A scientist trains a man with an advanced telepathic ability called "scanning" to stop a dangerous Scanner with extraordinary psychic powers from waging war against non scanners.
Director:
Writer:
Awards:
- 3 wins & 9 nominations.
- See more »
Reviews:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Jennifer O'Neill | ... |
Kim Obrist
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| Stephen Lack | ... |
Cameron Vale
(as Steven Lack)
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| Patrick McGoohan | ... |
Dr. Paul Ruth
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| Lawrence Dane | ... |
Braedon Keller
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| Michael Ironside | ... |
Darryl Revok
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| Robert A. Silverman | ... |
Benjamin Pierce
(as Robert Silverman)
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| Lee Broker | ... |
Security One
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Mavor Moore | ... |
Trevellyan
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Adam Ludwig | ... |
Arno Crostic
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Murray Cruchley | ... |
Programmer 1
(as Lee Murray)
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| Fred Doederlein | ... |
Dieter Tautz
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| Géza Kovács | ... |
Killer in Record Store
(as Geza Kovacs)
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| Sonny Forbes | ... |
Killer in Attic
(as Sony Forbes)
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Jérôme Tiberghien | ... |
Killer in Attic
(as Jerome Tiberghien)
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Denis Lacroix | ... |
Killer in Barn
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Elizabeth Mudry | ... |
Killer in Barn
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| Victor Désy | ... |
Dr. Gatineau
(as Victor Desy)
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Louis Del Grande | ... |
First Scanner
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| Anthony Sherwood | ... |
Scanner in Attic
(as Tony Sherwood)
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Ken Umland | ... |
Scanner in Attic
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Anne Anglin | ... |
Scanner in Attic
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Jock Brandis | ... |
Scanner in Attic
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Jack Messinger | ... |
Scanner at Door
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Victor Knight | ... |
Dr. Frane
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Karen Fullerton | ... |
Pregnant Girl
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Margaret Gadbois | ... |
Woman in Mall
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Terrance P. Coady | ... |
Security 1 Car Passenger
(as Terry Coady)
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Steve Michaels | ... |
Security 1 Car Driver
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| Malcolm Nelthorpe | ... |
Security 2 Car Driver
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Nicholas Kilbertus | ... |
Security 2 Car Partner
(as Nickolas Kilbertus)
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Don Buchsbaum | ... |
Large Man in Mall
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Roland Nincheri | ... |
Large Man in Mall
(as Rolland Nincheri)
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Kimberly McKeever | ... |
Hallucinating Guard
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Robert Boyd | ... |
Hallucinating Guard
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Graham Batchelor | ... |
Yoga Technician
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Dean Hagopian | ... |
Programmer 2
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| Alex Stevens | ... |
Programmer 3
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| Neil Affleck | ... |
Medical Student in Mall
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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John Brasington | ... |
Hazmat-Suit Worker (uncredited)
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| Chris Britton | ... |
Hazmat-Suit Worker (uncredited)
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Jack Canon | ... |
Hazmat-Suit Worker (uncredited)
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Richard Chapman Jr. | ... |
Hazmat-Suit Worker (uncredited)
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| Leon Herbert | ... |
Hazmat-Suit Worker (uncredited)
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| William Hope | ... |
Hazmat-Suit Worker (uncredited)
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Thomas Kovacs | ... |
Boyfriend (uncredited)
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| Michael Maloley | ... |
Doctor in hall (uncredited)
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Ian McQue | ... |
