THE DEAD ZONE Blu-ray Review: Cronenberg and Walken Do Stephen King’s Work Justice
Starring Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Martin Sheen
Directed by David Cronenberg
Distributed by Scream Factory
Long before Christopher Walken became the caricature he has embraced today, the man had a string of strong dramatic roles that came to define him as an actor capable of great range and untethered emotion. These strengths were matched by a murderer’s row of above-the-line talent in 1983 when director David Cronenberg and producers Dino De Laurentiis and Debra Hill came together for an adaptation of Stephen King’s 1979 novel, The Dead Zone. King’s work is ubiquitous on screens these days but back when this feature started production it was only the fifth project created from his work, the previous four being Carrie (1976), The Shining (1980), Creepshow (1982), and Cujo (1983) – nearly all directors with big shoes to fill. But Cronenberg is also in a league of his own, and along with Walken’s grounded, human performance the film manages to maintain King’s tone and succeed as a worthwhile adaptation even with numerous (necessary) changes to the story.
Walken stars as Johnny Smith, a schoolteacher in Castle Rock, Maine who is in the midst of courting Sarah (Brooke Adams). Suddenly, a car accident leaves him in a coma for five years. When Johnny awakens his world has changed; not only is Sarah now married with kids but he has attained some strange new ability to see visions through time simply by touching a person’s hand. The past, present, future, it’s all clear to Johnny due to this enhanced sense. Once word of his powers gets out, he attracts all manner of people desperate for answers; the film takes a closer look at three such encounters. First, a stumped policeman, Sheriff Bannerman (Tom Skerritt), pleads for Johnny’s help in catching a serial killer. Next, an upper-class father (Anthony Zerbe) asks Johnny to tutor his son and get him out of the depressive state in which he lives. Finally, a political candidate, Greg Stillson (Martin Sheen), shakes Johnny’s hand at a rally and immediately Johnny glimpses a future with Stillson as President. It is a future he cannot allow to come to pass.
At the point when news of Johnny’s arcane abilities is revealed, it feels like the world has changed. Suddenly, here exists a man who can answer life’s biggest questions. But all Johnny wants is to be left alone. He feels burdened with this miraculous gift and there’s enough material in that revelation alone to fuel multiple seasons of a television series (which they did, although I don’t know the direction that show went) so the idea of breaking up these encounters into three acts allows the film to focus on different uses of Johnny’s “dead zone”. His decision to assist Sheriff Bannerman has a utilitarian appeal to the community, and his efforts save lives, albeit at great cost. When he tutors the young boy it shows Johnny’s altruistic nature and his gifts are used sparingly but smartly, especially toward the end of their relationship. He nearly feels normal again. Finally, Johnny’s encounter with Stillson showcases the global reach of this “dead zone” and how one man truly can make a difference – if he knows the future. It plays with the age-old question, “If you could go back in time and kill Hitler, would you?”
Related: Stephen King’s THE DEAD ZONE New Definitive Collector’s Edition Hits Blu-ray on July 27th
Walken is simply fantastic and this might be his best work. Johnny feels like a real man with relatable hopes and simple aspirations that are put on hold not only because of his coma but, now because of this unwanted power. Walken presents Johnny as a person uncertain of his own future, delicately balancing tending to his own life alongside the needs of almost literally every other person on the planet. That’s a tall order for anyone. Johnny’s true tragedy lies in the loss of his relationship with Sarah. Adams is up to the task of meeting Walken’s emotional range, expressing her own frustration with having a new life when the man of her dreams suddenly comes back to the world. The only other big-name doing work of note here is Martin Sheen, giving a performance I found to be a bit too over the top and cartoonish at times. I don’t doubt this is how some career politicians run their teams but Sheen doesn’t add much nuance to the man; he’s just slimy and power-mad.
In addition to the performances, there’s just so much more to enjoy. David Cronenberg’s taut direction. Mark Irwin’s cool, cloudy New England cinematography. The brilliant score by Michael Kamen. The film doesn’t overstay its welcome either, running for just over 100 minutes. Given the other heavy hitters in both Cronenberg’s and King’s filmographies, this is a film that gets a tad overlooked (it did take forever to get this on Blu-ray). But it is clearly a product of both these tremendous talents and one of the earliest examples of how well King’s work can be translated when given the right elements.
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Paramount first released this onto Blu-ray in 2020 as part of a “Stephen King 5-Film Collection” set, but that transfer was soundly bashed for being dated and ugly. No such concerns here, as Scream Factory has gone back to the original camera negative for a 4K restoration that has yielded a perfect 1.85:1 1080p image. Clarity, depth, the muted color palette, black levels, film grain – all exemplary. Easily some of the best work Scream Factory has done and the disc certainly blows away Paramount’s attempt.
Audio comes in two flavors: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 or 2.0 stereo, which was the original mix. Both tracks sound excellent. I’d even give the stereo track a slight edge when dialogue is heard, though the multi-channel track obviously offers a wide sound field and more room for discreet effects. This isn’t a terribly active film anyway and either option will sound more than satisfactory. Subtitles are available in English.
Special Features:
- BRAND NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE
- NEW Sarah’s Story – an interview with actress Brooke Adams
- NEW Cold Visions: Producing The Dead Zone – featuring interviews with production manager John M. Eckert and associate producer Jeffrey Chernov
- NEW Audio Commentary with director of photography Mark Irwin
- NEW Audio Commentary with film historian Michael Gingold
- NEW Audio Commentary with film historian/author Dr. Steve Haberman and filmmaker/film historian Constantine Nasr
- NEW Audio Commentary with film music historian Daniel Schweiger with isolated score selections
- Trailers from Hell – Mick Garris on The Dead Zone
- Memories from The Dead Zone
- The Look of The Dead Zone
- Visions of The Dead Zone
- The Politics of The Dead Zone
- Theatrical Trailer
- TV Spots
- Behind the Scenes still gallery
- Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature
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The Dead Zone
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Special Features
Summary
Although The Dead Zone wasn’t a major hit like some of King’s other early adaptations it is certainly in the top tier of his adapted films and is one of Cronenberg’s best features, too. Scream Factory’s release hits high marks across the board. Buy it.
