David Cronenberg - The Dead Zone

directed by David Cronenberg
USA 1983

"The Dead Zone" does what only a good supernatural thriller can do: It makes us forget it is supernatural. Like "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Exorcist," it tells its story so strongly through the lives of sympathetic, believable people that we not only forgive the gimmicks, we accept them. There is pathos in what happens to the Christopher Walken character in this movie and that pathos would never be felt if we didn't buy the movie's premise.

Walken plays a high school teacher whose life is happy (he's in love with Brooke Adams), until the night an accident puts him into a coma for five years. When he "returns," he has an extra-sensory gift. He can touch people's hands and "know" what will happen to them. His first discovery is that he can foresee the future. His second is that he can change it.

Excerpt from Roger Ebert's review at the Chicago Sun Times located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: October 21st, 1983

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Paramount (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC

(Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. Paramount (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)

DVD Box Cover
Distribution	Paramount Region 1 - NTSC	Paramount (Special Edition) Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	1:43:36	1:43:36
Video	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.54 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 7.46 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate : Paramount
Bitrate: Paramount (Special Edition)
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)	English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), DUB: French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
Subtitles	English, None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Paramount Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Theatrical Trailer (2:13) DVD Release Date: September 19th, 2000 Keep case Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Paramount (Special Edition) Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Featurettes: Memories From the Dead Zone • The Look of The Dead Zone • Visions and Horror From The Dead Zone • The Politics of The Dead Zone • Theatrical Trailer (2:13) • Previews DVD Release Date: September 26th, 2006 Keep Case Chapters 16

Comments

There is not an extravagant difference in the image quality of the two releases. The Special Edition is a bit brighter, skin tones less red, the frame is opened up a bit showing more information but sharpness is about the same. Both have optional yellow subtitles in English and offer a 5.1 and 2.0 track while the Special Edition includes a French DUB.

The 'Special Edition' label is because of the supplements - 4 featurettes that looked to have been filmed at the same time with director Cronenberg giving input as well as others members of the cast including Brooke Adams. They are pretty interesting at around 10 minutes each giving us almost 45 minutes of dialogue about the film. The 4 are divided into sections loosely based on the topical conversations about The Dead Zone and its production.

I've always really enjoyed this film - it has an intangible that rises it above its station. Very re-watchable yet also highly memorable. It has attained a kind of cult status and the original DVD is out-of-print in many locations. I'm glad I have the new Special Edition, but only real fans of then film need to upgrade.

- Gary Tooze

DVD Menus

(Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. Paramount (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC RIGHT)

Screen Captures

(Paramount - Region 1 - NTSC TOP vs. Paramount (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC BOTTOM)
Subtitle Sample: Not exact frame