The Dead Zone (1983)

SEPTEMBER 2, 2019

GENRE: SUPERNATURAL
SOURCE: THEATRICAL (REVIVAL SCREENING)

I started watching SNL when I was 11, so obviously there were a lot of sketches that went over my head, but every now and then I'd enjoy one even though I wasn't even fully clued into the joke. One such sketch was when Christopher Walken was hosting and he played a psychic who could foresee inconsequential events in the future of anyone he touched ("You get a pistachio that's really hard to open!"), which I found hilarious and quoted all the time over the next few weeks. However, at the time I hadn't seen The Dead Zone, the 1983 film starring Walken, so I had no idea he was parodying one of his own characters.

I finally got around to seeing it sometime in college, and more or less immediately followed it with a read of the book, but hadn't seen it in its entirety since. So watching it on the big screen (part of a Stephen King themed programming block at the newly opened Alamo Drafthouse in LA*) was basically seeing it for the first time; all I really remembered was how it ended and that the film was kind of episodic, though even the details on those two things were hazy. Long story short, it was great to discover that the film is one of the best King adaptations.

It's also one of the best David Cronenberg movies, though it's worth noting it rarely feels like one of his. Apart from being shot in Canada, it's got zero of his trademarks; hell, it doesn't even have a score from Howard Shore, as the the studio insisted on Michael Kamen (who did a fine job, for what it's worth). I can't fault a guy for following his bliss, but I also can be sad that he didn't make more traditionally commercial/studio films - it's accessible, but there's a matter of fact-ness to the film's proceedings that I don't see other directors attempting, and it serves the subject matter well.

Indeed, calling it a "horror movie" is misleading; it only really qualifies because of the pedigree of its creative team. As I mentioned the film is episodic, and one such "episode" is a chunk in the middle where Johnny helps the local sheriff (Tom Skerritt) find a serial killer, which is the closest it gets to standard horror territory. But Cronenberg isn't interested in kill or chase scenes, and allows just about all of the violence it contains (not much) to occur off-screen to boot. The serial killings are never mentioned prior to Bannerman's first appearance, and neither he or the storyline are mentioned again once Johnny identifies the killer (who offs himself) - you could essentially cut the entire chunk of the movie out and it'd have no effect on the rest.

After that the plot switches to Greg Stillson, whose significance is threaded into the narrative much earlier so it doesn't come out of nowhere like the killer. Stillson's an ambitious candidate for the New Hampshire senate (not sure why it was changed from Maine) who has no intention of stopping there - he wants to be President, and when Johnny manages to shake his hand at a rally, we see how devastating that will be (the specifics are vague, but he is apparently launching nukes at some enemy). Man, it's a good thing we will never have a President that's a crazy jerk like him with access to our weapons arsenal!

OK, better writers than me have written about those unfortunate parallels already, so I'll stop at the one joke. Instead I want to talk about a small part that really gutted me out of nowhere: when Johnny makes a small joke to his father about his recent tryst with his ex lover, who is now married to someone else (and whose child with that man is in the room when he makes said joke). My dad died a year after I got out of college, and less than a year after moving out of the family home into my own apartment; I was closer to a kid than a fully grown adult, so I have been forever denied the opportunity to talk to my dad as another man like Johnny was here, making a "boys club" kind of joke as opposed to one I could ever see myself telling my own father.

Indeed, I'm now as old as Walken was when he made the movie, and seeing that brief scene really hammered home how much I've missed out on having my pops as a kind of buddy I could complain to about work or life, or ask for advice regarding things that were not even in my foreseeable future the last time I was able to talk to him (i.e. parental concerns). I know King's books have these scenes of humanity that give me "the feels", but they rarely make their way intact to the screen - and I certainly wouldn't expect one of those exceptions to be in a David Cronenberg movie, as warmth isn't really his thing.

The structure can make it somewhat frustrating for viewers who aren't prepared for it (it may be why I only saw it the one time all those years ago), but if you put less weight on the narrative and focus on Walken's tragic Johnny, the film works like gangbusters. As you might expect, Walken isn't the first guy I'd assume to be playing the role of a normal school teacher who has to save the world, but he's terrific here, downplaying a lot of his usual tics in favor of becoming, in a way, a romantic lead. His scenes with Brooke Adams are heartbreaking, and he really disappears in the role - it's only when he gets enraged at a man ignoring his warnings that you'll see the crazed Walken you know from Batman Returns and things like that.

The movie came out in 1983, same as Cujo (which also featured Bannerman, albeit played by a different actor) and Christine. They all made about the same amount of money (in fact they would be back to back to back on the 1983 chart if not for The Rescuers breaking them up), but Dead Zone made the least of those similar amounts, which is typical since it's naturally the most well regarded, even with its dated idea of a politician's career sinking after he did something despicable. I'm glad Alamo chose to include it with its select group of King programming (they only picked I think six of the 40+ options), as who knows when I'd find the time to finally revisit it otherwise?

