The Dead Zone (1983)

This movie has been running on the pay channels lately, and I have been watching repeatedly. I saw this movie years ago, and I never took the time to read the book. Therefore, I picked up the book and read it. I have read probably 25 Steven King books and in every case the book is always better than the movie, here was the first. The movie The Dead Zone is by far superior to the book. The book of course has more detail and characters, but the book's characters are boring. Martin Sheen as Greg Stillson was a perfect fit. The changes in the story, (without giving away the movie), where much better in the movie than in the book. A fun suggestion, read the book, and then watch the movie. See if I'm rightÂ…Â….

Fmovies: No matter how many times I see this movie, I just can't get enough of it. If your into those films about a person who gets some powers which may appear to be a blessing but is actually a curse - giving a cool film a dramatic twist, then this film is a must. I've read the book, and it is better than the movie - but what isn't? I have purposely not mentioned any scenes or even the storyline because I wouldn't want anyone to even miss a small amount of the pleasure from watching the film. So all I will say is that this movie is a blockbuster, and a person who hasn't seen it has missed a lot. Great movie and story Stephen King is a master in story telling and this is one of his greatest books about power, irony, and faith.

One of the unwritten laws of the movies is that Stephen King books are nearly always disappointing when transferred to the big screen. One film which doesn't fit that rule is The Dead Zone. In the hands of David Cronenberg, you may expect this to be a gore-filled affair, but it is actually a very well-made, subtle film which emphasises the psychological sense of fear rather than settling for blood-spattered mayhem. There isn't a moment in the film that will make you jump out of your seat, but it is still an effectively scary film because it plays on your mind.

Normal, down-to-earth everyman Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) is involved in a terrible car crash which leaves him comatose. Four years later, he miraculously awakens. To begin with, he is devastated to learn that his girlfriend has moved on, marrying and starting a family with another man. But soon he realises that this is the least of his problems. He soon discovers that the accident has left him with remarkable powers, which enable him to see into people's futures just by touching their hand. And Johnny is in for one hell of a nasty shock when he shakes hands with potential senator Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen) at a political rally....

An intelligently paced and very well-acted film, The Dead Zone is also full of unpredictable plot developments. Walken elicits great sympathy as the normal guy who rapidly learns that his new gift is actually a curse, and there are fabulous supporting performances from Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom, Brooke Adams and the terrifying Martin Sheen. The film has several tremendous moments, but the climax in particular builds to an emotional crescendo. The premise of The Dead Zone is probably rather silly if you stop to think about it, but other than that it is a most impressive film - and still ranks as one of, if not THE, best adaptation of a Stephen King story so far.

The Dead Zone fmovies. If Hollywood could get back to maving good honest movies like this. You know the sort of movie. One that you can go to the cinema, pay your money and be entertained by a good story unspoiled by ugly CGI effect and mediocre TV actors who think they're A listers.

I watched Dead Zone after trying to tackle Cronenberg's Cosmpopolis having already seen the movie back in the 90's. I think I wanted to just check if Cronenberg really did make The Dead Zone and it was as good as I thought it was after seeing the turkey Cosmopolis.

My curiosity was confirmed. The Dead Zone was a good old fashioned horror thriller, intellectually provoking, great cinematography, great acting from all especially Walken who rarely disappoints. Is it too much to ask that Hollywood goes back to doing what they were always able to do very well? Probably!

The story is about a man who attains psychic abilities after 5 years in a coma due to a car crash. From that point Walken finds himself in various scenarios where his new super powers are put to the test. Martin Sheen hams it up as the nasty presidential candidate. I found the movie, sad in places, at times exciting and also thought provoking. Not as much gore as we normally see from Cronenberg but this was a mainstream production, probably the only one of two he made in that bracket, the other being The Fly.

The Dead Zone had all the ingredients of a good movie and I guess that's why it stands the test of time. I wonder who will remember Cosmopolis?

At this point in his career, Stephen King had the miraculous, almost Hitchcockian ability to allow a story to proceed from the most believable of circumstances, trickle like water delicately over tiny steps which, taken alone, did not seem too out of the ordinary, and then coalesce magnificently into masterpieces that defy categorization – not horror, not science fiction, but truly something magical, if unnameable. Dead Zone is such a masterpiece.

Owing in no small part to the subtle yet compelling performance of Christopher Walken, who in the same year would star in one of my most beloved films of the genre, Brainstorm, Dead Zone may well be one of King's best. Almost certainly based to some extent on real-life psychic Peter Hurkos, Dead Zone shows the master, King, taking an already well known premise to a new and thrilling conclusion.

The theme developed here is a common one for King. An innocent victim, through no fault of his own, is thrown into a paranormal world that will lead to an ultimate test. The idea is classic literary tragedy at its best, and is represented with equal aplomb in King's contemporaneous work such as Firestarter and Christine.

Director David Cronenberg, smoking hot at the time with masterpieces of his own – Scanners and Videodrome, delivers a film that resonates perfectly with King's book, with pacing and tone that capture what was best about King in this period. King himself was experiencing his golden age, with Cujo, Firestarter, Carrie and The Shining rounding out his catalog within a few years. In other words, this is the best of the best for some people who gave us some pretty good stuff.

The supporting cast is brilliant. Martin Sheen, Tom Skerritt, Anthony Zerbe, and the lovely Brooke Adams are all exceptional. Screenwriter Jeffrey Boam, who also penned such classics as Lost Boys, Lethal Weapon 2 and 3, and the Witches of Eastwick, crafted a brilliant treatment that works absolutely perfectly from start to finish. Michael Kamen's brilliant score is but one jewel in the crown of his many achievements, and was said to be so disturbing that overhearing him practicing it gave his neighbors nightmares.

I suppose I could try to think of more ways to say it, but there is no need. It can be summed up once and for all in a single sentence. Dead Zone is perfection.

It seems that movies starring Christopher Walken just can't go wrong! David Cronenberg's adaptation of Stephen King's "The Dead Zone" features him in one of his most interesting roles as literature teacher Johnny Smith, who becomes psychic after surviving a car wreck. He uses his newfound power to help people avoid danger, but soon faces a moral dilemma when it looks like political candidate Greg Stilson (Martin Sheen) may become the next Hitler.

This is one of those movies that has shades of everyone involved in it. Walken's eerie presence, Sheen's (apparent) "aw shucks" demeanor, plus the horrific feeling of Cronenberg and King. You're sure to love it. Also starring are Brooke Adams as Johnny's ex hubby, and Herbert Lom as a doctor (you may expect him to launch into an anti-Clouseau diatribe, but his role here is as far removed from Commissioner Dreyfus as possible).

Very well done.