World Famous Comics: The Dead Zone (Special Collector's Edition)
The Dead Zone (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom, Anthony Zerbe Directed By: David Cronenberg Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Paramount Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: September 26, 2006 Running Time: 103 minutes Theatrical Release Date: October 21, 1983
Amazon.com: The Dead Zone is based on a novel by Stephen King, directed by David Cronenberg (Scanners, The Fly) and produced by Debra Hill (Halloween, The Fog). Such a trio of horror vets would be expected to come up with an evening of shocks and gore, but The Dead Zone is a surprise. While it has great atmospheric eeriness and undeniably scary moments, The Dead Zone is at heart a sensitive and thoughtful portrayal of main character Johnny Smith's dilemma. Christopher Walken, king of the vaguely creepy, plays Smith, a man who awakens from a five-year coma with the very mixed blessing of second sight. At the mere touch of a hand, Smith is unwillingly launched into scenes of past and future terror. (Director Cronenberg is said to have fired blanks from a .357 Magnum just out of camera range to keep Walken's flinching spontaneous.) The Dead Zone wisely takes its time telling the story, and thus allows for some great performances. Walken gives a rich portrayal of the conflicted Smith, and Colleen Dewhurst and Tom Skerritt both do welcome turns in smaller roles. The most fun of all, though, is clearly being had by Martin Sheen, who gives a spirited performance as a complete sleazebag. --Ali Davis
Product Description: Christopher Walken wakes from a coma due to a car accident only to find he has lost five years of his life and yet gained psychic powers. Foreseeing the future appears to be a 'gift' at first but ends up causing problems...System Requirements:Running Time: 103 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: R UPC: 097361183541 Manufacturer No: 118354
A Quirky Part for an Actor Who Is Willing to Gamble Christopher Walken has made a career out of taking those oddball, quirky, edgy roles. Never satisfied with the easy path, he, like Harvey Keitel, takes the tricky, adventurous over the safe and sometimes more profitable parts. He often plays the role of a strange, eerie, kind of nutcase character. Always he seems to be stretching his acting muscles and evolving as an actor. The book is part of the prolific Stephen King's franchise. In "The Dead Zone," The lead character, Walken as Johnny, spends five years in a coma, and comes out of it with psychic powers. Because he can see into the past and future, and see events taking place elsewhere in the present, he is able to save lives, snare a serial killer, smoke our evildoers, and prevent catastrophes. He learns that he can not only foretell the future but change it. Almost like a comic book super hero. Herbert Lom is very good as Johnny's doctor. Walken gives an intense performance. Somehow the movie has a low budget feel to it, or could it be downscale production values? The movie is not from one of King's horror books and benefits from this fact. It deals not so much with the supernatural but the paranormal powers of a sad, believable, realistic person. It's a movie to while away some time with. There is nothing brain-wrenching here. Nine Lives Too Many The Daemon in Our Dreams The Rice Queen Spy Clawed Back from the Dead
THE DEAD ZONE A special collector's edition, The Dead Zone is well worth purchasing. Based on one of Stephen King's earlier novels, it is excitingly fast-paced and entertaining. Christopher Walken is outstanding in the starring role of the psychic who has a gift he would not have asked for, one that in the end proves life-saving on a grand scale. Buy the movie! You won't be sorry.
The Dead Zone lives... I saw the Dead Zone many years ago and was a movie I wanted in my collection. The movie, an early David Cronenberg venture, is one of those that makes you think, what would I do if I was in the same situation? A moderately strong story with good acting especially by Christopher Walken in the lead role. Throughly enjoyable and one you should see at least once if not twice.
DZ packs an emotional wallop... This superb David Cronenberg adaptation of Stephen King's THE DEAD ZONE is comprise of excellence in acting,dramatic suspense,production values and cinematic artistry.This is Cronenberg's best film.He evidences control of his material that he NEVER displayed before or since.Anyone who enjoys...or despises...this director's typical "over-the-top" indulgence in his movies may be stunned by his "reach exceeding his grasp"in presenting,perhaps,the best King film yet made.Christopher Walken demonstrates startling range of emotion as "the psychic cripple" who is able to see and change the future. This is young Walken's best role(with perhaps exception of DEER HUNTER,Nick).The irony that this first class film was consigned to the pile of well-made B thrillers will be manifest to anyone who views it without prejudice or preconception.
The A-team of actors who comprise THE DEAD ZONE may surprise casual viewers(who perhaps saw the rather redundant TV version)into realizing DZ is a serious character study.(The film is far more accomplished than Stanley Kubrick's vastly over rated adaptation of King's THE SHINING). Martin Sheen's role as charismatic(closet psychotic)politician who is destined to be anti-Christ and ignite a nuclear WW III(IV:if you agree the US defeat of USSR in the Cold War was WW III without nukes)is truly terrifying as one watches a vacuous,unaccomplished demagogue manipulate masses into an adulation that will lead to Apocalypse.
THE DEAD ZONE,in my estimate,is a great film.It was also ahead of its time.Like JOHNNY SMITH/Christopher Walken,I prognosticate DZ needs to be seen now for reasons that are both ironically and dangerously relevant now(777 stars)...
Another Cronenberg classic Film adaptations of Stephen King books have really proven to be a hit or miss matter over the years. It's risky business, but as far as The Dead Zone goes, we have a direct hit. The Dead Zone also seems to be somewhat of a departure from Cronenberg's films that are a little darker in subject matter and on the gory side. Still, it sits right up there among the best of his filmography and is a great blend of drama with some science fiction and a touch of horror as well.
The Dead Zone tells the tale of Johnny Smith, a well liked school teacher who is soon to be married. On his way home one stormy night, Johnny is involved in a bad car crash that leaves him in a coma for five years. When he awakes he finds he is out of a job, his girl has moved on, and five years of his life have gone by, but also he discovers that he has acquired the gift of second sight. He soon determines that he is able to look into a person's past, present, or future at the mere touch of the hand. Before Johnny even leaves the hospital, his unique abilities are already the talk of the town and headlining the newspapers.
At first Johnny is bitter and considers his gift more of a burden or curse rather than a blessing. But as time goes by he decides to use his foresight and teaching talents for good when he assists the police in finding a murderer. Eventually he begins tutoring the son of an affluent family and learns of a sleazy politician with his sights set on Presidency of the United States. When Johnny catches a glimpse of the future under the the man's Presidency, he sees an outcome so terrible that he takes it upon himself to alter the future for the sake of the nation and perhaps the world.
Christopher Walken is at the top of his game in his portrayal of Johnny Smith and really makes the character a heartfelt and admirable one in one of his best performances ever. Martin Sheen also shines here as the complete scum bag politician and creates a character that evokes feelings the exact opposite of how we feel about Johnny. Overall The Dead Zone is an interesting tale that has its feel-good moments as well as its dark and creepier ones. For its age it is every bit as effective nowadays if not more so than when it was released. A great Stephen King adaptation, a great Cronenberg film, and one of Christopher Walken's shining moments, in other words a fantastic movie. Definetly check this one out.
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