In his mind, he has the power to see the future. In his hands, he has the power to change it.|Oct. 21, 1983|United States | Canada|103 Min.|R
Genre: Horror;Science;Fiction;Thriller
Description: The Dead Zone (1983) is a gripping film that tells the story of Johnny Smith, a schoolteacher from Castle Rock, Maine. After experiencing a severe headache following a roller coaster ride, Johnny decides not to spend the night with his girlfriend, Sarah. On his way home during a storm, he gets into a car accident that puts him in a coma. Upon waking up five years later under the care of neurologist Dr. Sam Weizak, Johnny learns that Sarah is now married with a child.
Johnny discovers he has gained an extraordinary ability: he can uncover details about a person’s life through physical contact. For example, by touching a nurse’s hand, he sees her daughter trapped in a fire. He also learns that Dr. Weizak’s mother, believed to have died in World War II, is still alive, and that a reporter’s sister committed suicide. When Johnny visits his own mother in the hospital, she suffers a heart attack and passes away.
As news of Johnny’s ability spreads, Sheriff George Bannerman seeks his help to solve a series of murders. Initially reluctant, Johnny eventually agrees and uses his visions to identify the killer as Bannerman’s deputy, Frank Dodd, who takes his own life before being arrested. Dodd’s mother shoots Johnny in retaliation but is killed by Bannerman.
Injured and disillusioned, Johnny moves away to live a more isolated life, tutoring children from home. He is approached by a wealthy man, Roger Stuart, to tutor his son, Chris. The two form a bond, but Johnny has a vision of Chris and two other boys drowning during a hockey game. Despite Johnny’s efforts to convince Stuart to cancel the game, Stuart dismisses his warnings. However, Chris believes Johnny and stays home, while the other two boys tragically drown. This incident shocks Stuart and reinforces Johnny’s realization that his visions include a “dead zone” where the future can be altered.
Cast director: David Cronenberg
Cast actor: Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom, Anthony Zerbe, Colleen Dewhurst, Martin Sheen, Nicholas Campbell, Sean Sullivan, Jackie Burroughs
Original name: The Dead Zone