The Dead Zone [DVD]

THE DEAD ZONE Don't you just love when one of your favorite books becomes one of your favorite movies? It is also great when it becomes one of your favorite TV shows of all time. I am of course talking about Stephen King's “The Dead Zone”. It is of course one of King's best and it became one of Director David Cronenberg's best films, probably my favorite. So when Scream Factory released this special addition I was all about it. Johnny Smith is having a great time with his girlfriend at a carnival until he starts to have a headache. After leaving her at her house he heads home only to be involved in a car accident leaving him in a coma. He awakens five years later learning that he not only lost five years of his life but also his girlfriend. But he also gained something as well, a psychic ability in which he can see the future. He goes on to help save people with his visions and even helps track a serial killer. But his biggest vision involves a politician running for Senate. He sees this man eventually becoming President and starting a nuclear war. Now it is a race against time on top of other visions involving other people including kids. This is one of the best King adaptations of all time and Cronenberg did an excellent job with this film. Jeffery Boamn as well did an excellent job with the screenplay as did the entire cast, Christopher Walken in particular. From the cinematography to the music everything is great. Scream Factory put together a perfect special addition. There are all kinds of behind the scenes and making of features with great interviews from those involved. But the best thing about this is the commentaries, the multiple commentaries, I love it. We great a super great one with the DP Mark Irwin and multiple very informative ones with film historians, LOVE them all. I super recommend this release.

Great picture for a DVD, I like the story. I’ll watch it again.

Great movie! Movies arrived safely and we're happy to add to our DVD collection. It played well on our DVD player.

The 1983 theatrical version of "The Dead Zone" directed by David Cronenberg is probably the most disappointing film adaptation of a Stephen King novel that I have seen, mainly because I had such heightened expectations. The novel was one of my favorite King novels and the only one that I have taught in class a couple of times (for quite different reasons) and when I first saw this film I knew exactly what went wrong. This will surprise a lot of you, but I thought casting Christopher Walken as Johnny Smith was a big mistake. I seem to remember somebody calling Walken the King of Weird (or maybe it was Prince) and when you take a weird guy like Walken and give him a weird power, such as psychic ability, it is just too weird. One of the reasons the character has the name that he has is because it was important to the story that the person that this happens to is basically an ordinary guy. Casting Walken, who is a remarkable actor, simply throws this idea away. Beyond the lead we are talking about a pretty good supporting cast, with Martin Sheen doing dark side political candidate Greg Stillson, and "Ice Castle" stars Tom Skerritt and Colleen Dewhurst reunited as Sheriff Bannerman and Henrietta Dodd. But I think a lot of the other casting is a bit off too, with Herbert Lom as Sam Weizak and Anthony Zerbe as Roger Stuart, so I get the feeling Cronenberg was trying to do something on purpose here. Certainly you can argue it provides a sense of uneasy because so many people are trying to play against type. Believe me, I know this is the minority opinion on this film, but this film just falls short for me. Jeffrey Boam's script comes up with some cinematic ways of presenting Johnny's visions that works well (and which has been exploited to great visual effects in the USA television series version of "The Dead Zone"). The film does not emphasize the logic of the string of situations that convince Johnny that he can change the future and do something about Stilson the way the novel does, but again that might just be my heightened sensitivity to what I consider the strength of King's novel. The best part of the film is the entire Castle Rock episode, with Johnny helping the skeptical but desperate Bannerman to end the killings in his town. Of course, this episode is helped by this being the one with Skerritt and Dewhurst. The weakest part is the bit with saving young Chris Stuart, because it jettisons the great bit in the book in favor of going back and replacing it with a variation on Johnny's childhood accident. That alteration seemed hardly worth the effort. However, read the book, watch the movie, and check out the television series so you can make up your own mind. Certainly you should find a couple of these versions of the story to your liking.

Ordered the steelbook and came same day in pristine condition. The 4k looks great on this film. Christopher Walken is prime in this Cronenberg classic. All around happy with my purchase.

Blu-Ray looks & sounds amazing. Exceptional special features as well. Exactly as described & arrived on time

Great film that stands the test of time. The great cast pushes the film forward, particularly Christopher Walken as John Smith, Anthony Zerbe as the wealthy helicopter dad Roger Stuart, Tom Skerrit as Sheriff Bannerman, and of course Martin Sheen as bad guy Greg Stillson. The video I received was in great condition and helped me relive my 80s memories on film. Thank you Amazon for providing enormous assistance in locating 80s films for my nostalgia trip which I could not find in thrift shops.

This is a classic. Great movie to watch when reminiscing the 80s. Good story.