Also, for the longest time Cosmopolis was the only Cronenberg movie I got to see theatrically, which is just a horrible way to live. But thanks to rep screenings I've been able to see many others, including most of my faves (The Fly, The Brood, Dead Ringers, this), some even on 35mm. So now Cosmopolis is simply the *worst* Cronenberg movie I've seen on the big screen, and I can sleep easier at night.

What say you?

*Where I'll be hosting my beloved Cathy's Curse two weeks from today - if you're around and want to go, act fast as we're almost sold out!

13 comments:

  1. Cosmopolis is just terrible, period.

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  2. Re: your lame joke about the President; Trump is ending pointless wars, not trying to start them, unlike the guy before him that used drones to kill women and children in the Middle East. I come to your site because I love horror movies and to read your reviews, not your uninformed political commentary. If you want to debate on that, let me know and I will shred you in a discussion.

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    1. Interesting. I didn't mention Trump. You somehow translated my comment about a "crazy jerk" as being about him as opposed to any of the 44 other presidents. Why don't you think about why that is instead of (anonymously) insulting my intelligence?

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  4. I don't have to engage in "whataboutism", you dunce. That was you all from 2009-2017 to explain away the previous guy's massive failures I.E.-"What about Bush?!?" Our economy is at a half century high. Jobs the previous guy said "(were) gone forever" have come back. Illegal Immigration is way down. Minority unemployment is at record lows. We are not in an endless war, etc. Oh, and Rasmussen just had his approval rating at 50%, which is higher than the previous guy at this same exact point in his Presidency. But I can't expect a member of the welfare/illegal alien party to embrace accomplishments. It's more "what can you give us for free because we are too stupid to earn it on own?" And spare me this "put your name on it." If that's such a concern of yours, why did you have no problem with the person above doing it??? Oh right; they agreed with you and trashed the President with typical childish insults, so they are cool. You are not only a coward, but a hypocrite as well.

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    1. Nope, fake name, and not even a clever one. A month ago you would have used Hillary Mueller, I suppose? Sorry, bye. This is a horror movie review and you're turning it unpleasant by insulting me. And, not to mention, INSTANTLY doing the one thing I asked not to, which is compare him to predecessors. I don't recall any predecessors encouraging violence against reporters, calling other countries shitholes, blatantly lying about meaningless things like crowd sizes, and shitting on the memory of veterans. He is a stain on our country and an embarrasses us on a global level, and it's depressing how many people like you defend him when he does literally nothing to serve the country's interests, only his own.

      But sure, throw a few poll numbers around if it makes you feel better. Polls had his opponent winning the election, thought you'd know not to believe in them by now? Oh right, you folks only listen to things that back up what you want to believe, and dismiss everything else as lies. I hope you find peace someday, because for someone on the winning side you sure seem really angry, repeatedly firing back in the comments section of a horror movie instead of enjoying your life. Take care, "Joe".

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  5. LOL. First off, my name is Joe Hunter, you dunce coward. And an even bigger LOL about all the "facts" and the reasons why you don't like Trump. All are half-wit talking points from CNN and MSNBC, nothing actually relevant like the economy, infrastructure, jobs, etc. Why? Because you can't complain about those, can you??? And you all are the one's inciting violence against Trump supporters via ANTIFA, Maxine Walters telling people to "get in Trump supporters faces", having Democratic Elected Officials openly wish assassination on him, etc. You never saw Conservatives act like this when the previous guy was in charge, did you? Nope, just you all on the fascist left.

    But I'm so sorry that you are so afflicted with TDS that you have to resort to constantly talking about the President in horror movie reviews of movies from nearly 40 years ago. Then again it's obvious you have tons of time on your hands, what with being able to somehow watch movies while "at work" Now get busy erasing this comment because it makes you look bad, and/or you have no logical, intelligent response.

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    1. Oh man I just realized you're being sarcastic! The "never saw conservatives act like this" part tipped me off. Yeah they never went after Obama at all, cough birth certificate cough Merrick Garland cough tan suit cough. Oh man, I feel silly now. A+ work Joe! Sorry about your curiously unfortunate name too, that's gotta suck right now. No wonder you're so worked up!

      Anyway I'm glad you enjoyed DEAD ZONE!

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    2. The "constantly talking about the President" part is great too. One line, which - again - referenced a crazy person and you yourself decided it was a jab at Trump - equals constantly. Another solid burn at how Trumpers don't cater to any form of reality that I am aware of. Again, just really good work. You should apply to The Onion!

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