Scanners: The Complete Collection DVD Box Set
Scanners, 1981.
Directed by David Cronenberg.
Starring Stephen Lack, Jennifer O’Neill, Patrick McGoohan, Lawrence Dane and Charles Shamata.
Scanners, for those who have not seen it – which was me – is a horror film which plays like a thriller, making for an interesting angle. The film wasn’t for me I must admit, but that doesn’t mean my view of it is a negative one.
Watching with fresh eyes over 30 years after it was released, the film looked old. Very old. The plot centers around a revolution taking place: ‘Scanners’ – human beings with a mutation who have telepathic abilities – are being lead by a man named Revek, played by Michael Ironside, and fighting back against those who wish to use them for their own means. As I mentioned, Scanners has elements of a thriller and so the plot moves a little deeper as we uncover the real insidious threat going on behind the scenes, and there are a few interesting twists which will keep you engrossed.
In all honestly, Scanners just wasn’t for me, but I can’t say that it is necessarily a bad film, just that I didn’t appreciate it. Cronenberg’s direction is fine, the effects and especially the makeup are pretty great, there are a number of car chases which – whilst not completely thrilling – are not terrible, and with actors of the caliber of Ironside, you can appreciate many things about it. Which cannot be said for…
Scanners II: The New Order, 1991.
Directed by Christian Duguay.
Starring David Hewlett, Deborah Raffin, Yvan Ponton, Raoul Trujillo, Tom Butler and Isabelle Mejias.
This was, quite frankly, one of the worst films I have ever had to sit through. The acting is atrocious across the board, but I must give special mention to Raoul Trujillo for some seriously great work in being terrible. The direction is also particularly bad – at one point the camera just twitches around needlessly. It was almost vomit inducing. A not so great film.
Scanners III: The Takeover, 1992.
Directed by Christian Duguay.
Starring Liliana Komorowska, Valérie Valois, Steve Parrish and Colin Fox.
…….Um. Did the success of the second film make them believe a third was worthwhile? Who greenlights these things?
I’ve asked around, it seems the sequels are generally disliked for being terrible, and with good reason – they are. So you have two choices here: the trilogy boxset is only available on DVD, or there is the Blu-ray steelbook of the first film, which is actually a great looking steelbook, especially if you are a fan of the film. Unless you’re an avid collector, why have the sequels in your house? Get the Blu-ray steelbook of the first instead.
Martin Deer
Originally published April 8, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
