Dreamscape (1984)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Joseph Ruben

Writers:

David Loughery (story)
David Loughery (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 August 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller | Horror

Tagline:

Alex Gardner has an extraordinary gift. To keep it may cost him his life...

Plot:

A government funded project looks into using psychics to enter people's dreams, with some mechanical help...

Plot Keywords:

Dream | Psychic | Heart | Nightmare | Helicopter

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Dennis Quaid	...	Alex Gardner
Max von Sydow	...	Doctor Paul Novotny
Christopher Plummer	...	Bob Blair
Eddie Albert	...	The President
Kate Capshaw	...	Jane DeVries
David Patrick Kelly	...	Tommy Ray Glatman
George Wendt	...	Charlie Prince
Larry Gelman	...	Mr. Webber
Cory 'Bumper' Yothers	...	Buddy
Redmond Gleeson	...	Snead
Peter Jason	...	Babcock
Chris Mulkey	...	Finch
Jana Taylor	...	Mrs. Webber
Madison Mason	...	Fred Schoenstein
Kendall Carly Browne	...	Mrs. Matusik

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Iceland:16 | UK:15 (re-rating) (2000) (uncut) | UK:15 (cut) | Netherlands:12 | Australia:M | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:15 | West Germany:16 | USA:R (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (edited for re-rating)

Filming Locations:

Los Alamitos Racetrack - 4961 Katella Avenue, Los Alamitos, California, USA

Company:

Zupnik-Curtis Enterprises

Trivia:

Originally there was a love scene involving Alex and Jane that was supposed to have taken place in the middle of the film involving nudity, but it was deleted for pacing issues and also because of the MPAA's new PG-13 rating guidelines. The love scene was featured in the film theatrically and on its original video release, but for its "Image" dvd release a PG edited cut print or TV version of the film was used for the transfer.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During the dream sequence at the end of the film, the camera crew is reflected in the wall as Blair rounds the corner to the elevator.

Quotes:

Alex Gardner: You had Tommy Ray kill that woman in the dream link, didn't you?
Bob Blair: Yes.
Alex Gardner: Why?
Bob Blair: I wanted to see if it could be done.
Alex Gardner: You're a real humanitarian, Blair.
Bob Blair: I'm a realist. We live in a dangerous, hostile world. I will do whatever I have to, to keep this country safe.
Alex Gardner: Yeah, that's what scares me.
Bob Blair: You're a very intelligent young man, Alex. You've mastered an amazing technique. Surely, you can see the possibilities. During his dream link with Matusik, Tommy Ray stabbed her with a knife. A dream knife. The shock to Matusik's system caused a coronary and she died...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Xiao sheng meng jing hun (1987)

Soundtrack:

Baby, Can't We Take It Home

Could have been a contender

The idea is fantastic. Can you imagine being able to get into other people's dreams, watch them, interact with them. The problem is, the plot is inconclusive and becomes kind of a TV movie along the way. It would make a fantastic remake with a stronger cast and director. However, movies about dreaming are always scary because they touch on something so close and yet inexplicable to all of us. I saw recently a short movie from Italy entitled "Xchange" which is the closest to this one in terms of innovation insofar as the subject is concerned. Not an easy area to tell a long story about. Dreams are often used as omens or hints of psychological discomfort in movies. Instead, it would be great if they could be regarded as something different: a world of their own, a parallel state of mind no less real than real life itself. Someone should redo Dreamscape!