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Stars: Stephen Lack, Patrick McGoohan, Michael Ironside, Jennifer O’Neill, Lawrence Dane, Robert A. Silverman, Mavor Moore, Adam Ludwig, Fred Doederlein | Written and Directed by David Cronenberg

David Cronenberg’s Scanners is a film that lingers in the mind long after the credits roll—not just because of its infamous head-exploding sequence, but because of the way it explores the intersection of science fiction, body horror, and psychological paranoia. Watching it again, I’m struck by its unsettling atmosphere, its mixture of cerebral and visceral horror, and its willingness to engage with themes that feel just as relevant today as they did over forty years ago.

At its core, Scanners is about a secret group of individuals gifted (or perhaps cursed) with extraordinary telepathic abilities. These “scanners” can read minds, control others’ bodies, and—in the most extreme cases—cause gruesome cranial detonations. Our protagonist, Cameron Vale (Stephen Lack), begins the film as a lost soul,...

It’s time for a new episode of the Awfully Good Horror Movies video series, and in this one we’re looking back at one of the least popular installments in my beloved Friday the 13th franchise. That’s the tenth entry, Jason X (watch it Here), also known as “the one where Jason goes to space”. To hear all about it, check out the video embedded above!

Directed by Jim Isaac from a screenplay written by Todd Farmer (and some uncredited rewriters), Jason X has the following synopsis: The year is 2455. The Place is Old Earth. Once the shimmering blue jewel of the galaxy, Old Earth is now a contaminated planet abandoned for centuries. Yet humans have returned to the deadly place that they once fled. Not to live, but to research the ancient rusting artifacts of the bygone civilizations that caused this environmental disaster. And little does the...

It’s time for a new episode of our Revisited video series, and in this one we’re looking back at one of the horror films Jamie Lee Curtis starred in immediately after the success of Halloween: the 1980 slasher Prom Night (which can be viewed on Amazon Prime at This Link). To find out all about Prom Night, check out the video embedded above.

Directed by Paul Lynch from a screenplay by William Gray (who was working from a story by Robert Guza Jr.), Prom Night has the following synopsis: This slasher movie follows a relentless killer who is out to avenge the death of a young girl who died after being bullied and teased by four of her classmates. Now high-school students, the guilt-ridden kids have kept their involvement a secret, but when they start being murdered, one by one, it’s clear that someone knows the truth. Also...

David Cronenberg puts Canada on the horror map with yet another early career ick-fest, about a vampiric woman armed with a new mutant organ. Marilyn Chambers is the dangerous female who spreads a plague of bloody murder. Fun for the whole family.

Rabid

Blu-ray

Scream Factory

1977 / Color / 1:66 widescreen / 91 min. / Street Date November 22, 2016 / 34.93

Starring Marilyn Chambers, Frank Moore, Joe Silver, Howard Ryshpan, Patricia Gage, Susan Roman, Roger Periard, Lynne Deragon, Allan Moyle, Robert A. Silverman.

Cinematography René Verzier

Makeup Effects Joe Blasco

Music Supervisor Ivan Reitman

Editor Jean Lafleur

Produced by John Dunning, Ivan Reitman

Written and Directed by David Cronenberg

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Now available in Region A, David Cronenberg’s Rabid is slightly different than the Blu-ray released in the UK last year by Arrow. It’s touted as a new transfer. Some of the previous extras have been retained and others dropped, and two new items have been added.

David Cronenberg swaps his  venereal ick-monsters for Samantha Eggar's mater furiosa,  an annihilating female who commits her killings as would the villain of a Greek tragedy -- through her offspring. Oliver Reed is the new-age guru of 'Psychoplasmics,' who teaches Eggar to direct her rage in an utterly unique way. The disturbing concept sounds less preposterous when one finds out it was written in response to a brutal divorce experience. Hell hath no fury. The Brood Blu-ray The Criterion Collection 777 1979 / Color / 1:78 widescreen / 92 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 13, 2015 / 39.95 Starring Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar, Art Hindle, Henry Beckman, Nuala Fitzgerald, Cindy Hinds, Susan Hogan, Gary McKeehan, Michael Magee, Robert Silverman, Felix Silla. Cinematography Mark Irwin Film Editor Alan Collins Original Music Howard Shore Special Makeup Jack Young, Dennis Pike Art Direction Carol Spier Produced by Claude Héroux Written and Directed by David Cronenberg

Reviewed by...

July 8th, 2013. That's the date David Cronenberg's The Brood will be hitting Blu-ray in the UK via Second Sight Films. May 10th, 2013. That's the date we start bitching here in the States that we don't have it on Blu-ray. Sigh.

Art Hindle, Cindy Hinds, Oliver Reed, and Samantha Eggar star along with lots of really grab-happy creepy kids.

Synopsis

Frank Carveth (Art Hindle – Invasion of the Body Snatchers) is becoming increasingly concerned about his ex-wife Nola’s (Eggar) secretive treatment at the sinister ‘Somafree Institute of Psychoplasmics,’ headed by cult figure Dr Raglan (Reed – The Devils). His controversial and extreme methods seek to unleash his patients' rage, which take on physical manifestations. As Nola’s increasingly psychotic anger is vented during her sessions, brutal murders befall those at whom it’s directed. When Frank’s daughter is abducted, he is led to Raglan’s Institute and a terrifying, repellent final confrontation,...

According to Deadline, David Cronenberg's science-fiction horror classic Scanners may be headed to the small screen. The Weinstein Co.'s Dimension Films is developing a drama series adaptation of the movies about a group of people with telepathic and telekinetic abilities, with The Hills Have Eyes writer-director Alexandre Aja signed to executive produce the series and potentially direct the pilot. Bob Weinstein conceived the plan with Aja to convert the property into a TV show.

The TV series would be in place of the recently rumored remake headed for theaters. Dimension is already in talks with potential showrunners to create and run the series.

Scanners was released January 14th, 1981 and stars Jennifer O'Neill, Stephen Lack, Patrick McGoohan, Lawrence Dane, Michael Ironside, Robert A. Silverman, Lee Broker, Mavor Moore. The film is directed by David Cronenberg.

Scanners was released in 2009.