Scanners
dir. David Cronenberg · 1981
Feature
Psychological Horror
Mood
Dark / Tense
Look
stark, clinical environments contrasted with visceral body horror
Structure
linear progression with psychological depth
Plot
Darryl Revok is the most powerful of all the scanners, and is the head of the underground scanner movement for world domination. Scanners have great psychic power, strong enough to control minds; they can inflict enormous pain/damage on their victims. Doctor Paul Ruth finds a scanner that Revok hasn't, and converts him to their cause - to destroy the underground movement.
Why watch
"Scanners" is a chilling exploration of psychic power and the human psyche, where the battle for control unfolds in a world rife with paranoia and existential dread. David Cronenberg's masterful blend of body horror and psychological tension invites viewers to confront the terrifying implications of power and isolation.
Cultural context
1980s paranoia about technology and controlthe rise of body horror in cinemaexploration of mental health and traumaCold War anxieties