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Scanners (1981)

 -  Horror | Sci-Fi  -  14 January 1981 (USA)
6.8
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Ratings: 6.8/10 from 22,049 users   Metascore: 60/100
Reviews: 138 user | 83 critic | 8 from Metacritic.com

A scientist sends a man with extraordinary psychic powers to hunt others like him.

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Title: Scanners (1981)

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
Cameron Vale (as Steven Lack)
...
...
...
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
Edit

Storyline

Darryl Revok is the most powerful of all the scanners, and is the head of the underground scanner movement for world domination. Scanners have great psychic power, strong enough to control minds; they can inflict enormous pain/damage on their victims. Doctor Paul Ruth finds a scanner that Revok hasn't, and converts him to their cause - to destroy the underground movement. Written by Paul Reynolds <pauljr@innotts.co.uk>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

There are 4 billion people on earth. 237 are Scanners. They have the most terrifying powers ever created... and they are winning. See more »

Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
Edit

Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

14 January 1981 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Telepathy 2000  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 4,100,000 (estimated)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

(Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See  »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

David Cronenberg once called this the most frustrating film he'd ever made. The film was rushed through production - filming had to begin without a finished script and end within roughly two months so the financing would qualify as a tax write-off, forcing Cronenberg to write and shoot at the same time. Cronenberg also cited difficulty with and antagonism between the leads, particularly Patrick McGoohan and Jennifer O'Neill. See more »

Goofs

After the famous "exploding head" scene, there wasn't a drop of blood on Revok or the table. See more »

Quotes

Cameron Vale: I'm one of you.
Benjamin Pierce: You're one of me?
[confused]
Benjamin Pierce: You're one of me?
See more »

Crazy Credits

Credits scroll like words on the CONSEC computer monitor. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Vampire Hunter D (1985) See more »

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User Reviews

Mind-Blowing Experience
19 November 2001 | by (NC) – See all my reviews

Scanners is a film about a group of human mutants that are able to basically make people go mad, and finally they can make their minds actually explode. Supposedly created out of the scientific work of a scientist working on a product for pregnant women(or something like that), the scanners(as they are called) are divided into two factions. One is out to destroy all other scanners and the other works for the labs that created them. This is an intensely philosophical film filled with many thought-provoking questions and issues. Director David Cronenberg again uses the idea of the human body in an aberrated state as the focus for terror. He directs with style and suspense, and uses a lot more gore in this than most of his previous features. Don't let that keep you from seeing this film. the acting is solid all around with Stephen Lack giving a nice performance in the lead, and Michael Ironsides giving yet another chilling performance of dementia. He sure can play one sick and crazy guy! Patrick McGoohan plays the fatherly scientist with style and finesse. One of Cronenberg's best!


19 of 27 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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The exploding head... funnyguyla
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