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{{Infobox |
{{Infobox film | ||
| name = Screamers | | name = Screamers | ||
| image = |
| image = Screamersposter.jpg | ||
| alt = | |||
| caption = DVD cover showing Hendericksson & Jessica in the foreground | |||
| caption = Theatrical release poster | |||
| director = ] | | director = ] | ||
| producer = |
| producer = Franco Battista<br />Tom Berry | ||
| |
| screenplay = ]<br />Miguel Tejada-Flores | ||
| |
| based_on = {{Based on|"]"|]}} | ||
| narrator = Henry Ramer | |||
| starring = {{Plainlist| | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ]}} | |||
| music = ] | | music = ] | ||
| cinematography = |
| cinematography = Rodney Gibbons | ||
| editing = | | editing = Yves Langlois | ||
| distributor = ] | | distributor = ] | ||
| released = {{Film date|1995|09|08|]|1996|01|26|United States}} | |||
| released = ], ] <ref name="imdb release dates">http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114367/releaseinfo retrieved ], ]</ref> | |||
| runtime = 108 |
| runtime = 108 minutes | ||
| country = |
| country = Canada<br />United States<br />Japan | ||
| |
| language = English | ||
| budget = $14 million<ref>{{cite web|url=https://playbackonline.ca/1995/10/23/4786-19951023/|title=Quebec Scene: CFP launches new slate with Mihalka comedy l'Homme Ideal|author=<!-- Staff -->|work=]|date=1995-10-23|accessdate=2021-04-20}}</ref> | |||
| language = ] | |||
| |
| gross = $5,711,695 (U.S.)<ref name="BoxOffMoj">{{cite web | title=Screamers (1995) | work=] | publisher=] | url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0114367/ | access-date=April 20, 2021}}</ref><br> $7 million (Worldwide)<ref name="BoxOffMoj" /> | ||
| amg_id = 1:135768 | |||
| imdb_id = 0114367 | |||
| | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''''Screamers''''' is a 1995 ] ] starring ], ], and ], and directed by ]. The screenplay, written by ] with a rewrite by Miguel Tejada-Flores, is based on ]'s 1953 short story "]",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/18649|title=Ring in the New Year with 10 Futuristic Horror Films|date=January 11, 2010 }}</ref> and addresses themes commonly found in that author's work: societal conflict, confusion of reality and illusion, and machines turning upon their creators. The film received generally negative response from critics at the time of its release. A sequel '']'', was released in 2009, to mixed reviews. | |||
==Plot== | |||
'''''Screamers''''' is a ] ]n ] ] film directed by ] based on the ] '']'' by ]. | |||
<!--per ], plot summaries should be between 400 and 700 words--> | |||
''Screamers'' stars ], ], and ]. | |||
In the year 2078, the planet Sirius 6B, once a thriving mining hub, has been reduced to a toxic wasteland by a war between the mining company the New Economic Block (N.E.B.) and "The Alliance", a group of former mining and science personnel. After miners discovered that their mining had released toxic gases, they went on strike, and the N.E.B. hired ] as ]. Five years into the war, Alliance scientists created and deployed Autonomous Mobile Swords (AMS) — ] ]s that hunt down and kill N.E.B. soldiers. Nicknamed "Screamers" after their signature high-pitched noise, they are efficient at killing any target with a heartbeat, so Alliance soldiers wear "tabs" that disguise their heartbeats, thus rendering them invisible to the machines. A fragile stalemate is in effect between the two exhausted, poorly-supplied, and undermanned armies. | |||
It premiered ] ] on ], ] and was released in theaters in the USA on ], ] | |||
An N.E.B. soldier carrying a message to the Alliance compound is killed by screamers. The message guarantees safe passage through N.E.B. territory to discuss a truce. Alliance commanding officer Joe Hendricksson reports this development to his Earth-based superiors, but is told to disregard it as peace negotiations are already underway on Earth. However, Private "Ace" Jefferson, newly arrived from Earth, refutes this claim. Hendricksson is not surprised; he has long suspected that both sides have simply written off Sirius 6B and abandoned their armies. | |||
Screamers was filmed in three locations in the ] province ]: ], ], and the ] from the ]. <ref name="imdb locations">http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114367/locations retrieved ], ]</ref> | |||
It was filmed on ] with an ] of 1.85:1. <ref name="imdb technical">http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114367/technical retrieved ], ]</ref> | |||
Deciding the truce offer is the only chance of survival for himself and his soldiers, Hendricksson sets out for a meeting with the N.E.B. commander, accompanied by Jefferson. While traveling through a ruined city they come upon David, a young boy clutching a teddy bear. Unwilling to abandon a defenseless civilian, they bring him along. The following night they are attacked by a never-before-seen reptilian screamer. Hendricksson is alarmed that their Alliance tabs did not protect them. | |||
==Cast== | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|- | |||
! Actor | |||
! Role | |||
! Notes | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| Colonel Joseph A. Hendricksson | |||
| Leader of The Alliance on Sirius 6B | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| Becker | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| Jessica Hansen | |||
| Black market merchant/screamer | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| Ace Jefferson | |||
