Dreamscape (Special Edition) [Blu-ray] Review
A preposterous but very fun film from the mid-80s, with great casting, quick pacing, above-average dialogue and a solid plot that weaves together some very imaginative ideas. Don't know what Dr. Freud would think of this band of Dream Psychologists, and things get a little silly once it the film comes full circle with its psuedo-scientific premises...but it all works in a Twilight Zone kind of way. That is to say - despite the incredible suspension of disbelief required, or perhaps because of it, the dark and cautionary messages of the film are nested in pure escapism.
Brainstorm is a similar film, but that one gets way too preachy and turns idiotic in the last half. The Dead Zone is a totally different tone which takes its subject more seriously and has more to say about the responsibilities of those who have "gifts". Dreamscape, although it is by far the most goofy, makes equally good points and is a hell of a lot more fun than either of the other two. Also included is the requisite mid-80s romance with the future Mrs. Spielberg, who thankfully doesn't have to either sing or scream in this outing.
Dreamscape (Special Edition) [Blu-ray] Overview
The President of the United States is about to be assassinated in a dream where there is no morning after. Only one man can save him--a man who must plunge himself into the President's horrendous nightmare. Dennis Quaid stars as Alex Gardner, a psychically gifted young man recruited to help Dr. Paul Novotny (Max Von Sydow) and the beautiful Dr. Jane DeVries (Kate Capshaw) in an experiment to help patients disturbed by menacing nocturnal illusions. But corrupt high-ranking government official Bob Blair (Christopher Plummer) has darker plans for Alex's unusual powers. Soon Alex is propelled inside the President's nightmare, a frightening wasteland of nuclear holocaust, and locked in a fantastic battle that could only happen in a dream. This action-packed science fiction adventure will excite and thrill you with its unusual journey through the mind's most terrifying recesses.
Dreamscape (Special Edition) [Blu-ray] Specifications
Alex Gardner (Dennis Quaid) is a talented young psychic who's frittering his gifts away betting on the ponies. That is, until he's coerced by his old pal and mentor Dr. Paul Novotny (Max von Sydow) into taking part in a dream research project in which his psychic abilities make him indispensable. The project concerns "dreamlinking," whereby talented individuals like Alex hook up via electrodes and project themselves into some troubled subject's nightmares, in which they not only observe but participate in the dream, hopefully effecting some remedy. Alex is by nature a feckless guy, a charismatic scoundrel sporting a Cheshire cat's grin. But he warms easily to his new role as dream-dwelling psychotherapist, having a core of decency. Not so his nemesis, Tommy Ray Glatman (David Patrick Kelly), a dreamlink prodigy and pawn of Bob Blair (Christopher Plummer), who runs the research project for the government (he's described as the "head of covert intelligence"). Blair is worried about the President (Eddie Albert), whose nightmares of nuclear holocaust cause him to escalate disarmament talks with the Russians, much to Blair's dismay, being your basic evil, slick, smarmy covert kind of guy. Turns out Blair's real aim is to use the project to train dreamlink assassins, his star pupil being psycho Tommy Ray and his test case the President. Only Alex is there to stop them.
Dreamscape is all business, with a well-structured screenplay that lays the groundwork for the film's many admirable performances. Kate Capshaw in particular is very dreamy as a research scientist and Dennis Quaid's love interest. And David Patrick Kelly is likely to become your worst nightmare, especially when he's the Snakeman, giving an often fantastical performance. But what you're most likely to remember from this wonderful thriller is the many vivid dream sequences, aptly surreal images from the troubled psyche. --Jim Gay
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Customer Reviews
Found it At Last - Molly Littlefoot - Oshkosh, Wisconsin USA
We used to have this one VHS and the tape broke ::wibble:: I have been looking for it on DVD for years. It's A Sci-Fi/Fantasy with Dennis Quaid (who we both had teen crushes on) and Max von Sydow an accomplished actor who run a project on getting into people's dreams. Christopher Plummer gets to be the governmental bad guy just "trying" to protect Eddie Albert who is the country's President but who really wants the position for himself after the president decides to take the Russians up on the SALT talks (yep this was waaay back in the 80's).
One watches it and laughs at the huge computers but the story is still good and we both still loved it as much as we did when we saw it in the theater.
Dreamscape Blu-ray - Michael P. Hogan -
An oldie but goody. In its time it was a fitst rate movie. Now it comes off like an old B-movie. But don't put down old B-movies they're still around for a reacon.
Thriller. - Bonnie R. Cox -
Reminds me of some of the dreams, the few I can remember, that I've had. Spooky, and a bit frightening.
Blu Ray Version Is A Rip Off - William D. Foster Jr. - Carolina Beach, NC, USA
I am disgusted that companies can market a movie as a blu ray which implies enhanced sound and picture only to provide you with an unaltered straight from DVD transfer. While the sound was on par with standard DVD audio the picture was horrible. The movie had all the little white static-like spots in every frame as if you were watching a high school reel projector movie. It was VHS quality visuals. Nothing is touched up visually from the original movie. The green screen scenes are obvious. And with barely 5 minutes of extras, most of which are still photos, this can hardly be considered a "special edition" of anything.
Image Entertainment has made a name for themselves releasing IMAX and concert blu rays. Reviews of those discs have me scratching my head as to why they would release "Dreamscape" on blu ray at all when they enhance other films for the blu ray upgrade. It is apparent to me this movie came out to capitalize on the upcoming blu ray release of "A Nightmare On Elm Street" which shares some similar themes.
Do not buy this blu ray. You can purchase the "Special Edition" DVD release here on amazon.com for .99 or this movie shows up in the Walmart bin from time to time. There is no difference in the quality of the DVD and blu ray releases except for the price. Someone should prevent these companies from releasing "fake" blu rays at once. And amazon.com should pull this release from their site before someone else makes the same mistake I did and purchases this "fake" blu ray.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Jul 09, 2010 02:45:06
