Welcome back to my blog. Here’s my recommendation of a movie to check out today and hope you punch your “Ticket to the Movies!” OK, let’s go back to 1981 for a cult fav, sci-fi somewhat classic with the iconic exploding head scene: “Scanners” from legendary horror director David Cronenberg and stars Jennifer O’Neill, Patrick McGoodhan, Stephen Lack and Michael Ironside.
“Scanners” received instant attention for the special effect of a man’s head exploding as the most powerful “scanner” scans his mind. The special effects in the scene became legendary and was mentioned in an episode of the tee-vee blockbuster “The Big Bang Theory.”
“Scanners” is about telepathy that was created through a side-effect of of an anxiety drug for pregnant women. The resulting children became “scanners” and the resulting pressure on their perception left them basically nothing but misfits in society. However, a shadowy group that includes the scientist behind the whole thing has been monitoring them, especially except the target of the most power scanner of all.
I understand Cronenberg’s stature in American cinema, but I’m not as much a fan of his body of work as I am for Wes Craven or Tobe Hooper. Frankly, “Scanners” is just mostly pedestrian after the head-exploding scene and never fulfills its potential in pretty much the same vein as “Looker” with Susan Dey from director Michael Crichton failed, but became a cult fav.
The climax of “Scanners” is the physical/telepathic battle between the most powerful (Ironside) and then the second-best who proves that he’s actually the best (Lack). You’ll find that, overall, the film is so-so, but is worth your time.
So, I say punch your “Ticket to the Movies!” and watch “Scanners.” You can find it on a limited number of subscription services and for rent on a few streaming platforms. You will thank me later, if you watch or re-watch “Scanners.”
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