| Alliance soldier that crashes in a ship on Sirius 6B | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| Ross | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| Elbarak | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| David | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| Landowska | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| Leone | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| Corporal McDonald | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| NEB Soldier | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| Secretary Green | |||
| An administrator of The Alliance | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| Technician | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| ] | |||
| Screamers Crawl Narration (voice) | |||
| | |||
|} | |||
As the group nears the N.E.B. compound, two enemy soldiers, Becker and Ross, open fire on David, who explodes in a shower of bolts and gears. The soldiers explain to the shocked Alliance men that David was a new "type 3" screamer impersonating a human. Most of the N.E.B. contingent has been wiped out by another "David" screamer that a patrol unwittingly brought into the base; Becker, Ross, and a black marketeer named Jessica are the only survivors. | |||
==Plot== | |||
''Screamers'' is set in ] on the planet Sirius 6B where the miners and their mining company are amidst a war over the mining of a substance called berynium. | |||
The miners invented the autonomous mobile sword — called screamers for the sound they make — to defend themselves against the much more capable foe. | |||
The group heads to the N.E.B. command center but finds only an empty building and pools of blood. Locating the mainframe computer, Hendricksson learns that the N.E.B. truce offer was just as false as the Alliance message from Earth. The group retreats to the N.E.B. bunker, pursued by "Davids". They discover that the screamers have "evolved" new versions on their own that are indistinguishable from humans and immune to Alliance tabs. Becker becomes convinced that Ross is a screamer and kills him, only to discover that he was human. The four survivors retreat to the Alliance base, only to find that it had been taken over by "Davids". As dozens of "Davids" pour out of the bunker's entrance, Hendricksson fires a micro-nuclear missile into the bunker, wiping them out. Jefferson rushes to help Becker, who was apparently injured in the blast, but Becker is revealed to be a "type 2" screamer and kills Jefferson. After Hendricksson destroys Becker, only he and Jessica remain. Worrying that Jessica could be a screamer, Hendricksson cuts her hand and is relieved to see blood. | |||
{{spoiler}} | |||
The pair locate an emergency escape shuttle, but discover it can carry only one person. Hendricksson Battles and kills another type 2 screamer wearing the face of a friend, then offers the shuttle to Jessica but a second "Jessica" arrives, confirming that she is an even more human-like type of screamer. Hendricksson resigns himself to death, but to his surprise, Jessica shields him, battles her lookalike, and is killed. Just as the second “Jessica” begins screaming to kill Hendricksson, the spacecraft's engines kick on and destroy her. With her last breath, the original Jessica confesses her love for Hendricksson, who departs for Earth with the teddy bear carried by the original "David." As the screen fades to black, the bear slowly begins to move. | |||
On the ] Sirius 6B, the New Economic Block (N.E.B.) was mining a substance they discovered there called berynium. | |||
Berynium was hailed as the solution to the NEB's energy crisis but mining it released lethal doses of radiation and pollution. | |||
Ten years after the discovery of berynium, a federation of ]s and ]s was created to oppose the mining of berynium. | |||
The NEB's response was to declare ] against "The Alliance". | |||
Fighting was confined to Sirius 6B, however, a ] was created on Earth. | |||
During the first ten years of war the NEB staged massive nuclear bombing strikes on Sirius 6B that killed most of the population. | |||
==Screamer Varieties== | |||
] | |||
The following screamer varieties appear in the movie: | |||
One of the defenses created by The Alliance five years into the war was the "screamer": an autonomous mobile sword. | |||
The autonomous machines were created as ] crawlers that are ] with a spinning saw that "leaped" from the soil to maim and kill the enemy. | |||
These machines produced a loud sound similar to a scream and thus were called screamers. | |||
As creators of the screamers, The Alliance possessed wrist-worn "tabs" that prevented the screamers from attacking its wearer. | |||
Without the screamers, The Alliance would very likely have lost the war (stated by Becker). | |||
* Original (rounded main chip) - the original SWORD | |||
After six months of silence a lone NEB soldier is spotted approaching The Alliance's base. | |||
* Revised (rounded main chip) - original SWORD with software upgrades | |||
The solider is killed by the screamers and is found to have been carrying a message marked. | |||
* Type 1 Revised (square main chip) - with legs and tail | |||
Inside is a message requesting an immediate peace treaty and guarantees safe passage through NEB territory to discuss the treaty for two Alliance officers. | |||
* Type 2 - male "wounded soldier" cyborg | |||
Hendricksson dissects one of the screamers and discovers that the CPU is marked "revised." | |||
* Type 3 (square main chip) - child cyborg "David" | |||
