Dreamscape (1984)

A young psychic on the run from himself is recruited by a government agency experimenting with the use of the dream-sharing technology and is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of the U.S. president.

Director:

Joseph Ruben

Writers:

David Loughery (story), David Loughery (screenplay)

Stars:

Dennis Quaid, Max von Sydow, Christopher Plummer

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dennis Quaid	...	Alex Gardner
Max von Sydow	...	Doctor Paul Novotny
Christopher Plummer	...	Bob Blair
Eddie Albert	...	The President
Kate Capshaw	...	Jane DeVries
David Patrick Kelly	...	Tommy Ray Glatman
George Wendt	...	Charlie Prince
Larry Gelman	...	Mr. Webber
Cory 'Bumper' Yothers	...	Buddy
Redmond Gleeson	...	Snead
Peter Jason	...	Babcock
Chris Mulkey	...	Finch
Jana Taylor	...	Mrs. Webber
Madison Mason	...	Fred Schoenstein
Kendall Carly Browne	...	Mrs. Matusik

Storyline

A government funded project looks into using psychics to enter people's dreams, with some mechanical help. When a subject dies in his sleep from a heart attack Alex Gardner becomes suspicious that another of the psychics is killing people in the dreams somehow and that is causing them to die in real life. He must find a way to stop the abuse of the power to enter dreams.

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Plot Keywords:

dreamscape | shared dream | character's point of view camera shot | sexual fantasy | caught having sex | 

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Taglines:

It takes an extraordinary adventurer to enter the...

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

Kate Capshaw starred as the love-interest in not one, but two 1984 movies that featured a scene where a man's still-beating heart was ripped from his chest: this movie and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984).

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Goofs

When Alex is collecting his money at the horse track he says he loves Ben Franklin because he discovered electricity. In truth, Franklin only determined that lighting was composed of electricity.

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Quotes

Alex Gardner: You had Tommy Ray kill that woman in the dream link, didn't you?
Bob Blair: Yes.
Alex Gardner: Why?
Bob Blair: I wanted to see if it could be done.
Alex Gardner: You're a real humanitarian, Blair.
Bob Blair: I'm a realist. We live in a dangerous, hostile world. I will do whatever I have to to keep this country safe.
Alex Gardner: Yeah, that's what scares me.
Bob Blair: You're a very intelligent young man, Alex. You've mastered an amazing technique. Surely you can see the possibilities. During his dream link with Matusik, Tommy Ray stabbed her with a knife. A dream knife. The shock to ...
[...]

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Alternate Versions

A brief shot of topless nudity from Kate Capshaw during the love sequence on the train with Dennis Quaid was cut from the film in the US in order to secure a PG-13 rating. The scene is uncut in European prints of the movie. The scene is not present on the R1 Image Entertainment Special Edition DVD although the commentary makes reference to nudity in the scene.

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Connections

Featured in Room 237 (2012)

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Soundtracks

Lip Service
Composed and Produced by Craig Huxley (as Craig Hundley)

User Reviews

Uneven but enjoyable psychic thriller

I just saw Dreamscape on television. Despite some flaws, it's not a bad movie at all. It's very well-acted (though George Wendt is wasted in a thankless plot-device role) and features some very impressive, CONVINCING effects. If you want gratuitous computer-cartoon crap, look elsewhere. The "snake man" is impressive, and the actual dreamscapes themselves feature some inventively bizarre set design.

Of course, I must mention the flaws. Though Dennis Quaid and Kate Capshaw have appeal, their characters are only partially developed, and the romantic angle of their relationship is quite standard and seems a bit forced. The motivations of several characters seem muddled, and the film tries to be too many things (horror, political conspiracy drama, Raiders of the Lost Ark-inspired adventure) for too many audiences. Also, despite creepy bits, it does seem to pull some punches. It's too explicit to be purely psychological, yet it stops just short of being a visual nightmare. Basically it lacks a hard edge...of course, as I said, I saw it cut for TV.

Still, despite the problems, it's worth watching if you run across it. It's well-made and effective, with engaging performances and some sufficiently eerie passages.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 August 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dreamscape

Filming Locations:

1320 Miller Drive, West Hollywood, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,257,627, 19 August 1984

Gross USA:

$12,145,169

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,145,169

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zupnik-Curtis Enterprises, Bella Productions, Chevy Chase Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1