JohnDoe
Bryn
Brenton
Dreamscape (1984) – Trailer Included
The Fantasy Nightmare that Fades with Brainstorming.
Dreamscape - Available on DVD
Director: Joseph Ruben
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Kate Capshaw, Christopher Plummer, Max Von Sydow, David Patrick Kelly, George Wendt
“Consider all the deep dark secrets that people hideaway in their minds. Now those secrets are bound to come out in their dreams, right? It occurs to me that a technique for plumbing those secrets could be of enormous interest to certain intelligence groups.” – Charlie Prince
Released the same year as A Nightmare on Elm Street and occupying some similar territory, Dreamscape is very much 80’s science fiction family entertainment. Notable for being only the second PG 13 rated film due to some mild sexual deviancy. This isn’t in the same league as the classics of the time (Eg: Wargames, Brainstorm) but still has many of the elements that made the era fun for a 13 year old.
Inspired to revisit the film because of its similar themes to Christopher Nolan’s Inception, Dreamscape is set in what appears to be present day 1984. An undefined Technology is in the experimental stage that allows the user to invade the dreams of another and interact. Naturally a top secret government agency sees the program as a tool for espionage where enemy secrets can be extracted and assassination in the dream world results in execution in waking life.
Opening with a nightmare sequence we are then introduced to Alex Gardner (Dennis Quaid). A former child genius whose telepathic abilities meant he spent his youth in a lab. Escaping the poking and prodding he has been using his gifts for gambling cons in the outside world.
An ideal subject for pushing the boundaries of the Dreamscape he is recruited by a measure of blackmail to work with his old scientist mentor, Doctor Paul Novotny (Max Von Sydow)
Assisted by the talented Jane DeVries (Kate Capshaw) Alex reluctantly begins invading others subconscious. Getting more involved and proving to be an apt pupil he discovers the impurity of a corrupt conspiracy manufactured by the head of covert intelligence Bob Blair (Christopher Plummer).
“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. So, the old wives tale comes true after all. When you dream that you die, you die in life at the very same instant. Now we can go into an enemy's dream, kill him, make it look as if he died in his sleep. Do you realize what that means?’ – Bob Blair
Really max, I don't want to go into a 13 year olds wet dream. It's messy in there.
John Doe Says:
When viewed through new millennium eyes, a once intriguing, high concept idea now seems overly simplistic but there is still some novel entertainment to be found. Serving as a watermark for how sophisticated audiences have become at processing film dialect. The heavy lens filters of the subconscious leave no doubt as to what is real. The seemingly complex plot now feels under developed and many of the most interesting ideas remain enigmatic.
Writer/Director Joseph Ruben (The Stepfather, The Forgotten) injects a playful fluorescent tone to the staging and this often undermines the potential for sustained tension and suspense. A borderline dream raping between Quaid and Capshaw is treated with a gee-whiz mischievousness that could never be exploited now. This scene in particular was cut down by censors upon its initial run in the name of universal appeal.
The snakeman cometh
Maurice Jarre’s (Jacob’s Ladder, Dead Poets Society) synthesized score adds atmosphere and is responsible for the few darker moments that arise. Brian Tifano’s (Shallow Grave) cinematography has a distinct flavor of the time but does manage to add weight to necessary events.
The cast also assist in keeping it all palatable with the charm of a young Dennis Quaid going far. Having already proven himself with Breaking Away, The Long Riders and The Right Stuff he brings a personable intelligence to Alex that is easy to watch.
Christopher Plummer (The Silent Partner,Twelve Monkeys) embraces the Donald Rumsfeld type villainy of Bob Blair with natural ease. Not needing to stretch himself at all this is typical quality Plummer that seems effortless.
Playing it a little more vulnerable than usual, Max Von Sydow (Shutter Island, The Exorcist) always warrants notice. As the dedicated to the research father figure he is a compassionate presence with authority.
Dreamscapers. Come out to playay....
Providing unintentional sniggering, Mrs Spielberg, Kate Capshaw is out of place as the token pretty face. An uncoordinated sexiness, combined with her mousy demeanor clones her roles in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Released the same year) and Black Rain.
Falling more into the guilty pile and less into the pleasure, Dreamscape was a journey into John Doe’s memory. Like the dream that seems to be so powerful until the alarm clock goes off and you awake to realize that it was merely an outline that swiftly dissolves. The film that in youth seemed so rich in heady science fiction and was genuinely frightening is now worthy of revisiting for enjoyable performances and Special Effects, but loses its magic when scrutinized.
Retro Dreamscape trailer
One of the big contradictions of the film, Alex enjoys the rush of dream death, everyone else would die.
Horrorphile
Pretty cheesy.
Max was slumming it for sure.
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Film & TV on DVD
Cheesy. Certainly. Dated, afraid so.
Film & TV on DVD
I'm surprised this one slipped by you on release. Time has not been kind, but if your sick of watching The Last Starfighter, Flight of the Navigator etc and want some 80's shtick it may be enjoyable.
Film & TV on DVD
My memories of this seemed to have been more geared towards the ideas than the execution. No loss not revisiting it, shame really because I did like it as a kid.
Screen Fanatic
Max is a legend, adore the guy from his long and fruitful association with Bergman - but when you get down to it how many English language films that he's been in have ever been any good other than The Exorcist? A very small percentage.
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Horrorphile
I need to review that!
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
You should. I'd love to read that one.
Screen Adventure
David - I can think of a few decent english speaking films with Von Sydow - the most recent one being Shutter Island ?
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Film & TV on DVD
max always had presence to burn and even in sub standard fare he can hold his head high. His appearance in Minority Report and Judge Dredd always threw me though.
***************************** *********************
Agreed Shaun, not your sort of thing at all...really needed to be a child of the 80's to find any joy in this one. Interesting to see from the perspective of modern cinema tainting the simplicity of old.
***************************** **************************
Thanks Deni and Bryn, all this talk of Flash, he will save everyone of us makes me want to slip it in the DVD. (That's right, i do own it, oh the shame
My Life My Muse
Beta Girl Blog
Three of our local DVD shops just went out of Business, and sadly we are left only with Blockbuster. The good news about that is that their going out of Business sales seriously boosted my DVD collection to epic proportions!
I remember this movie from childhood, and was super excited to find the DVD for $1.00 at one of these sales. I have yet to watch it again but now after reading your review all of the ultra cheesy memories are coming back to me, so I think I'll watch it tonight
Hope all is well dear. Great to see you still hard at it here on this great website of yours!
Film & TV on DVD
Can't go wrong for a buck. The dominance of Netflix and the like does seem to have several advantages.
Look forward to reading what you think after rescreening.