In a received message from Alliance's command Hendricksson is told that Triton 4 contains berynium that can be safely mined without radiation and, thus, negotiations were in progress with the NEB to pick up mining operations on Triton 4. | |||
* Type unknown - female cyborg "Jessica" | |||
Shortly thereafter, a ship crashes and inside The Alliance discovers from a soldier, Ace Jefferson, that the received message is a lie and war is continuing on Triton 4. | |||
* Type unknown - David's teddy bear | |||
==Cast== | |||
===Trek to NEB base=== | |||
* ] as Commander Joseph A. Hendricksson | |||
In a fury against being betrayed by The Alliance command, Hendricksson takes Jefferson with him to make peace with the Sirius 6B NEB people. | |||
* ] as Jessica Hansen | |||
As Hendricksson & Jefferson walk through an obliterated city they discover a young boy named David with a ] who, somehow, managed to survive the screamers, radiation, and nuclear weapons. | |||
* ] as Private Michael "Ace" Jefferson | |||
While taking some for rest they discover another type of screamer that has been modified and seems to ignore the wrist tabs. | |||
* ] as Lieutenant Commander Chuck Elbarak | |||
* Charles Powell as Private Ross | |||
* ] as Marshal Richard Cooper / Private Becker | |||
* Michael Caloz as David | |||
* ] as Private Landowska | |||
* Jason Cavalier as Private Leone | |||
* ] as Corporal McDonald | |||
* ] as Secretary Green | |||
==Production== | |||
As the three of them approach the NEB base a NEB soldier shoots the boy. | |||
''Screamers'' was stuck in ] for over a decade before finally being produced. Screenwriter Dan O'Bannon had completed his adaptation of Dick's short story '']'' in 1981 (along with his adaptation of another of Dick's short stories, "]", which became the 1990 film '']'').<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Spelling|first=Ian|date=July 1996|title=Screaming Reversals|url=https://archive.org/details/starlog_magazine-228|journal=]|issue=228|pages=–121|via=]}}</ref> By 1983, O'Bannon's screenplay for ''Screamers'' had been optioned by Tom Naud (SFX designer on the 1981 film '']'').<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Goldberg|first=Lee|date=June 1983|title=Dan O'Bannon: My Son, The Hitman|url=https://archive.org/details/starlog_magazine-071|journal=]|issue=71|pages=–28, 66|via=]}}</ref> However, the production never went ahead as planned. At various times, ] showed interest in the project,<ref name=":0" /> but it was not until the 1990s that ''Screamers'' went into production. By this time the screenplay had been rewritten by Miguel Tejada-Flores. O'Bannon was unaware that the film had been made until after its release, when his agent called him to notify him of his screenwriting credit for the film.<ref name=":0" /> According to O'Bannon, they had kept much of the plot and characters from his original script the same while changing much of the dialogue.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
Upon inspection of the boy Hendricksson & Jefferson discover David is yet another type of more advanced screamer capable of talking. | |||
Jessica, a ] merchant, explains the new types of screamers. | |||
Besides Jessica there are only two NEB soldiers left. | |||
All five take underground tunnels to the NEB command where they find copious amounts of blood and type 1 screamers and more copies of David (there identified as type 3). | |||
After fleeing from NEB command one of the NEB soldiers is killed since it was believed he was a screamer, but the blood on the knife shows to the contrary. | |||
The film, directed by ], was made in ]. Locations included a quarry in ], in Montreal's ], as well as ].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Spelling|first=Ian|date=February 1996|title=Science Fiction Hero|url=https://archive.org/details/starlog_magazine-223|journal=]|issue=223|pages=–32|via=]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Spelling|first=Ian|date=March 1996|title=Sirius Business|url=https://archive.org/details/starlog_magazine-224/page/n13|journal=]|issue=224|pages=14–18|via=]}}</ref> | |||
===Return to the Alliance base=== | |||
The remaining four characters return to The Alliance's base only to find it infested with "David" screamers. | |||
The four volley a large number of ammunition but discover it inadequate to defeat them all. | |||
Hendricksson fires a nuke at the base and destroys it and all the screamers in it. | |||
The remaining NEB soldier pretends to be injured and kills Jefferson as he reveals he is a screamer. | |||
==Release== | |||
] | |||
It premiered at the 1995 ] on September 8, 1995. It was released in the United States on January 26, 1996, by Columbia Pictures. | |||
As the senior Alliance officer, Hendricksson is the only one privy to the knowledge that there is an escape spacecraft hidden in a mountain. | |||
However, before leaving he cuts Jessica's hand to determine whether or not she is a screamer. | |||
The large gash bleeds and it is assumed she is human. | |||
Hendricksson and Jessica then continue to the craft. | |||
When they arrive they see that there is only room for one passenger. | |||
Hendrickssen decides that he will let Jessica use the spacecraft at which point an individual identical to Jessica arrives, whereupon Hendrickssen realises that Jessica is, in fact, a Screamer and scrambles to enter the spacecraft, pushing her aside. | |||