Scanner / Security Guard (uncredited)
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| Chuck Shamata | ... |
Tony (uncredited)
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Sam Stone | ... |
Security Guard (uncredited)
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Directed by
| David Cronenberg | ||
Written by
| David Cronenberg | ... | (written by) |
Produced by
| Pierre David | ... | executive producer |
| Claude Héroux | ... | producer (produced by) (as Claude Heroux) |
| Victor Solnicki | ... | executive producer |
Music by
| Howard Shore | ||
Cinematography by
| Mark Irwin | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Ronald Sanders | ||
Editorial Department
| Robert Boyd | ... | assistant editor |
| Chris Hutton | ... | assistant editor |
| Thomas Metzger | ... | color timer |
| Bill Wiggins | ... | post-production coordinator |
Art Direction by
| Carol Spier | ||
Costume Design by
| Delphine White | ||
Makeup Department
| Stephan Dupuis | ... | special makeup |
| Brigitte McCaughry | ... | makeup artist |
| Constant Natale | ... | hair stylist |
| Tom Schwartz | ... | special makeup |
| Dick Smith | ... | special makeup effects consultant |
| Chris Walas | ... | special makeup |
Production Management
| Don Buchsbaum | ... | production manager |
| Jean Savard | ... | unit manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Jim Kaufman | ... | first assistant director |
| Anne Murphy | ... | third assistant director |
| Michael A. Williams | ... | second assistant director (as Mike Williams) |
Art Department
| Alfred | ... | set designer |
| Peter Borowski | ... | sculptor |
| Jean Bourret | ... | property master |
| Peter Bray | ... | set dresser |
| Serge Bureau | ... | assistant set dresser |
| Michel Comte | ... | assistant propsman |
| Tom Coulter | ... | sculptor |
| Peter Dowker | ... | sculptor |
| Melanie Johnson | ... | assistant set dresser |
| Barbara Jones | ... | assistant art director |
| Michael Joy | ... | draughtsman |
| Claude Simard | ... | construction supervisor |
| Ernie Tomlinson | ... | assistant propsman |
Sound Department
| Charles Bowers | ... | sound editor |
| Peter Burgess | ... | sound editing supervisor |
| Terry Burke | ... | assistant sound editor |
| Don Cohen | ... | sound |
| Paul Coombe | ... | sound re-recordist |
| Gary Daprato | ... | assistant sound editor |
| Mike Hoogenboom | ... | sound re-recordist |
| Peter Jermyn | ... | sound editor |
| Bruce Nyznik | ... | sound editor |
| Gabor Vadnay | ... | boom operator |
Special Effects by
| Don Berry | ... | special effects assistant |
| Louis Craig | ... | special effects assistant |
| Jacques Godbout | ... | special effects assistant |
| Dennis Pike | ... | micro effects |
| David Neil Trifunovich | ... | special effects technician |
| Gary Zeller | ... | special effects |
Stunts
| Alex Stevens | ... | stunt coordinator |
| Céline Fournier | ... | stunt woman (uncredited) |
| Gary Hymes | ... | stunt performer (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Jock Brandis | ... | gaffer |
| François Dupéré | ... | key grip (as Francois Dupere) |
| Denis Fugere | ... | still photographer |
| Maris H. Jansons | ... | grip (as Maris Jansons) |
| Claude Langlois | ... | best boy |
| Robin Miller | ... | first assistant camera |
| Michel Périard | ... | grip (as Michel Periard) |
| Lynn Rotin | ... | apprentice assistant camera |
| Arshad Shaw | ... | electrician |
| Gregory Villeneuve | ... | second assistant camera |
Casting Department
| Ginette D'Amico | ... | casting assistant |
| Muriel Fournier | ... | casting assistant |
| Daniel Hausmann | ... | casting: Montreal |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Fabienne April | ... | assistant dresser |
| Renée April | ... | dresser |
| Blanche-Danielle Boileau | ... | costume assistant (as Blanche Boileau) |
Location Management
| Christine Burt | ... | location manager |
Script and Continuity Department
| France Boudreau | ... | continuity |
Transportation Department
| Armand Thomas | ... | driver: action vehicles |
| Charles Toupin | ... | driver captain |
Additional Crew
| Neil Bibby | ... | production assistant |
| Victor Blazevic | ... | production assistant |
| Robert Boyd | ... | assistant: Mr. Cronenberg |
| Pierre David | ... | presenter |
| Patrick Ferrerro | ... | production assistant |
| Kay Gray | ... | unit publicist |
| Nerses Kolanian | ... | production assistant |
| Guy Landry | ... | production assistant |
| Glendon Light | ... | production assistant |
| Marilyn Majerczyk | ... | production assistant |
| Serge Major | ... | production accountant |
| Kim Obrist | ... | assistant: Mr. Heroux |
| Danièle Rohrbach | ... | production coordinator (as Daniele Rohrbach) |
| Nick Rose | ... | production assistant |
| Victor Solnicki | ... | presenter |
| Claire Veillet | ... | production assistant |
Production Companies
- Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC)
- Filmplan International
- Montreal Trust Company of Canada (copyright holder)
Distributors
- New World-Mutual (1981) (Canada) (theatrical)
- AVCO Embassy Pictures (1981) (United States) (theatrical)
- Avco Embassy (1981) (Mexico) (theatrical)
- Concorde Film (1981) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Continental Film (1981) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Manson International Pictures (1981) (Non-US) (theatrical)
- New Realm Entertainments (1981) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Roadshow Films (1981) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Syncron Film (1981) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Ciné Paris Distribution (1981) (France) (theatrical)
- Toei Company (1981) (Japan) (theatrical)
- Transcontinental Film (1982) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- 20th Century Fox Video (1982) (United States) (VHS)
- Astral Video (1982) (Canada) (VHS)
- Breien Film (1982) (Norway) (VHS)
- Home Box Office (HBO) (1982) (United States) (tv) (pay television)
- Roadshow Home Video (1982) (Australia) (VHS)
- Continental Video (1983) (Sweden) (VHS)
- Embassy Home Entertainment (1983) (United States) (VHS)
- European Video Corporation (EVC) (1983) (Netherlands) (VHS)
- Transvídeo (1983) (Brazil) (VHS)
- Videomax (1983) (Mexico) (VHS)
- Vídeo Network (1983) (Brazil) (VHS)
- Mokép (1984) (Hungary) (VHS)
- Tohokushinsha Home Video (1984) (Japan) (VHS)
- UFA Video (1984) (West Germany) (VHS)
- Reserva Especial (1985) (Brazil) (VHS)
- Videosonic (1985) (Greece) (VHS)
- Malofilm Home Video (1987) (Canada) (VHS)
- East-West communications/Intervit-Russia (1989) (Soviet Union) (VHS)
- Nelson Entertainment (1990) (United States) (VHS)
- Image Entertainment (1996) (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
- Nippon Herald Films (1997) (Japan) (theatrical) (re-release)
- Future Film (1997) (Finland) (VHS)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (United States) (VHS)
- MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (United States) (DVD)
- Encore Movie Channel (2002) (United States) (tv) (pay television)
- Van Blad (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
- Future Film (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
- Star Media Entertainment (2003) (Norway) (DVD)
- Atlantic Film (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
- Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2005) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Subkultur Entertainment (2012) (Germany) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- A Contracorriente Films (2013) (Spain) (DVD)
- Explosive-Media (2013) (Germany) (DVD)
- Umbrella Entertainment (2013) (Australia) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Janus Films (2014) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
- The Criterion Collection (2014) (United States) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- HBO Max (2020) (United States) (video) (VOD)
- A Contracorriente Films (2021) (Spain) (theatrical) (event re-release) (subtitled version)
- The Criterion Channel (2021) (United States) (tv) (digital)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Canadian Casting Associates (casting: Toronto)
- Film House, Toronto (mixing facilities)
- Film Opticals (opticals)
- Intrada (score album published by)
- Intrada (soundtrack)
- Negbec Films (negative cutting)
- Paratel (publicity)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
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.
Written by Paul Reynolds |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | There are 4 billion people on earth. 237 are Scanners. They have the most terrifying powers ever created... and they are winning. See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Box Office
| Budget | CAD4,100,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | David Cronenberg once called this the most frustrating film he'd ever made. The film was rushed through production - filming had to begin without a finished script and end within roughly two months so the financing would qualify as a tax write-off, forcing Cronenberg to write and shoot at the same time. Cronenberg also cited difficulty with and antagonism between the leads, particularly Patrick McGoohan and Jennifer O'Neill. See more » |
| Goofs | After the famous "exploding head" scene, there wasn't a drop of blood on Revok or the table. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited into 365 Days, also Known as a Year (2019). See more » |
| Crazy Credits | As the credits end, the words "Max Security Self Destruct Seconds 1" flash on the screen, then the screen flashes green, as if someone shut the monitor off. See more » |
| Quotes |
Benjamin Pierce:
My art... keeps me sane. [gestures at plaster head] Benjamin Pierce: Art. [taps his temples] Benjamin Pierce: Sane. See more » |