Uncle Ira’s Basement: THE DEAD ZONE

We’re on a roll with Stephen King films after our CHRISTINE episode, so the Damn Dirty Geeks make a U-turn back into Uncle Ira’s Basement for this mini-podcast about David Cronenberg‘s film adaptation of Stephen King‘s THE DEAD ZONE.

In this episode, Frank, Trish and Scott focus their psychic skills on Christopher Walken’s memorable performance in this tense Cronenberg thriller which arguably is the best feature adaptation of a King novel yet.

One of King’s best novels in its own right, this suspenseful tale of lost love and a terrible gift to see future events forces Johnny Smith to choose between his own destruction or the world’s apocalyptic catastrophe.

Brought alive on the screen by a talented supporting cast including Herbert Lom, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerrit and Martin Sheen, the DDG discuss THE DEAD ZONE as a riveting highlight in Walken’s career and another uniquely chilling triumph in Cronenberg’s career.

Listen this episode to flash back to this gripping film and remember how King and Cronenberg reached out to chill your blood in 1983.

Watch the original theatrical trailer for THE DEAD ZONE on YouTube.

SHOW NOTES:

We’re on a roll with Stephen King films after our CHRISTINE episode, so the Damn Dirty Geeks make a U-turn back into Uncle Ira’s Basement for this mini-podcast about David Cronenberg‘s film adaptation of Stephen King‘s THE DEAD ZONE.

Trivia: THE DEAD ZONE became Stephen King’s first #1 bestselling novel in 1979. When the film adaptation deal was made, Bill Murray was King’s choice to play Johnny Smith. Johnny was an English teacher, just as King was while he struggles to sell his first novels.

1983 THEATRICAL TRAILER – watch the original trailer for THE DEAD ZONE on YouTube.
GET THE FILM – purchase David Cronenberg’s 1983 film adaptation on DVD at Amazon.com
GET THE NOVEL – purchase Stephen King’s 1979 chilling thriller at Amazon.com
THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE – purchase the Special Edition of this similar political thriller at Amazon.com
10 GREAT STEPHEN KING FILMS – a Top Ten list of King adaptations as compiled by Time magazine