The two "Jessica" Screamers begin to fight, with the first Jessica seemingly remaining loyal to Hendrickssen. The second Jessica is eventually destroyed by a pre-flight burn of the space craft. | |||
As the "good" Jessica dies, Hendricksson tells her that screamers are "moving up in the world" because they now kill each other. | |||
Jessica's dying breath is admitting her love for Hendricksson. | |||
==Reception== | |||
En route to Earth, a teddy bear (as carried by the David Screamers) is shown to have gotten aboard the spacecraft and begins to move, presumably as it too is a Screamer. | |||
===Critical response {{anchor|Critics}}=== | |||
==List of screamer types== | |||
The film holds a 29% approval rating on ] based on 35 reviews.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1069696-screamers/ |title=Screamers |author=Rotten Tomatoes |website=] |author-link=Rotten Tomatoes }}</ref> | |||
Throughout the film, several models of screamers are introduced: | |||
; Type 1 : Machines that crawl through the dirt and jump out on attack. These were the original screamers created by The Alliance to defend themselves agains the NEB. | |||
; Type 1 Revised : Machines that still crawl through the sand, but are of a more sleek design, have small legs with which to walk around on other surfaces than sand, are much more intelligent than the standard screamer, and can hack into computer terminals. Armed with a buzz saw blade on its head. (See first screenshot image above) | |||
; Type 2 (or Type 4; number speculated) : As a man usually acting as a wounded soldier that cries for help. Seemingly not armed with weaponry, though they do possess a great deal of strength. One claims that it acquired its current face by cutting it off the former wearer. | |||
; Type 3 : As a small boy, who calls himself "David", holding a teddy bear. During a scene in which many of these are torched, they're revealed to have buzz saw blades embedded in their hands. At one point it's shown their faces can mutate into a more monstrous visage. | |||
; Type 4 (or Type 5; number speculated) : As a woman. This type of screamer is the most advanced and can even bleed, unlike the earlier versions. Strong, and seemingly able to produce a scream to possibly incapacitate or kill foes (the full effect is not shown in the film before it gets destroyed). | |||
; Type 5 (or Type 2; number speculated) : The teddy bear usually found in the hand of a Type 3. (See second screenshot image above) | |||
{{endspoiler}} | |||
] gave the film a positive review, awarding it a rating of three stars (out of four). Berardinelli said that the film "oozes atmosphere" and "underlines an important truth: you don't need a big budget or big-name stars to make this sort of motion picture succeed."<ref>, ReelViews, 1996</ref> | |||
==Differences with ''Second Variety''== | |||
] also reacted positively, calling ''Screamers'' "a pretty dang decent " and saying, "I loved it. ... Three and a half stars."<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422225141/http://www.joebobbriggs.com/drivein/1996/screamers.htm |date=2009-04-22 }} Joe Bob Briggs, joebobbriggs.com</ref> | |||
Although the movie is based on the short story '']'' by ], and the basic ] scenario remains unchanged, there are several key differences between ''Screamers'' and ''Second Variety'' that make the film somewhat less pessimistic. | |||
] gave the film two and a half stars (out of four), remarking that it was "made with a certain imagination and intelligence," "the dialogue is often effective," and "what makes the film somewhat intriguing is its '']''-like ambiguity: who is, and who isn't, a human being."<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925032659/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F19960126%2FREVIEWS%2F601260305%2F1023 |date=September 25, 2012 }}, ], January 26, 1996</ref> | |||
* The automata of the film are known as "Screamers", while their counterparts in ''Second Variety'' are referred to as "claws". | |||
* The main character of ''Screamers'', Colonel Hendricksson, is given a side-kick, the young and inexperienced Ace Jefferson. This helps lighten the mood of the first half of the movie. In ''Second Variety'', the main character, Major Hendricks, travels alone. | |||
''] New York Film Guide'' criticized director Christian Duguay's "flashy, aimless direction", saying that the movie "lacks the intelligence to follow through its grim premise", but added that the film "does offer many ... guilty pleasures" and "the design and effects teams have lent scale and impact to the futuristic locations and sets."<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081215173057/http://www.timeout.com/film/newyork/reviews/74161/Screamers.html |date=2008-12-15 }}, ], 1996</ref> | |||
* ''Screamers'' takes place in the distant future, while ''Second Variety'' takes place in the near future (for the 1950s). | |||
* The on-going war in ''Screamers'' is a fictional war, fought between two fictional groups, the Alliance and the New Economic Bloc, over a futuristic resource. In ''Second Variety'', the war is the ] which has turned into an all-out open war, and is being fought between the ] and the ]. | |||
''The Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy Film Review'' gave ''Screamers'' three stars out of four, calling it a "two-thirds excellent and intelligent science-fiction film" that "builds towards a climax that never arrives ... After an impressive build-up, the film blows its third act and falls into cliches."<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100515001453/http://www.moria.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3257&Itemid=0 |date=2010-05-15 }} The Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Film Review</ref> | |||
