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:

Alex Gardner has an extraordinary gift. The government wants it...The scientists want it... To keep it may cost him his life...

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 August 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

El túnel de las pesadillas

Filming Locations:

1320 Miller Drive, West Hollywood, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,257,000, 19 August 1984, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$11,484,000

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of three movies to come out within a year of each dealing with dream manipulation and it's potential consequences. The other two were Brainstorm (1983), released a year earlier, and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), released 3 months later.

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Goofs

When Alex is playing his saxophone in his apartment near the beginning of the film, he is clearly not playing the instrument.

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Quotes

Tommy Ray Glatman: Hello, Mr. President. Alex, what a suprise. I get to kill two for the price of one!

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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

Referenced in The Cell (2000)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

Fantasy/horror that spotlights the subconscious, good early F/X!

Excellent cast heading up this Fantasy/Horror film with excellent early F/X (seems amateurish to today's standards). The reason I love this film so much is that it spotlights the subconscious and its hidden agendas. It's a classic war between good and evil. The plot is solid, and it's a real headgame when you think about the dream world as another realm completely. Great chemistry between Quaid and Capshaw, and Sydow delivers his usual solid performance. Excellent conclusion!