DVD Review HTF Review: The Dead Zone Special Collector's Edition (1 Viewer)

[Robin_B]

I prefer the old one too. Flesh colors don't bother me too much as long as it isn't too jarring which this isn't. I've watched the original many times and always thought it was one of the better looking DVD's for a movie of it's age.

And I always have to smile at the scene at the beginning of the movie when Walken, as an english teacher recommends his students read The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I've never seen the film but I'm a fan of the TV Show which I'm sure is drastically Different. I want very badly to get this, but I'm using my Psychic Dead Zone and I Predict a showing in Walmart's Cheapie Been in a few months. I can Wait.

 

[Travis Brashear]

I'm not trying to be insulting here, but you have no idea how much it saddens me that your cinematic introduction to this tale has been through the TV show and not the Cronenberg film.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Why?

The enjoyment of the TV Show has made me interested in the film, I have no doubt that the film is different from the TV show, just as I'm sure the Film is different from the Book. It won't make me enjoy either any more or less.

 

[Rich Malloy]

I'm a pretty big Cronenberg fan, and have 8 of his films in my collection (Shivers, Videodrome, The Fly, Dead Ringers, eXistenZ, Naked Lunch, Spider, A History of Violence... and hoping for a Criterion "Crash" too materialize sometime soon), but I've never cared for "The Dead Zone". Very conventional, very boring, very un-Cronenberg. I'd suggest renting it before committing to a purchase.

 

[Robin_B]

Umm I'd take the Dead Zone over any of those Cronenberg films except maybe The Fly

 

[Dave Mack]

Just bordering on threadcrap territory, Rich!

 

[Jeff_HR]

Perhaps some people have a problem with this Cronenberg film BECAUSE it is NOT a horror film?!? Personally, it is a great favorite of mine.

 

[Travis Brashear]

Well, you'll never really know, though, will you? The TV show is decent enough, if a little long in the tooth, but it really pales in comparison with and "soap opera"-izes the original King novel/Cronenberg film. And in a million centuries, Anthony Michael Hall will never even approach Christopher Walken.

 

[Johnny Jr.]

Has anyone found this release in Canada yet? I have seen it available at a few stores but, only in the box set.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

I don't get the difference here either. Besides the best introduction to the world of John Smith is through the source material ie the book.

Christopher Walken is amazing as Smith and AMH has done an excellent job too. Obviously Smith does not equal Walken, but then who does? Walken's portrayal is buoyed by the fact he is doing a movie and not TV adaptation. He gets to hit all the high points in a compressed time period.

Hall is in a marathon with the role because his portrayal is being done in a TV series. His high points are spread out and muted to a degree as a result. The TV show has done an excellent job of balancing story and character needs up until the fourth season, when I felt the creative requirements of creating extended storylines finally caught up to the creative team.

 

[Travis Brashear]

Sheesh, just consider it my personal sadness then...I don't need anyone to share in it.

 

[Rich Malloy]

whoops for the double post!

 

[Rich Malloy]

I thought about that, and hesitated... posting only because of the sentiment expressed that it was someone's great loss to come by this story via the television series first when there's a Cronenberg version. I think it makes little difference, as this is not a particularly Cronenbergian film.

Much like the previous poster who said he'd take "The Dead Zone" over all the other Cronenberg's I mentioned (Shivers, Videodrome, The Fly, Dead Ringers, Naked Lunch, Crash, Spider, A History of Violence), it suggests to me that the appeal of this film probably has very little to do with it bearing a distinctively Cronenbergian style - which it doesn't - and more to do with the fact that it was a mainstream favorite of those who don't otherwise cotton to Cronenberg.

 

[Dave Mack]

Gotcha...
I also like Cronenberg alot but still like TDZ. It's less Cronenberg-y but has a very heavy level of melancholy that I really dig.

 

[Ruz-El]

I saw it and picked it up at FS yesterday. I had to do a double take, as between the cover art and the $11 price tag I didn't intially realize it was "Dead Zone", I though it was some direct to DVD PD cheapie.

I haven't seen the boxset around yet. I'm not interested in Cujo, but would like to get "Pet Semetary", which I haven't seen around.

 

[Ruz-El]

I feel the same way. I think it's interesting as it has such a studio film feel to it, as opposed to Cronenbergs other works. Watching "History Of Violence" made me want to watch this one again, as it too didn't feel neccesarly like a Cronenberg film.

 

[Dave Mack]

and I LOVE the music...

 

[Lou Sytsma]

This and The Fly are the least Cronenbergy - love that new word - of his films.

 

[TravisR]

What about Fast Company?