* ''Screamers'' takes place on the distant planet Sirius 6b, one of many planets colonized by the human race, and the only planet on which the screamers have been unleashed. Thus, the screamers are not a threat to the human race as a whole, only to the troops stationed on Sirius 6b. ''Second Variety'' takes place on Earth, and there are no human colonies in space, save for a small moon base. Thus, the entire human race is at risk of being wiped out by the claws. | |||
''Popcorn Pictures'' gave the film two and a half stars out of four, writing: "''Screamers'' isn't terrible. The scenes inside the refinery are creepy enough with them stalking and being stalked by the Screamers. But the intro and finale are terrible ways to start and end a film respectively. There was a good film waiting to come out here, it's a shame only half of it did."<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126162314/http://www.popcornpictures.co.uk/sfilms/screamers.shtml |date=2010-11-26 }} Popcorn Pictures</ref> | |||
{{spoiler}} | |||
* In ''Screamers'', the screamer Jessica seemingly betrays the other screamers and helps Hendricksson escape the planet. In ''Second Variety'', Tasso is loyal to the claws and escapes with the ship, leaving Hendricks stranded on Earth. | |||
Rob Blackwelder of ''SplicedWire'' said, "''Screamers'' is inundated with movie clichés, stock characters, stolen premises and scenes that just don't make sense."<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080518032416/http://www.splicedonline.com/96reviews/screamers.html |date=May 18, 2008 }}, SplicedWire, 1996</ref> | |||
* In ''Second Variety'', Hendricks has doomed the last humans by giving a claw access to the moon base. This fact is made explicitly clear, and Hendricks himself realizes it in the end. In ''Screamers'', it is shown that a screamer has stowed-away on Hendricksson's ship, but Hendricksson is not aware of it. | |||
''Beyond Hollywood'' wrote, "One of the biggest problems with ''Screamers'' is the near absence of a likeable character, or at least someone who we actually give a damn about escaping those slice-and-dice robots. ... There's no doubt ''Screamers'' could have been a lot better than it is. The whole sequence at the refinery is the best of the movie, managing to elicit both a couple of scare scenes and a lot of creepiness. The rest, unfortunately, doesn't live up to that middle section."<ref> Beyond Hollywood, March 9, 2003</ref> | |||
{{endspoiler}} | |||
===Box office=== | |||
The film earned about $5.7 million in the United States and Canada,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=screamers.htm |title=Screamers |work=] |publisher = Amazon.com |access-date=June 30, 2010}}</ref> on a $20 million budget. It was moderately popular in France, Japan, and the Netherlands. Worldwide box office was approximately $7 million. | |||
==Awards== | ==Awards== | ||
Line 181: | Line 101: | ||
! Group | ! Group | ||
! Award | ! Award | ||
! Nominee | |||
! Recipient | |||
! |
! Result | ||
|- | |- | ||
|rowspan="3"| |
|rowspan="3"| 1996 | ||
|rowspan="3"| ] | |rowspan="3"| ] | ||
| ] | | ] | ||
| |
| Perri | ||
| {{ |
| {{nom}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ] | | ] | ||
| ] | | ] | ||
| {{ |
| {{nom}} | ||
|- | |- | ||
| ] | | ] | ||
| |
| Ron White | ||
| {{ |
| {{nom}} | ||
|} | |} | ||
== |
==Sequel== | ||
{{Main|Screamers: The Hunting}} | |||
'']'', directed by Sheldon Wilson and starring ], ], ], ] and ], was released ] in 2009.<ref>, The Movie Blog, 2007</ref><ref>, Dread Central, 2009</ref> | |||
* 1995 ] — ], ] <ref name="imdb release dates" /> | |||
* Theatrical releases: <ref name="imdb release dates" /> | |||
The sequel is set several years after the events of the original film. Hendricksson died when he deliberately allowed his escape shuttle to burn up in the atmosphere during ] to Earth. The official determination is that he committed suicide due to ]; but it is strongly implied that he actually did it to prevent the "teddy bear" screamer on board from reaching Earth. Meanwhile, an SOS signal arrives from Sirius 6B. A contingent of seven soldiers, including Hendricksson's daughter Victoria Bronte (Holden), is dispatched to the war torn mining planet to investigate. The film features all of the screamers from the original film, as well as a sleeker, longer, and more serpentine screamer with cutting mandibles for a mouth. | |||
** USA — ], ] | |||
** Spain — ], ] | |||
As with ''Screamers'', critical reaction to ''Screamers: The Hunting'' was mixed. David Johnson of ''DVD Verdict'' wrote that "the visual effects were surprisingly effective" and "ractical effects impress as well", but added, "Unfortunately ... the script defaults to a clichéd finale, and a predictable—though well-executed—final twist ending." He concluded, "I had a pretty decent time with ... f you're hankering for a serving of effective sci-fi B-movie shenanigans, you could do a lot worse."<ref> David Johnson, DVD Verdict, February 20th, 2009</ref> | |||
** Portugal — ], ] | |||
Scott Foy of Dread Central wrote, "They've basically recycled the first film but dumbed it and dulled it down considerably, doing away with the paranoia and sense of desolation that gave the original some spark in favor of logic gaps and tedious predictability. ... The best that can be said ... is that most of the production values and make-up effects are top notch for a direct-to-DVD production. Too bad they didn't put as much work into crafting the screenplay."<ref> Scott Foy, Dread Central</ref> | |||
