Scanners Trilogy Blu-ray Review

• 7th Apr 2013

It’s been a long time since Scanners has graced my TV and there was a good reason for this. Having seen scanners in my early teens it was never one of my favourite David Cronenberg films. I think I saw this after the likes of The Brood and Rabid and always favoured the latter but never really wanted to repeatedly watch these films. But I found myself having more of an understanding and appreciation for this movie now having re-watched this in my late 30’s thanks to Second Sight films releasing the Blu Ray version of this Cronenberg outing. David Cronenberg is well known for making a more mature and thrilling horror film rather than the splatter fests I was used to! Yes, we were treated to the wonderfully crafted head explosion scene, but there is so much more to these films than effect frenzied blood splattering and slicing limbs etc.

Scanners stars Stephen Lack as Cameron Vale, a degenerate homeless person who just happens to possess great psychic powers! When these powers become apparent at the beginning of the movie he draws the attention of the organisation ConSec who has a programme working with others like Cameron. We are soon introduced to the films villain Darryl Revok played by the amazing Michael Ironside. Darryl attends the ConSec convention were they reveal scanning to the public and is picked from the crowd as a volunteer to be scanned, unbeknownst to them that he is a scanner himself who is there to assassinate the lecturer in what is one the film’s most memorable scene with the head explosion.

It’s after this event that ConSec’s Dr.Paul Ruth (Patrick McGoohan) recruits Cameron to infiltrate the underground Scanner movement lead by Revok to whom Dr.Ruth has already lost most of his scanners. Along the way Cameron also meets a female scanner Kim Obrist (Jennifer O’Neill) who helps him with his quest.

The story is full of twists and turns including a family tree moment that star wars would have been proud of (Which I won’t spoil for those who haven’t seen this) and a tremendous good vs evil match at the end which will have you on the edge of your seat.

It is Michael Ironside though who steals the limelight in this movie as the supporting cast and lead hero fail to be as convincing in their roles, and the lack of experience in film acting from Stephen Lack does unfortunately show.

David Cronenberg has been quoted on this being the most frustrating movie he’s done as it was rushed through production and the script wasn’t even finished once filming had started.

This also does show in the film and the ending in particular seems like it was finished in a hurry even though visually it was very impressive.

Talking about visually impressive, I’m glad to say once again Second Sight has outdone themselves with another superbly polished transfer. My only gripe (and it’s not about this disc alone) is that with such great transfers appearing these days of films from the early 80’s when CGI was not used in horror films, the special effects mastery is sort of losing its edge. The sharper the picture the more fake the special effects look! We get to see so much detail that what was once hidden by grain and the props are now very clear to see. Not so much a fault with Blu Ray transfers but it just feels a bit like when you can just about see how a magician has performed his trick, therefore losing a little of its magic.

What I was a little disappointed with (and I mean Just a little) was a lack in some special features. The disc does boast 5 new bonus interviews, all of which are very interesting and informative, but in the interview with the film’s star Stephen Lack, He speaks of how scanners had changed his life socially and often spoke of how heavily the film was plugged with TV spots and trailers, Magazine ads etc. and I was surprised that none of these were on offer on the disc, trailers I presumed were almost a given! But like I said, I was only a little disappointed as the interviews will be more than enough to quench the thirst of any scanner fan that I’m sure will not be disappointed with this release.

Scanners II – The New Order

Along with Scanners, Second Sight is also releasing Scanners Sequels II & III. These discs are void of extras but have also been given the Blu Ray treatment.

Scanners II – The New order was released 10 years after its predecessor and was directed by Christian Duguay.

The straight to video release opened in a similar way to Scanners in that one of the films villains is found at the beginning of the movie in a public place by displaying his psychic powers and being spotted by the men in trench coats!

This time our hero scanner David Kellum is played by David Hewlett and his evil Scanner enemy Peter Drak is played surprisingly well by Raoul Trujillo.

This story focuses on a corrupt police inspector John Forrester (Yvan Ponton) who keeps talking in the media about his New Order. He uses scanners to his gain to help him take control of the city, Conning David into scanning the city’s mayor into making him the new chief of police after having Drak murder him; it’s not long before he’s setting his sights on Mayor.

David soon realises his error and the real intentions of Forrester and sets about putting an end to his new order.

This film is actually quite a good addition to the scanner franchise and links relatively well to the first film (including another Star Wars family tree moment) and also has interesting links to the first by turning scanners into drug addicts on a drug linked to the first film. Also the odd popped vein and exploding head make a welcome return!

Unfortunately the transfer wasn’t as good as the Scanners release but it’s not awful. A little hazy in places but not one of the worst I’ve seen! I’m guessing this may have something to do with the negatives available or maybe not?

If you enjoyed Scanners then I would definitely recommending checking out the first sequel as they do go together quite nicely!

Scanners III – The Takeover

Last and definitely least is the final scanners release from Second Sight is Scanners III – the Takeover. This story focuses on 2 Scanners adopted by a Dr whose large medical research company is trying to invent a drug to help the scanners relive the pain of their infliction.

The film opens at a house party which the 2 scanners are attending. Helena, the quiet and reserved sister played by Liliana Komorowska and her brother Alex played by Steve Parish. Whilst showing of his scanner skills Alex accidently kills one of his friends by throwing him from a window with the power of his mind. After this incident he then goes to Thailand to learn how to control his powers.

Meanwhile back at home his sister is struggling to control the headaches and voices that come with the scanner infliction. Her adoptive father Dr.Elton Monet has invented a electrical patch that can help scanners control these pains. Although this is still in the trial stage and he does not want his daughter to use this new invention until it has been fully tested. During one particularly bad episode, Helena takes it upon herself to use the patch which has terrible consequences.

The once mild mannered Helena is now a power hungry evil scanner and sets about gathering her own scanner army and after learning that she can send her scanner powers through the media of television, works on a plan to scan her powers across America. Only one scanner is powerful enough to stop her and he’s just come back from Thailand (who didn’t see that coming).

This episode in the scanner franchise is by no means the best, but at the same time it is very watchable! It isn’t the best acted but the character Helena is quite well played and by the end you want her to die a horrible death! Unfortunately you don’t always get what you hope for and the ending did fall a little flat! You get only one head explosion scene in this film but it’s quite well played out and a little humorous.

You also get the added pleasures of exploding pigeons and fingers too, although there isn’t much else to speak of as far as gore is concerned as I presume this film was on quite a tight budget.

So to sum up Second Sight have done well to release what I presume is a very eagerly anticipated back catalogue of the Scanner films. The extras are a little thin on the ground but the interviews will be ideal for those wanting to know more on the background of David Cronenberg’ s original release. The transfer on the first is outstanding, but don’t expect too much from the two sequels, but I must recommend that if you are a fan of the first the sequels are definitely worth adding to your collection also.

Scanners I, II and III are available from Second Sight films on the 8^th April.

Shane Meekings