Dreamscape (1984)

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

This is one of those 80s movies I watched on VHS over and over again and dearly loved. Dennis Quaid plays a cocky young psychic who's recruited for a scientific study to enter into the dreams of another person. Their hope is to assist people experiencing traumatic nightmares by entering into their dream and helping them overcome whatever it is that is plaguing them. One such dream is a young boy experiencing nightmares about a "Snake Man" tying to kill him. According to this film's "rules," if you die in a dream, you die in real life. One psychic was already "lost" after going into the boy's dream. That sequence is one that was burned itself into my own young brain and was quite scary back in the day. Watching it now, it's still nicely scary and I also very much enjoyed the German Expressionist influenced production design elements of the nightmare sequence, along with the awesomely retro claymation Snake Man. But the main plot is about the president of the United States having nightmares about ending the world with nuclear war and those nightmares are influencing his real-life decisions. Now enter another cocky young psychic, an excellent David Patrick Kelly, who is (SPOILER ALERT) being sent by an evil Christopher Plummer into the dreams of the president and kill him, so it's up to Quaid to stop him. The battle between Quaid and Kelly in a surreal dream world remains suspenseful, exciting, and visually interesting, even if the special effects are wildly dated. "Dreamscape" was directed by underrated director Joseph Ruben, who also directed underrated thrillers like "The Stepfather" and "True Believer," and it was co-written by Ruben and Chuck Russell ("Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors" and "The Mask"), so it's a smart talented group of filmmakers behind the camera. Also behind the camera is cinematographer Brian Tufano, who'd previously shot "Quadrophenia" who would later go on to shoot on films like "Trainspotting" and "Shallow Grave." Top all that off with a surprisingly strong supporting cast that includes Max von Sydow, Eddie Albert as the president, Kate Capshaw, George Wendt, Larry Gelman, Peter Jason, and Chris Mulkey, along with a fun synthesizer heavy score by Maurice Jarre, and you get a highly enjoyably retro 80s sci-fi film that's pretty hard to resist.

Dreamscape is a killer fun, colourful, streamlined little fantasy sci-fi from back in the 80's that still holds its own amongst anything that today has to offer. It's a glowing testament to the shelf life of practical effects, showing that no matter how jerky, obvious or in your face an effect is, it's always going to look more dazzling to the human eye than CGI. This one is a neat kaleidoscope of animatronics, trick photography, pretty colour filters and general whackadoodle atmosphere of strangeness, and when you look at the subject matter, it becomes clear why. It's about a secret government program which employs gifted psychics to enter people's dreams, retrieving valuable information and discerning motives that could prevent tragedy. One such individual is Alex Gardner (Dennis Quaid) recruited by Dr. Paul Novotny (Max Von Sydow) to assist him in vague research which requires his cerebral talents. Quaid suits the role perfectly, considering Alex is a roguish, irresponsible dude content with using his clairvoyance to score at the racetrack, slumming way below his potential and smiling about it no end. He's tasked with figuring why the U.S. President (always nice to see Eddie Albert) is having harrowing nightmares of an America left in ruins by some catastrophic disaster. Lurking in the shadows is secretary of defence Bob Blair (a slimy Christopher Plummer) whose trigger happy agenda raises some red flags. Gardner is facing quite the conundrum, as he finds himself watched by Blair's goons, and racing to prevent the unthinkable, with only a beautiful colleague (Kate Capshaw) to help him. The effects inside the dreams are wicked, including a skin crawling human cobra hybrid, a Seuss-esque stairway into oblivion, a hazy skyscraper accident, a haunting vision of earth post-nuclear attack complete with clawing mutants (a genuinely scary moment) and more. For its time, it outdoes itself in the visual department. The supporting cast is nice as well, with appearances from Chris Mulkey, Peter Jason, George Wendt and David Patrick Kelly. One of my treasured fantasy flicks from the 80's and just a bundle of metaphysical, trippy fun.