** Poland — ], ] | |||
** UK — ], ] | |||
==See also== | |||
** France — ], ] | |||
* ] | |||
** Hungary — ], ] | |||
* ] | |||
** Germany — ], ] | |||
* ] | |||
** Netherlands — ], ] | |||
** Japan — ], ] | |||
* ] — ], ] <ref>http://amazon.com/gp/product/6304080891 retrieved ], ]</ref> | |||
* ] — ], ] <ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114367/dvd retrieved ], ]</ref> | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{Reflist|2}} | |||
<references /> | |||
== |
==External links== | ||
*{{ |
*{{mojo title|screamers}} | ||
*{{ |
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Latest revision as of 00:29, 3 January 2025
1995 Canadian film
Screamers | |
---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Christian Duguay |
Screenplay by | Dan O'Bannon Miguel Tejada-Flores |
Based on | "Second Variety" by Philip K. Dick |
Produced by | Franco Battista Tom Berry |
Starring | |
Narrated by | Henry Ramer |
Cinematography | Rodney Gibbons |
Edited by | Yves Langlois |
Music by | Normand Corbeil |
Distributed by | Triumph Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 108 minutes |
Countries | Canada United States Japan |
Language | English |
Budget | $14 million |
Box office | $5,711,695 (U.S.) $7 million (Worldwide) |
Screamers is a 1995 science fiction horror film starring Peter Weller, Roy Dupuis, and Jennifer Rubin, and directed by Christian Duguay. The screenplay, written by Dan O'Bannon with a rewrite by Miguel Tejada-Flores, is based on Philip K. Dick's 1953 short story "Second Variety", and addresses themes commonly found in that author's work: societal conflict, confusion of reality and illusion, and machines turning upon their creators. The film received generally negative response from critics at the time of its release. A sequel Screamers: The Hunting, was released in 2009, to mixed reviews.
Plot
In the year 2078, the planet Sirius 6B, once a thriving mining hub, has been reduced to a toxic wasteland by a war between the mining company the New Economic Block (N.E.B.) and "The Alliance", a group of former mining and science personnel. After miners discovered that their mining had released toxic gases, they went on strike, and the N.E.B. hired mercenaries as strike breakers. Five years into the war, Alliance scientists created and deployed Autonomous Mobile Swords (AMS) — artificially intelligent self-replicating machines that hunt down and kill N.E.B. soldiers. Nicknamed "Screamers" after their signature high-pitched noise, they are efficient at killing any target with a heartbeat, so Alliance soldiers wear "tabs" that disguise their heartbeats, thus rendering them invisible to the machines. A fragile stalemate is in effect between the two exhausted, poorly-supplied, and undermanned armies.
An N.E.B. soldier carrying a message to the Alliance compound is killed by screamers. The message guarantees safe passage through N.E.B. territory to discuss a truce. Alliance commanding officer Joe Hendricksson reports this development to his Earth-based superiors, but is told to disregard it as peace negotiations are already underway on Earth. However, Private "Ace" Jefferson, newly arrived from Earth, refutes this claim. Hendricksson is not surprised; he has long suspected that both sides have simply written off Sirius 6B and abandoned their armies.
Deciding the truce offer is the only chance of survival for himself and his soldiers, Hendricksson sets out for a meeting with the N.E.B. commander, accompanied by Jefferson. While traveling through a ruined city they come upon David, a young boy clutching a teddy bear. Unwilling to abandon a defenseless civilian, they bring him along. The following night they are attacked by a never-before-seen reptilian screamer. Hendricksson is alarmed that their Alliance tabs did not protect them.
As the group nears the N.E.B. compound, two enemy soldiers, Becker and Ross, open fire on David, who explodes in a shower of bolts and gears. The soldiers explain to the shocked Alliance men that David was a new "type 3" screamer impersonating a human. Most of the N.E.B. contingent has been wiped out by another "David" screamer that a patrol unwittingly brought into the base; Becker, Ross, and a black marketeer named Jessica are the only survivors.
The group heads to the N.E.B. command center but finds only an empty building and pools of blood. Locating the mainframe computer, Hendricksson learns that the N.E.B. truce offer was just as false as the Alliance message from Earth. The group retreats to the N.E.B. bunker, pursued by "Davids". They discover that the screamers have "evolved" new versions on their own that are indistinguishable from humans and immune to Alliance tabs. Becker becomes convinced that Ross is a screamer and kills him, only to discover that he was human. The four survivors retreat to the Alliance base, only to find that it had been taken over by "Davids". As dozens of "Davids" pour out of the bunker's entrance, Hendricksson fires a micro-nuclear missile into the bunker, wiping them out. Jefferson rushes to help Becker, who was apparently injured in the blast, but Becker is revealed to be a "type 2" screamer and kills Jefferson. After Hendricksson destroys Becker, only he and Jessica remain. Worrying that Jessica could be a screamer, Hendricksson cuts her hand and is relieved to see blood.
