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It's probably fair to say that most big-screen Stephen King adaptations suck. Our expectations have been so lowered by years of crap that even the half-decent entries seem like high art, yet the truly great King films oddly don't get the credit they deserve. The Dead Zone likely suffered from this curse: Few saw it as little more than a merely good King flick, and not the very, very good movie it really is. Now nearly 20 years later, it has only been the recent success of the new cable TV series (also based on the King book) that has caused many to revisit and reassess this superior original.

In desperate need of a hit, Canadian horrormeister David Cronenberg teamed up with producer Debra Hill (Halloween, The Fog) for this literate but accessible tale of supernatural redemption. With an ample budget and a topflight cast, including Adams, Martin Sheen, Tom Skerritt and Christopher Walken as the doomed Johnny Smith, Cronenberg remains one of the few filmmakers to distill the best of King's work through his own sensibilities, making a film that is both commercial and personal. Walken has never been better than here (and was robbed of an Oscar nomination, if you ask me), and it is he who makes the film's entire conceit work. Like the best horror films, the terror is grounded in an absolutely real and believable everyday reality. These are authentic characters, not pawns to the plot nor excuses for elaborate murder scenes. Walken so anchors our sympathies that we believe even the most incredible plot developments and coincidences; rather than turn us against Cronenberg the filmmaker, however, such expert manipulation only helps underline our unwavering faith in King the storyteller.

The film does have some problems, however, mainly the formidable task of having to compress the novel's lengthy prose into a manageable screenplay. With so much backstory and even more subplots, the film seldom has time to pause and let the viewer savor the subtleties of King's characters. We breathlessly jump from one key sequence to the next with little connective tissue to flesh out the set pieces, yet despite this Cronenberg and the cast always keep the film in focus. The Dead Zone retains a genuine power that is not so much terrifying as it is overwhelmingly sad. Perhaps because of its low-key tone and rather depressing denouement, the film failed to break out commercially (and, in fact, it was never one of King's biggest sellers even in book form). But don't let its rep fool you. The Dead Zone is a dark, chilling journey well worth taking.

Video: How Does The Disc Look?

Getting its first-ever 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer on home video, this is another fine remaster from Paramount. Some continue to fault the studio for failing to produce much in the way of supplements on their DVD releases (fair enough), but at least they generally deliver the goods when it comes to the presentation. A cold, austere film, this new transfer has a sharp, clean appearance that is as appropriately low-key as the material.

Minted from a nice new print that is in fine shape, only a few shots with dirt and the occasional blemish distract. Given all the chilly winter locales, hues are desaturated save for a few vibrant splashes of primary color. The film almost looks monochromatic in certain sequences, and hues remain solid and free of noise or bleeding. Blacks are for the most part rock solid save for a couple of minor sequences that suffer from slight fading, and contrast is excellent. The film does feature some intentionally overpumped exteriors with blown-out whites, but this doesn't distract from a generally detailed and sharp picture. With no extras included, compression artifacts are not a problem, and there is little serious haloing or edge enhancement to be found. A nice, low-key presentation.

Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

Featuring a new Dolby Digital 5.1 surround remix, this is one of those remasters that you have to applaud for effort even if the results aren't that exciting. A well-recorded production, this is a nice clean track with solid dialogue reproductio. However, surround use is still meager even on the 5.1 track. I noticed little difference between the remix and the included 2.0 Dolby surround original, save for more pronounced "bleed" of the score and some effects in the rears. The .1 LFE isn't all that powerful, hampered no doubt by the age of the materials. This is a perfectly respectable remix that supports the film well even if it isn't particularly enveloping.

A French mono dub is also included, along with English subtitles and Closed Captions.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

All we get is the film's original theatrical trailer in anamorphic widescreen and dull mono. A Cronenberg and Walken commentary would have been great, wouldn't it?

DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC?

No ROM extras have been included.

Parting Thoughts