Scanners: Boundary Breaking & Head Popping

Melanie & Melvin discuss David Cronenberg’s Scanners, a contemplative psychological horror with intense bookends! From the film’s odd casting to its heady-concepts of individual thought and sovereignty, the two discuss what makes Scanners a worthwhile watch for those searching for a little bit more in their thrillers!

Topics:

• (PATREON EXCLUSIVE) 36-minutes further discussing Wall·E, specifically the film’s focus on the transcendental nature of love. (PATREON EXCLUSIVE)
• Scanners has great special effects, and they are used sparingly. This undoubtedly makes them more fun.
• Howard Shore’s score excels in audibly explaining the effect of the Scanner.
• Stephen Lack’s performance as Cameron is undoubtedly unfulfilled but Melvin didn’t find it so distracting that it took away from the experience. 
• Melvin, “It’s a movie that knows you’re smart and can keep up.”
• How individual scanners find ways to overcome the internal static, or noise, that they suffer is extremely interesting. Some will coexist with other scanners, others will create art.
• The two think through what makes the scanner so frightening, specifically the invasion of the self.
• While watching Scanners, Melvin contemplated the way in which God created humanity, specifically the individual sovereignty of the body, and how the body creates a natural, secure barrier among others both physically and mentally.
• The two agree: being a scanner probably sucks!

Recommendations:

• Overcooked! (Video Game) (Nintendo Switch)
• It’s Alive (1974) (Movie)

Scanners is Rated R. It features Jennifer O’Neill, Stephen Lack, Patrick McGoohan, Lawrence Dane, Michael Ironside, and Robert A. Silverman. Directed by David Cronenberg. Scanners is available here.

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Melvin Benson is the Founder, Editor-In-Chief, and Lead Host of Cinematic Doctrine. Whether it’s a movie, show, game, comic, or novel, it doesn’t matter. As long as it’s rich, he’s ready and willing to give it a try! His hope is to see King Jesus glorified as far as the east is from the west!

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