The pair locate an emergency escape shuttle, but discover it can carry only one person. Hendricksson Battles and kills another type 2 screamer wearing the face of a friend, then offers the shuttle to Jessica but a second "Jessica" arrives, confirming that she is an even more human-like type of screamer. Hendricksson resigns himself to death, but to his surprise, Jessica shields him, battles her lookalike, and is killed. Just as the second “Jessica” begins screaming to kill Hendricksson, the spacecraft's engines kick on and destroy her. With her last breath, the original Jessica confesses her love for Hendricksson, who departs for Earth with the teddy bear carried by the original "David." As the screen fades to black, the bear slowly begins to move.
Screamer Varieties
The following screamer varieties appear in the movie:
- Original (rounded main chip) - the original SWORD
- Revised (rounded main chip) - original SWORD with software upgrades
- Type 1 Revised (square main chip) - with legs and tail
- Type 2 - male "wounded soldier" cyborg
- Type 3 (square main chip) - child cyborg "David"
- Type unknown - female cyborg "Jessica"
- Type unknown - David's teddy bear
Cast
- Peter Weller as Commander Joseph A. Hendricksson
- Jennifer Rubin as Jessica Hansen
- Andrew Lauer as Private Michael "Ace" Jefferson
- Ron White as Lieutenant Commander Chuck Elbarak
- Charles Powell as Private Ross
- Roy Dupuis as Marshal Richard Cooper / Private Becker
- Michael Caloz as David
- Liliana Komorowska as Private Landowska
- Jason Cavalier as Private Leone
- Leni Parker as Corporal McDonald
- Bruce Boa as Secretary Green
Production
Screamers was stuck in development hell for over a decade before finally being produced. Screenwriter Dan O'Bannon had completed his adaptation of Dick's short story Second Variety in 1981 (along with his adaptation of another of Dick's short stories, "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale", which became the 1990 film Total Recall). By 1983, O'Bannon's screenplay for Screamers had been optioned by Tom Naud (SFX designer on the 1981 film Outland). However, the production never went ahead as planned. At various times, Charles Fries showed interest in the project, but it was not until the 1990s that Screamers went into production. By this time the screenplay had been rewritten by Miguel Tejada-Flores. O'Bannon was unaware that the film had been made until after its release, when his agent called him to notify him of his screenwriting credit for the film. According to O'Bannon, they had kept much of the plot and characters from his original script the same while changing much of the dialogue.
The film, directed by Christian Duguay, was made in Canada. Locations included a quarry in Quebec, in Montreal's Olympic Stadium, as well as Joliette.
Release
It premiered at the 1995 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 1995. It was released in the United States on January 26, 1996, by Columbia Pictures.
Reception
Critical response
The film holds a 29% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 35 reviews.
James Berardinelli gave the film a positive review, awarding it a rating of three stars (out of four). Berardinelli said that the film "oozes atmosphere" and "underlines an important truth: you don't need a big budget or big-name stars to make this sort of motion picture succeed." Joe Bob Briggs also reacted positively, calling Screamers "a pretty dang decent " and saying, "I loved it. ... Three and a half stars."
Roger Ebert gave the film two and a half stars (out of four), remarking that it was "made with a certain imagination and intelligence," "the dialogue is often effective," and "what makes the film somewhat intriguing is its Blade Runner-like ambiguity: who is, and who isn't, a human being."
Time Out New York Film Guide criticized director Christian Duguay's "flashy, aimless direction", saying that the movie "lacks the intelligence to follow through its grim premise", but added that the film "does offer many ... guilty pleasures" and "the design and effects teams have lent scale and impact to the futuristic locations and sets."
The Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy Film Review gave Screamers three stars out of four, calling it a "two-thirds excellent and intelligent science-fiction film" that "builds towards a climax that never arrives ... After an impressive build-up, the film blows its third act and falls into cliches." Popcorn Pictures gave the film two and a half stars out of four, writing: "Screamers isn't terrible. The scenes inside the refinery are creepy enough with them stalking and being stalked by the Screamers. But the intro and finale are terrible ways to start and end a film respectively. There was a good film waiting to come out here, it's a shame only half of it did."
Rob Blackwelder of SplicedWire said, "Screamers is inundated with movie clichés, stock characters, stolen premises and scenes that just don't make sense." Beyond Hollywood wrote, "One of the biggest problems with Screamers is the near absence of a likeable character, or at least someone who we actually give a damn about escaping those slice-and-dice robots. ... There's no doubt Screamers could have been a lot better than it is. The whole sequence at the refinery is the best of the movie, managing to elicit both a couple of scare scenes and a lot of creepiness. The rest, unfortunately, doesn't live up to that middle section."