Dreams have always fascinated me because their always carry such a mystery, to how surreal they are as well as what content they hold; sometimes they mean something and sometimes nothing. This film is an under the radar 80's gem that I really enjoyed, because you never quite seen a film like it there really aren't that many that tackle the subject matter on dreams let alone really that many psychic suspense thrillers; this film was one of the first and one of the best examples in my book anyway. The plot is solid if not entirely unique, it's the typical conspiracy against the president plot that I've seen in dozens of suspense thrillers, but here their using the dream realm which I felt was a different spin on this plot and helps make it slightly interesting. The music in the film is good there are a few memorable tracks. The characters are solid, I like the protagonist Alex Gardner (Dennis Quaid) he's an expert psychic but a rookie in entering dreams. He's slightly arrogant but in a good way, has a little charisma, he's a bit sympathetic because he feels responsible for not saving his father despite the fact he only got the vision when he was a child, but he's willing to take the psychic hero gig whether he wants to or not because there's no one else. Kate Capshaw was good as Jane DeVries she was a good number two for Alex, whom is smart, slightly useful, can hold her own against danger. Both have decent chemistry together both platonic and romantic wise.And the antagonists I thought were good opponents. Christopher Plumber was decent, I don't have much to say for him since he's kinda a typical two dimensional head villain. But it's really David Patrick Kelly that stands out for the main villain, he has played villains before I thought was once again a good villain. He's basically an butt head psycho psychic for hire whom surprising turns out to be intimidating due to how well he utilizes the dream world, let alone a more experienced psychic which unfortunately gives him a slight advantage over Alex. He's also kinda funny from some of the charisma he delivers.But really were in this film for the Dreamscape sequences which are the highlight of the film and they don't disappoint, there something you just have to see to believe. It's true that there have been some TV episodes and movies that have utilizes dream sequences, but these dream sequences in this film still stand out because of how unique they are and how elaborate in detail and atmosphere.I really like how it's shot and certain effects and set pieces which successfully created a surreal landscape, and it felt accurate because that's basically what most of our dreams are they never really look or behave like our contemporary reality because anything could happen and does. Alex's reactions to them help because were in the same boat as him in the sequences, the Dreamscape is trippy, fascinating and even a little scary. One of the things that stand out no doubt is the Snake Man, I still think is a memorable monster. I really like the design of it, it sort of looks like Cobra Ka from "He-Man". The way it just behaves and looks is creepy, and personally I find snakes at times creepy anyway.My favorite Dreamscape was in the final conflict, I just really like the post apocalyptic setting, but also just the back and forth in the physical (or psychic) confrontation between Alex and Tommy. I just like how Tommy is just throwing different things against Alex, like having a ninja uniform and using nunchkus; as well as other things I don't want to give away.It's true this films journey isn't without it's bumps. Certain scenes where Alex isn't in the Dreamscape weren't that interesting and useless, like the gambling scene. One dream scape journey to a divorced couple was out of place and look like something out of a bad soap. And certain effects don't quite hold up.But there are all minor problems due to the just the pacing of the film and the pulp fun tone to it, so I can get past these things.Overall it's a solid film that deserves a look. In the world of dreams anything can happen.Rating: 3 stars

Dreamscape.A generation before Inception there was Dreamscape. Quaid and other psychics are investigated by a secretive laboratory run by Novotny. The young Quaid has been involved with Novotny before and is wary of becoming a lab rat again, but because of his nefarious activities he is all too easily cajoled into joining the program. Through a computer link up in a controlled environment he is able with his special powers to get inside the mind of another person and influence their dreams. The program is not without risks however, and previous failures have had disastrous consequences, he is however able to save one particularly troubled boy from a terrible, recurring nightmare. Also involved in the program is the menacing Glatman, another psychic and from his demeanor, it is obvious that they will square off before the story is finished. Lurking in the shadows is a smarmy Bob Blair, played by the impeccably dressed Christopher Plummer, who runs the secretive yet powerful government agency that finances the program. This agency is so covert that even the CIA gives it a wide berth. His motives are sinister ones, he wants to develop the psychics into the ultimate weapon for the military, one that can assassinate enemies in their sleep, and leave no trace. He gets his chance to put his theory into practice when the president, racked by feelings of guilt over the atomic weapons threat, seeks help to overcome his nightmares. The basic premise of the story is a good one, but the script needed more much development, and some of the special dream effects look pretty cheap, quite amateurish even for when they were made, even without the use of CGI. Quaid plays Quaid, as cheeky and irreverent as ever. To keep under the radar of Novotny he has been misusing his psychic powers, becoming a hustler and gambler who has really only ever used his gift to stay one step ahead of the people he owes money to. He is not helped by having him parade around in some terrible 1980s fashions complete with Shaun Cassidy hair style. Max Von Sydow, is the serious scientist and humanitarian who runs the program investigating the mind powers, who wants all of those who are troubled in their sleep to benefit. While a young Kate Kapshaw ( looking very much like Julie Christie ), is largely wasted as the token female research assistant and all too obvious romantic interest. Plummer takes the acting honors here, as the immaculately groomed Blair, a shadowy and ruthless figure with his own agenda, who will let nothing stand in his way. Less impressive is David Kelly as the psychotic psychic Glatman, a character it is difficult to take seriously at any stage. Also obvious is the timing of this release on DVD. l admit l had never heard of this movie before, but you don't need to be a psychic to understand why it is being released now, to cash in on the interest generated by Inception. Unfortunately, even for the time it was made, it looks cheap and dated, even though it was a highly probable idea. It has also not aged very well, this is no classic, it looks very much a product of its time, although the president's nightmare scene, where Eddie Albert and Quaid ride a trolley car through the ruins of Hiroshima under a red filter is well done. This is the sort of film that makes you wonder what Hitchcock or the Wachowski brothers could have done with it even though this film is from the wrong era for either director.