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The Dead Zone [DVD] [1983] | ![The Dead Zone [DVD] [1983]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51sFWztij1L._SL160_.jpg) | Director: David Cronenberg
Actors: Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom, Anthony Zerbe
Studio: Prism Leisure
Category: DVD
List Price: £5.99
Buy New: £4.14
as of 22/11/2009 09:39 GMT details
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Rating:  15 reviews
Sales Rank: 5137
Format: PAL
Languages: English (Original Language), Russian (Original Language)
Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region: 2
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 104 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5050159430154
ASIN: B00005V8UW
Theatrical Release Date: October 21, 1983
Release Date: August 30, 2004
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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Amazon.co.uk Review
One of the very best Stephen King film adaptations, IThe Dead Zone/I is imbued with an ever-present atmosphere of dread. Shot in a permanently wintry Canada (standing in for New England), the icy backdrops are subtly employed by director David Cronenberg to accentuate the story's fatalistic tone. Cronenberg's welcome emphasis for the most part on psychological terror over physical shocks (something of a change of direction for him after IThe Brood/I and IScanners/I) is further enhanced by composer Michael Kamen's marvellously chilly music score and Christopher Walken's understated yet dominating central performance as high school teacher Johnny Smith, who wakes from a coma following a car crash to learn that he has been cursed with the gift of second sight. That his uncanny ability is indeed a curse and definitely not a blessing is made abundantly clear: even when Johnny is able to save people's lives, there is always a price to pay. The cosmic law of Karma is grimly unforgiving. Herbert Lom, as Johnny's sympathetic doctor, sums up the character's plight, "Some things just weren't meant to be." And even when Johnny learns the terrible secret of future Presidential candidate Greg Stillson (a villainous Martin Sheen), he knows he cannot act without accepting the fatal consequences. Brooke Adams, as the love of Johnny's life, and Tom Skerrit, as the quietly desperate sheriff on the trail of a serial killer, are excellent in support.p BOn the DVD:/B this disc comes with a chunky accompanying booklet with background notes on the film, cast and director, as well as a script excerpt for the originally planned pre-credits sequence (in the finished film we assume Johnny's second sight is a result of the car accident--this earlier screenplay follows the book more closely). The movie itself--which features the "scissor-suicide" scene uncut--is accompanied by a chatty and informative commentary from film critics Stephen Jones and Kim Newman (a regular Amazon.co.uk contributor). Both the 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen picture and the Dolby 5.1 sound are adequate if unexceptional. --IMark Walker/I
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 15
 A brilliant, underappreciated adaptation of King's novel December 1, 2003
Daniel Jolley (Shelby, North Carolina USA)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
For some reason, The Dead Zone has always been one of my least favorite Stephen King novels, but I have to say this movie adaptation of the novel is first-rate indeed, one of the most underappreciated of all the movies based on the work of the king of horror. The film's success is due in large part to Christopher Walken; with a less capable actor filling the role of Johnny Smith, this movie could have turned out as flat as a pancake. Walken, the consummate actor, is mesmerizing here. It's a complex role to play, as Johnny Smith has not exactly been blessed by the kind hands of fate. When we first meet him, he is a happy English teacher preparing to marry the woman he loves; a stormy night and a runaway milk tanker later, he wakes up to find that five years have passed, his girl has married someone else, and he is all but incapable of even walking. If you think this is a film about eliminating a politician of great and destructive evil, you're not even half-right. While that is of course the focus of the concluding minutes, the movie itself is all about Johnny's struggles to come to terms with his new life, a new life which includes a frightening power to see into the past and future of those whom he physically touches. The first manifestation comes in handy, as he helps save a nurse's little girl from dying in a fire, but traumatic, soul-draining visions of horror take a lot out of a guy as time moves on. pJohnny first comes to terms with his power when he agrees to help the police discover the identity of an elusive serial killer walking the streets of Castle Rock (which, for some strange reason, is supposedly located in New Hampshire rather than Maine). This experience only makes him retreat farther into himself, compelling him to move to another town and try to begin a new life within the comfort of his own protective walls. A traumatic vision concerning one of the students he is tutoring leads him to discover a new aspect of his power, and this discovery comes just in time for him to make a difficult decision as to whether or not to sacrifice his own life in order to prevent a truly cataclysmic event from taking place in the future.pDavid Cronenberg directs this bleak but absorbing film, but don't expect the kind of gore Cronenberg is famous for, as this is not a gore-mired film by any means (although the deaths we do witness are pretty satisfyingly presented). The Dead Zone is a psychological study of human nature and a suspenseful thriller, not a horror movie per se. Martin Sheen leaves an unforgettable mark on the film with his portrayal of as slimy and dangerous a politician as you would ever want to meet (and, as a side note, impersonating Elvis Presley's voice apparently goes over big among New England voters for some reason). pA lot of care and detail went into the making of The Dead Zone, and it shows. The atmosphere is dark and palpable from start to finish, and Christopher Walken commands the viewer's rapt attention at all times. There are a number of very moving scenes, particularly in relation to Johnny's new relationship with his former fiancée, so don't be surprised if Walken coaxes a tear or two out of the corners of your eyes. Many of the early movies based on King novels did not translate to the big screen very effectively, but The Dead Zone is an often overlooked and very impressive exception.
The Dead Zone.....My Destiny January 11, 2002
16 out of 17 found this review helpful
Surely the most satisfying of all Stephen King's film adaptations, The Dead Zone finds both writer(King) and Director David Cronenberg in excellent form. Johnny Smith(Chris Walken) wakes up from a 5 year coma to find that by touching someone he can see visions of their past, present and future.brHounded by the press and forced into hiding, he finds himself thrown into the path of Greg Stilson(Marty Sheen) who is running for president. Smith's vision of Stilson's and the world's future, as he gets to shake his hand at a political rally, provokes the life changing question for us all; if you lived in Germany in 1939 and knowing what you know now of what Hitler would become, what would you do... would you kill him?brThis tense and beautifully acted forgotten masterpiece is worthy of anyone's collection and warrants repeated viewing in an attempt to unravel the many inter-woven texts.
One of the best ever Stephen King adaptations November 2, 2000
cqkris@aol.com (Scotland)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
David Cronenberg's adaptation of Stephen King's chiller, proves to be a classic piece of film making. Deeply moving and deeply original this film will have your hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Christopher Walken is excellant as the lead actor 'Johnny Smith' and Cronenberg's direction is also first class. This is how Stephen King adaptations should be made.
The Dead Zone - brilliant!!! April 21, 2001
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I really think this is a great film - i enjoyed the book so much too! reading the book was what influenced me to watch the film! its well worth watching!!
what an amazing idea - 'the hands thing' November 29, 2000
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
The best film I have seen. If you put two genius's together this is what happens. Stephen king and David Cronenberg, could it be any better?
Showing reviews 1-5 of 15
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