Sordid Cinema Podcast #566: David Cronenberg’s Scanners: So Good, It Will Blow Your Mind

Scanners Podcast Review

This week the Sordid Cinema Podcast takes a deeper look at the 1981 cult classic Scanners to see if there’s still more in this tale of telepathic intrigue than a nifty exploding head GIF. Goomba Stomp writer/editor Mike Worby joins Rick and Patrick on their dive into director David Cronenberg’s first commercial hit, discussing where the film stands in his pantheon, debating the effect a rushed production schedule had on the script, and wondering just why the film’s lead actor comes across as a robot. Along the way here are comparisons to Hitchcock and the X-Men, praise for the incredible practical effects, a chuckle over a phone booth that gets blown up but good, and some questions about that twist ending.

Does Scanners still stand the test of time? What sort of tweaks could be made if this film was ever reimagined? And just how many times will that exploding head actually be mentioned? For all this and more, have a listen!

Editor’s Note: We’ve included our original review of Scanners from 2012 at the one hour and fifteen-minute mark of the episode.

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