see. King’s onscreen adaptations always been tumultuous and divisive at best-until the recent King-aissance. Despite the recent rise of interest, I do believe this is one of his better ones. Why, you may ask, do I think that? David Cronenberg’s taut direction and Christopher Walken’s incredible performance are the main culprits. Despite a few small lulls in the story, I was hooked from the beginning to end. This movie is a genre film. Because the characters are people, I became attached to, I forgot the premise had a sci-fi/fantasy base. That is how you know that the movie is actually working.
Written by Jeffrey Boam and directed by David Cronenberg, this is Cronenberg’s first foray into “big-budget” filmmaking per se. He has a weird style that people loved especially after his earlier films Scanners and Videodrome. His fans thought he became a sell out when venturing into the mainstream world. I do not think that is a case because even with a high budget, Cronenberg was able to keep his sense of weirdness. Despite being more accessible, this movie is still undeniably strange and Cronenberg relishes in that fact. It’s funny a guy like Cronenberg would direct a film like this especially since a more mainstream name, Stanley Donen was previously attached. As I like to say about any works from Stephen King, his adaptations need these kinds of directors that have the eye for weirdness.
Christopher Walken plays Johnny Smith, a mild-mannered English teacher. (I loved how the movie started with him reading Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven-certainly tells you what to expect). He leads a happy life and is in love with his girlfriend, Sarah (Brooke Adams). His life comes crashing down when he falls into a five-year coma after a major accident involving a tractor trailer. When he awakens, he learns he has the ability to see the future if he grasps someone’s hand. With the inability to really use his legs, losing his girlfriend, and the misunderstanding of his powers, life is difficult for him. With his powers and the help of the sympathetic Dr. Weizak (Herbert Lom) and Sheriff Bannerman (Tom Skerritt), Johnny may be able to contribute to society by stopping the conniving politician, Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen) from destroying the world.
Walken delivers an amazing performance. A performance that is on par with the one he delivered in 1978’s The Deer Hunter. Yes, he really is that good. It’s a performance that is haunting and really scary. Is this what life of a psychic entails? The supporting cast also delivers the goods. Brooke Adams as the innocent girlfriend/wife, Tom Skerritt as the toned-down police sheriff, and a deliciously hammy performance from Martin Sheen. Despite these supporting turns, I thought the best one was Herbert Lom as Walken’s doctor. The two of them together delivered amazing, emotional scenes together-especially when the powers are involved.
While the intense, gory images you associate with a Cronenberg film are not evident, the film still delivers a unique visual flair. When Johnny is having his visions, Cronenberg goes all out with the camera movement and the coloring to deliver a feast for the eyes. You can thank cinematographer Mark Irwin for that. The music also works with the film because of Michael Kamen’s haunting score.
The Dead Zone is a very good movie that makes you believe in the characters. If the story wobbled at any point, it is these strong characters that pick up and make you forget about any of these minor story issues. Walken’s performance and Cronenberg’s solid direction are reasons to give the movie a watch. This is not a true horror film, but I promise it will mess you up psychologically. A very gripping, intense, and depressing film that will surely grab you!
My Grade: B+
As Stephen King literary adaptations go, 1983’s The Dead Zone is one of the best ones you’ll see. King’s onscreen adaptations always been tumultuous and divisive at best-until the recent King-aissance. Despite the recent rise of interest, I do believe this is one of his better ones. Why, you may ask, do I think that? David Cronenberg’s taut direction and Christopher Walken’s incredible performance are the main culprits. Despite a few small lulls in the story, I was hooked from the beginning to end. This movie is a genre film. Because the characters are people, I became attached to, I forgot the premise had a sci-fi/fantasy base. That is how you know that the movie is actually working.
Written by Jeffrey Boam and directed by David Cronenberg, this is Cronenberg’s first foray into “big-budget” filmmaking per se. He has a weird style that people loved especially after his earlier films Scanners and Videodrome. His fans thought he became a sell out when venturing into the mainstream world. I do not think that is a case because even with a high budget, Cronenberg was able to keep his sense of weirdness. Despite being more accessible, this movie is still undeniably strange and Cronenberg relishes in that fact. It’s funny a guy like Cronenberg would direct a film like this especially since a more mainstream name, Stanley Donen was previously attached. As I like to say about any works from Stephen King, his adaptations need these kinds of directors that have the eye for weirdness.
Christopher Walken plays Johnny Smith, a mild-mannered English teacher. (I loved how the movie started with him reading Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven-certainly tells you what to expect). He leads a happy life and is in love with his girlfriend, Sarah (Brooke Adams). His life comes crashing down when he falls into a five-year coma after a major accident involving a tractor trailer. When he awakens, he learns he has the ability to see the future if he grasps someone’s hand. With the inability to really use his legs, losing his girlfriend, and the misunderstanding of his powers, life is difficult for him. With his powers and the help of the sympathetic Dr. Weizak (Herbert Lom) and Sheriff Bannerman (Tom Skerritt), Johnny may be able to contribute to society by stopping the conniving politician, Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen) from destroying the world.
Walken delivers an amazing performance. A performance that is on par with the one he delivered in 1978’s The Deer Hunter. Yes, he really is that good. It’s a performance that is haunting and really scary. Is this what life of a psychic entails? The supporting cast also delivers the goods. Brooke Adams as the innocent girlfriend/wife, Tom Skerritt as the toned-down police sheriff, and a deliciously hammy performance from Martin Sheen. Despite these supporting turns, I thought the best one was Herbert Lom as Walken’s doctor. The two of them together delivered amazing, emotional scenes together-especially when the powers are involved.
While the intense, gory images you associate with a Cronenberg film are not evident, the film still delivers a unique visual flair. When Johnny is having his visions, Cronenberg goes all out with the camera movement and the coloring to deliver a feast for the eyes. You can thank cinematographer Mark Irwin for that. The music also works with the film because of Michael Kamen’s haunting score.
The Dead Zone is a very good movie that makes you believe in the characters. If the story wobbled at any point, it is these strong characters that pick up and make you forget about any of these minor story issues. Walken’s performance and Cronenberg’s solid direction are reasons to give the movie a watch. This is not a true horror film, but I promise it will mess you up psychologically. A very gripping, intense, and depressing film that will surely grab you!
My Grade: B+
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