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Scanners (1981)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writer:
David Cronenberg (written by)
Release Date:
14 January 1981 (USA)
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Tagline:
There are 4 billion people on earth. 237 are Scanners. They have the most terrifying powers ever created... and they are winning. more
Plot:
A scientist sends a man with extraordinary psychic powers to hunt others like him. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
3 wins
&
9 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(45 articles)
Remake Of The Brood Is Becoming A Reality
(From Cinema Blend. 22 November 2009, 8:54 PM, PST)
Weekly DVD & Blu-Ray Chopping List 11/17/2009
(From Fangoria. 17 November 2009, 9:00 PM, PST)
(From Cinema Blend. 22 November 2009, 8:54 PM, PST)
Weekly DVD & Blu-Ray Chopping List 11/17/2009
(From Fangoria. 17 November 2009, 9:00 PM, PST)
User Comments:
"We'll do this the Scanner way...I'm going to suck your brain dry!"
more (117 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Jennifer O'Neill | ... | Kim Obrist |
| Stephen Lack | ... | Cameron Vale |
 | Patrick McGoohan | ... | Dr. Paul Ruth |
| Lawrence Dane | ... | Braedon Keller |
 | Michael Ironside | ... | Darryl Revok |
| Robert A. Silverman | ... | Benjamin Pierce (as Robert Silverman) |
| Lee Broker | ... | Security One |
| Mavor Moore | ... | Trevellyan |
| Adam Ludwig | ... | Arno Crostic |
| Murray Cruchley | ... | Programmer 1 (as Lee Murray) |
| Fred Doederlein | ... | Dieter Tautz |
| Géza Kovács | ... | Killer in Record Store (as Geza Kovacs) |
| Sonny Forbes | ... | Killer in Attic (as Sony Forbes) |
| Jérôme Tiberghien | ... | Killer in Attic (as Jerome Tiberghien) |
| Denis Lacroix | ... | Killer in Barn |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Telepathy 2000
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Parents Guide:
Runtime:
103 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Italy:VM14 |
Finland:K-18 (original rating) (1981) |
Portugal:M/16 |
Germany:16 (re-rating) (2007) |
West Germany:18 (original rating) |
Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) |
Brazil:16 |
New Zealand:R16 |
Australia:R |
Canada:R |
Finland:K-16 |
France:-12 |
Iceland:(Banned) |
Norway:16 (cut) |
Sweden:15 |
UK:18 |
USA:R
Filming Locations:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The Jennifer O'Neill character, Kim Obrist, is named after the assistant to the producer (Kim Obrist).
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Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: Visible wires pulling an actor through a window during the computer lab explosion.
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Quotes:
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Horror of Party Beach (#9.17)" (1997)
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (117 total)
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Vagrant Cameron Vale (Stephen Lack) is revealed to be a "Scanner", or a person with incredibly potent mental powers. He is mentored by Dr. Paul Ruth (Patrick McGoohan), who hopes to use him to ferret out rogue Scanner Darryl Revok (Michael Ironside, in his first substantial bad guy role), a psychopath with plans for world domination.
Another truly creepy Cronenberg work in which, George Romero-style, he combines a sense of intelligence - utilizing his recurring theme of biological aberration - with a heavy accent on visceral, blood and guts type horror. He gets an unnerving performance from Ironside as the evil maniac, and is aided not only by the repulsive yet undeniably compelling gore (the exploding head scene is the one most people probably think of in reference to this film, although the final showdown is equally gruesome) but an impressively ominous music score by Howard Shore.
Lack is awfully low-key as the hero, but it does fit the character. He starts out as a lone fringe dweller, and is only slowly adapting to the reality around him. Jennifer O'Neill, however, does little more than look beautiful as a new cohort who ends up assisting him in his mission. Frequent Cronenberg collaborator Robert Silverman is typically amusing in one of his standard eccentric roles.
"Scanners" is effective and entertaining, and one of the better Cronenberg films that I've seen.
8/10