The Dead Zone (DVD)

...a few worth watching, but the majority are simply awful and only worth watching just to rule them out of your collection. However, there is one that stands head and shoulders above any others a film much overlooked by many King fans," The Dead Zone. "Released in 1983 it was one of those films which were dwarfed by the many excellent films in other genres at that time, simply put, 1983 was a good year for the film industry. Yet the film ...
...for five years. Awakening from the coma the miracle soon turns into a nightmare when Johnny finds he has physic powers he cannot control. A mere touch of someone's hand can propel him into the past or future and on touching his favourite nurse's hand he averts fate by "seeing" her child trapped in a fire. The child is saved and it's then that he knows he can change the future. Overcome by the following press conference and finding his fiancée ... more

I've been a fan of Stephen King's books as long as I can remember (some thirty years) so it should follow that I would be equally enamoured of every film made based on his books. Unfortunately, as many other fans have found out, his books do not adapt easily into films, I think I can safely say that I could even count them on one hand. At their best they are memorable, in between are a few worth watching, but the majority are simply awful and only worth watching just to rule them out of your collection. However, there is one that stands head and shoulders above any others a film much overlooked by many King fans," The Dead Zone. "Released in 1983 it was one of those films which were dwarfed by the many excellent films in other genres at that time, simply put, 1983 was a good year for the film industry. Yet the film still managed to collect some four awards, mainly in the horror genre.

Synopsis
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Johnny Smith has everything to live for, a successful teacher with a fiancée that he adores, but fate steps in and in a horrific car crash he sustains not only bodily injuries but falls into a coma which lasts for five years. Awakening from the coma the miracle soon turns into a nightmare when Johnny finds he has physic powers he cannot control. A mere touch of someone's hand can propel him into the past or future and on touching his favourite nurse's hand he averts fate by "seeing" her child trapped in a fire. The child is saved and it's then that he knows he can change the future. Overcome by the following press conference and finding his fiancée is now married with a baby he retreats into solitude.

But even then he finds no peace when he is called on by a sheriff to try to solve a case of multiple murder where young girls are raped and strangled to death. In harrowing scenes of flashbacks Johnny eventually uncovers the killer in a weird twist, which leads to the deaths of two people. The incident is so traumatic he seeks the help of a psychiatrist who recommends peace and quiet and a slow return to normalcy. This he finds in teaching a reclusive young boy with an overbearing father but in another psychic vision he sees the boy Chris drowning whilst ice-skating and by persuading Chris not to go on the trip he saves his life but alienates the father losing contact with a boy he has come to love.

On a rare trip out he touches the hand of Greg Stillson, a candidate for election and in that brief moment he sees a terrible future if this smarmy but popular man ever comes into power. Even worse is the fact that his ex-fiancée Sarah and her husband are helping Stillson with his campaign. Tormented by nightmarish visions of the future and his increasing incapacity (a lame leg and splitting headaches) he knows he must do something to prevent Stillson gaining office and in a race against time the film reaches a terrible climax.

Screenplay and Characters
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Stephen King's best-selling book of the same name was brought to life vividly by the screenwriter Jeffrey Boam and managed to stay as close to the book as possible. It helped that this was one of King's less supernatural and more of a thriller kind of book although some of the scenes could not quite capture the horror of the book. King's strength is in his characters' thoughts more than in their actions but in the character of Smith lays a hero that many people could relate to. Visions are, after all, easier to portray than monsters of the mind. The casting of Christopher Walken as the haunted figure of Johnny really made the film; Walken is a superb actor is such roles, his previous portrayal as the young American soldier in "The Deer Hunter" was more powerful in his facial expressions than in any speech. So it was in "The Dead Zone", Walken's character managed to look haunted throughout the film, what he didn't say was as important as what he showed in each nuance of feature and body language.

Herbert Lom gave as usual a brilliant performance as Dr Sam Weizak, Smith's doctor and psychiatrist. Brook Adams was convincing in the role of Smith's love interest, Sarah Bracknell while Martin Sheen positively oozed both charm and menace as the charismatic Gregg Stillson. Attention to detail in the minor characters such as Sheriff Bannerman (A popular figure in many of King's novels) played by Tom Skerritt and the young Simon Craig as Chris Stuart (the withdrawn boy) added to the film a touch of realistic drama in the middle part of the film where Smith's character needed to fill out.

The film was shot on location in Ontario, Canada the bleak winter skies and the snowy landscape served to further isolate the character of Smith and make his physical distress look even more real. Add to that the melancholy score by Michael Kamen and the entire film takes on one of King's more dramatic and plausible stories.
The director, David Cronenberg was no stranger to horror making many lower budget "gory" films before becoming a more serious director, this more restrained directorship coupled with a knowledge of how to get the most out of the actors in "horror" makes for an atmospheric film which carries the suspense right to the end.

It's not an easy task reviewing an older film especially in the era of DVD's, I can't comment on any "extras" when I haven't seen the DVD but a quick look on Amazon reassures me that most of the DVD is solely the original film. I saw it at the cinema when it first came out and later bought the video as part of a package. I loved the film then and can still watch it again especially in an era when politicians have the ultimate power to do things in the name of the people who elected them. Somehow this film only seems to underline the very real fears for the future, a disturbing yet enlightening thought, maybe we all need to look inside that "Dark Zone" the part of the brain we cannot yet see.

It's worth looking around to get a bargain on the DVD, Amazon are competitive at £5.99 although E-bay are selling it with Firestarter at about £6 to £7.

Finally a bit of trivia, at the start of the film the character Johnny Smith sets his English class a book to read "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", Christopher Walken starred in Tim Burton's masterpiece of the same name (1999) as the headless horseman alongside Johnny Depp.

As Usual, thanks for reading
© Lisa@Ciao.

 

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