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“A scientist trains a man with an advanced telepathic ability called “scanning” to stop a dangerous Scanner with extraordinary psychic powers from waging war against non scanners.” Director: David CronenbergWriter: […]
“A scientist trains a man with an advanced telepathic ability called “scanning” to stop a dangerous Scanner with extraordinary psychic powers from waging war against non scanners.”
Director: David Cronenberg
Writer: David Cronenberg
Staring: Jennifer O’Neill, Stephen Lack, Michael Ironside, Lawrence Dane
Release Date: January 14, 1981
IMDB
The cultiest of cult movies. It is worth creating a new word. David Cronenberg works his way through a mess of a production and creates a movie that is wholly unique. Scanners (1981) is a science fiction espionage thriller that is built upon its greatest moments. Even if you haven’t seen the movie in full, you have seen some of the practical special effects in montages of a sort.
For Scanners is the head exploding movie.
Darryl Revok (Michael Ironside – what a name) is a former government entity and the most powerful of all the scanners. Revok rebels and becomes the head of the underground scanner movement hell bent for world domination. Scanners, for those with no background information at all, have great psychic power, strong enough to control minds. They can inflict enormous pain/damage on their victims, including making people explode. Doctor Paul Ruth (Patrick McGoohan) finds a scanner that Revok hasn’t, and he goes by the name of Cameron Vale (Stephen Lack). Dr. Ruth converts Vale to an important cause – to destroy the underground movement.
Vale has to navigate through the dark corners of the scanners universe in order to hone his powers and find out who he can trust. He runs into Kim Obrist (Jennifer O’Neill) who helps illuminate parts of Revok’s plan, and soon after it all comes to a head in a direct confrontation that also unveils a hidden truth that highlights this scanner civil in a different, shadier, light.
Cronenberg loves the idea of blending human nature with science and technology. This has been the case since he began his career. His latest film Crimes Of The Future (2022) is a take on voluntary body mutation and the twisted ideas of pleasure and pain. Scanners doesn’t look too much at the physical changes of the mental superpower holders. Instead it plots out motives and how to manipulate those who do have the power. It is a movie that is delves into paranoia and distrust.
There are two scenes that really tell sell Scanners as something that you should take the chance and watch.
The introduction of Darryl Revok and the initial head bursting scene is outstanding. Now I knew what was going to happen, and I was still excited to see how it played out. I can’t really imagine what it was like for first time viewers who had no idea what to expect. It must have been shocking, and possibly scary? Scanners is not a horror movie, but that is a moment where you jump in pure shock.
The other scene worth watching?
The ending.
Revok revealing the truth about Doctor Paul Ruth to Vale is another shocker. Ruth is both Revok and he’s biological father. They are both scanners because Ruth injected his pregnant wife with the mobilizing agent that creates psychic powers. This is used as a last possible recruitment plow by Revok, but when Vale doesn’t oblige, it’s all out mental thought warfare. It is kinda of hilarious to watch these men squint their faces and grimace as hard as they are. But this is how we get the unforgettable visual and poster image of Revok.
If I liked the movie Scanners more, this would be an automatic poster buy. It really is is awesome, old school, and just cheesy enough to work.
I also love the the ending to the tag line “They have the most terrifying powers ever created…and they are winning.“
Scanners as a whole is not perfect by any means. There are lulls of entertainment value, but its high moments make it worth while. It is helpful to know what is happening before you dive into the movie. I personally knew the overall story, the style of Cronenberg, and I knew the exciting parts when they were coming up. Scanners is part of the movie zeitgeist because it has arguably the most famous head explosion in cinematic history.
Is there a better head explosion? Let me know.
STANKO RATING: C+
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