Scanners

Name: Scanners
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller, Horror
Released: January 14, 1981
Duration: 103 min
Rating: 60
Cast: Jennifer O'Neill, Patrick McGoohan, Stephen Lack

1981

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Mixed or average reviews based on 8 Critics

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Universal acclaim based on 83 Ratings

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SCANNERS

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Movie Details & Credits

AVCO Embassy Pictures | Release Date: January 14, 1981

Starring: Jennifer O'Neill, Patrick McGoohan, Stephen Lack

Summary: Scanners are telepathic and when one (Ironside) seeks to control the world, another (Lack) tries to stop him.

Director: David Cronenberg

Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Thriller, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 103 min

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Critic Reviews

Time - Richard Corliss

Cronenberg delivers. Read full review

Variety - Staff (Not Credited)

Scanners offers at least one literally eye-popping moment and another that can only be called mind-blowing. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine - Staff (Not Credited)

Scanners is a memorable and absorbing genre entertainment. Read full review

The New York Times - Vincent Canby

Unfortunately the plot thickens so rapidly and so lumpily that one very soon loses interest in spite of the quite stunning and gory special effects. Read full review

Chicago Reader - Dave Kehr

One of the most technically proficient of David Cronenberg's early gnawing, Canadian-made horror movies, though it lacks both the logic and the queasy sexual subtext that made his still earlier work - "Rabid," "They Came From Within" - so memorably revolting. Read full review

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) - Jay Scott

The larger budget has given Scanners a high-gloss Hollywood look, the editing is occasionally elegant and the special effects, which consist mostly of imaginative ways of turning actors into meat, provoke from the audience the desired response ("Oh, yuk]"), but he is careful to keep the violence within currently accepted boundaries. [19 Jan 1981]

Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert

Scanners is a new horror film made with enough craft and skill that it could have been very good, if it could find a way to make us care about it. Read full review

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User Reviews

Batfan

Dec 7, 2013

Scanners is a classic. Realistic gore, great story, and an amazing performance by Michael Ironside. This is a very engaging movie. It has a very interesting plot also. Next to the force this is the power I want the most.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

marcmyworks

Jun 16, 2016

Scanners is a strong film from David Cronenberg that has stood the test of time. It really is a film with a message, that message being not to test drugs on unborn children, otherwise they might 'splode you.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Spangle

Jan 13, 2017

Scanners is a David Cronenberg film, through and through. Though not strictly defined as a body horror film, Scanners still offers some elements of Cronenberg's beloved subgenre with blood vein effects and exploding heads. Nothing makes this man happier than to make his audience's skin crawlScanners is a David Cronenberg film, through and through. Though not strictly defined as a body horror film, Scanners still offers some elements of Cronenberg's beloved subgenre with blood vein effects and exploding heads. Nothing makes this man happier than to make his audience's skin crawl as we watch a body do something that it should not be doing. Scanners is no exception to this constant rule. Telling the story of a select group of people capable of scanning, a sort of telepathy, and the attempts to control them by a company called ConSec, leading to a underground group of Scanners, the film finds Cronenberg operating in similar thematic territory. Though he later refined this theme in films such as Videodrome or eXistenZ, his distrust of business and the horrid picture he paints of the underground is never not intensely scary. Yet, while the film has a lot going for it, the ending is far too much and almost shows Cronenberg lacking a way to actually end the film.

Now, of course, many of the scenes in Scanners are phenomenal. The classic head explosion being one of them, but the scene towards of the beginning when Cameron Vale (Stephen Lack) is first brought and the film shows him tied to a hospital bed, is the best by far. Scanning allows the person to hear the thoughts of everybody around them and, if they focus it on something, gain the thoughts of the person they link to. In this hospital scene, Cameron knows nothing about his unique trait and simply hears the voice. Complementing the rising intensity of the voices with a creepy score in the background, Cronenberg creates a scene laced with claustrophobia and the harder Cameron fights to get out, the more the audience can feel their skin crawling. This scene stands as a real highlight of the film and paints the scanners as a sympathetic group who have a great skill, but also a great curse. Cronenberg also finds success in the characterization of everybody, particularly his villain, who is hard to identify. Both people within ConSec and the underground are evil and seek nothing but world domination. By having ConSec know that a drug made a company gives fetuses this horrible disease and with Darryl Revok (Michael Ironside), leader of the underground, killing scanners who do not join him, it makes it hard to know who to root for. On one hand, we have an evil business that dabbles in morally unethical and illegal practices. On the other, we have a ruthless man who will stop at nothing to topple that company. Does the end justify the means? Probably not. Cronenberg never asks you to root for either side in the conflict, however, as he shows both sides to be negative forces. Those who control and those who commit violent acts are not to be rooted for and though this is a topic he will come back to later on his works, it is one he somewhat toys with in Scanners. Always inventive, Scanners reminds me a lot of Carrie by Brian De Palma with the scanners capable of incredible actions using nothing but their minds. People are burned, buildings set on fire, and people are thrown like rag dolls. Seems a lot like Carrie, minus the gratuitous shower shots in favor of good old micro effects to create the tension and horror. That said, Cronenberg does a lot with the plot and constantly keeps things moving. Good pacing and a mostly inventive plot allow the audience to constantly be engaging with the film and trying to get a grasp on this weird world of Cronenberg. That said, it is hard to define the film. Given the horrific acting, it is hard to say whether it is intentional or not. Cronenberg may have wanted to have wooden acting to highlight how emotionless and alien the scanners are, but everybody acts that way. Yet, one of the worst elements here is the finale. While the build up is great and always engaging, the finale is far too much. The whole film is over-the-top, but the finale takes it another step and goes right over the ledge. Perhaps I was too tired or something, but it struck me as Cronenberg simply running out of ideas and going for some mental gymnastics of a conclusion. Unfortunately, its mystery and inconclusive nature - while intriguing - do not help make up for Cameron and Darryl's epic scan off that causes their faces to melt and eyes to blow up.

A thoroughly weird film, Scanners is the definition of a David Cronenberg film. With bad acting and a poor conclusion, however, classic Cronenberg goodness runs out of speed towards the end. Fortunately, the proceeding 80 minutes are terrific, filled with tension, and a great build up.… Expand

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Meth-dude

Apr 30, 2018

Apart from the fun and over the top ending and that one exploding head scene, Scanners doesn't have much to offer. The acting is mediocre (except Ironside who was very entertaining), the movie was very slow and ultimately quite boring and it lacks in both gore and fun. If you're a fan ofApart from the fun and over the top ending and that one exploding head scene, Scanners doesn't have much to offer. The acting is mediocre (except Ironside who was very entertaining), the movie was very slow and ultimately quite boring and it lacks in both gore and fun. If you're a fan of Cronenberg's filmography you might enjoy it, if not, you should probably watch something else.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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