The Dead Zone

The works of Stephen King have always been hit or miss affair when going from page to screen. One of the better adaptations is 1983's The Dead Zone.

Christopher Walken stars as Johnny Smith, a teacher who gets into a horrible car accident that puts him in a coma for five years. He awakens to discover that his previous life is gone. His girlfriend Sarah, Brooke Adams, has married another man. He also discovers that he has a psychic ablility to tell a person's secrets from the past, present, and future by touching them. After grabbing the hand of a nurse, he see's her daughter caught in a fire. He tells the nurse she has enough time to save her, and she does. This puts Johnny in the spotlight, making him feel like a freak.

The local sherriff, Tom Skerritt, begs Johnny for his help in finding a serial killer. At first, he declines. But after another murder accures, he decides to help. After touching the corpse of one the victims, Johnny discovers who the killer is, bringing more media attention to Johnny and his gift. Johnny moves and basically becomes a shut in. But after a chance encounter with senatorial candidate Greg Stillson, Martin Sheen, Johnny see's pure evil after shaking his hand and decides that he needs to be stopped.

Directed by David Cronenberg, who actually tones down the violence and gore that he was known for at the time. He had a lot of the violence taken out of the original script. Cronenberg wasn't the first choice to direct. Both Stanley Donen and John Badham were attached earlier. I think Cronenberg was a perfect choice. He has always had a knack for capturing the human element of his horror films.

Walken is the perfect choice for Johnny, giving the character a nice balance of oddness and sympathy. Bill Murray was the original choice, and who King really wanted in the lead. And as great as Murray is, it's hard for me to see anyone other than Walken. The supporting cast is great too, especially Sheen, playing a polar opposite of the politician he played on The West Wing.

This is a really great horror film.

It's available on dvd and blu ray.