Box office
The film earned about $5.7 million in the United States and Canada, on a $20 million budget. It was moderately popular in France, Japan, and the Netherlands. Worldwide box office was approximately $7 million.
Awards
Year | Group | Award | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | Genie Awards | Best Achievement in Art Direction/Production Design | Perri | Nominated |
Best Achievement in Music - Original Score | Normand Corbeil | Nominated | ||
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role | Ron White | Nominated |
Sequel
Main article: Screamers: The HuntingScreamers: The Hunting, directed by Sheldon Wilson and starring Gina Holden, Jana Pallaske, Greg Bryk, Stephen Amell and Lance Henriksen, was released straight to DVD in 2009.
The sequel is set several years after the events of the original film. Hendricksson died when he deliberately allowed his escape shuttle to burn up in the atmosphere during reentry to Earth. The official determination is that he committed suicide due to post-traumatic stress; but it is strongly implied that he actually did it to prevent the "teddy bear" screamer on board from reaching Earth. Meanwhile, an SOS signal arrives from Sirius 6B. A contingent of seven soldiers, including Hendricksson's daughter Victoria Bronte (Holden), is dispatched to the war torn mining planet to investigate. The film features all of the screamers from the original film, as well as a sleeker, longer, and more serpentine screamer with cutting mandibles for a mouth.
As with Screamers, critical reaction to Screamers: The Hunting was mixed. David Johnson of DVD Verdict wrote that "the visual effects were surprisingly effective" and "ractical effects impress as well", but added, "Unfortunately ... the script defaults to a clichéd finale, and a predictable—though well-executed—final twist ending." He concluded, "I had a pretty decent time with ... f you're hankering for a serving of effective sci-fi B-movie shenanigans, you could do a lot worse." Scott Foy of Dread Central wrote, "They've basically recycled the first film but dumbed it and dulled it down considerably, doing away with the paranoia and sense of desolation that gave the original some spark in favor of logic gaps and tedious predictability. ... The best that can be said ... is that most of the production values and make-up effects are top notch for a direct-to-DVD production. Too bad they didn't put as much work into crafting the screenplay."
See also
References
- "Quebec Scene: CFP launches new slate with Mihalka comedy l'Homme Ideal". Playback. October 23, 1995. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ "Screamers (1995)". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- "Ring in the New Year with 10 Futuristic Horror Films". January 11, 2010.
- ^ Spelling, Ian (July 1996). "Screaming Reversals". Starlog (228): 118–121 – via Internet Archive.
- Goldberg, Lee (June 1983). "Dan O'Bannon: My Son, The Hitman". Starlog (71): 26–28, 66 – via Internet Archive.
- Spelling, Ian (February 1996). "Science Fiction Hero". Starlog (223): 27–32 – via Internet Archive.
- Spelling, Ian (March 1996). "Sirius Business". Starlog (224): 14–18 – via Internet Archive.
- Rotten Tomatoes. "Screamers". Rotten Tomatoes.
- Review by James Berardinelli, ReelViews, 1996
- Screamers review Archived 2009-04-22 at the Wayback Machine Joe Bob Briggs, joebobbriggs.com
- Review by Roger Ebert Archived September 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, Chicago Sun-Times, January 26, 1996
- Time Out Film Guide Review Archived 2008-12-15 at the Wayback Machine, Time Out, 1996
- Screamers review Archived 2010-05-15 at the Wayback Machine The Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Film Review
- Screamers review Archived 2010-11-26 at the Wayback Machine Popcorn Pictures
- Review by Rob Blackwelder Archived May 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, SplicedWire, 1996
- Screamers review Beyond Hollywood, March 9, 2003
- "Screamers". Box Office Mojo. Amazon.com. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
- "Screamers 2", The Movie Blog, 2007
- Exclusive: Lance Henriksen Talks Screamers 2, Near Dark Redux & More!, Dread Central, 2009
- Screamers: The Hunting review David Johnson, DVD Verdict, February 20th, 2009
- Screamers: The Hunting review Scott Foy, Dread Central
External links
- Screamers at Box Office Mojo
- Screamers at IMDb
- Screamers at Rotten Tomatoes
- Screamers at the TCM Movie Database
Films directed by Christian Duguay | |
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Dan O'Bannon | |
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Films directed |
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Written only |
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- 1995 films
- 1990s American films
- 1990s Canadian films
- 1990s English-language films
- 1990s science fiction action films
- 1990s science fiction horror films
- Canadian post-apocalyptic films
- Canadian science fiction action films
- Canadian science fiction thriller films
- Canadian war films
- American dystopian films
- American post-apocalyptic films
- American robot films
- American science fiction action films
- American science fiction thriller films
- American war films
- English-language Canadian films
- Films based on American short stories
- Films based on science fiction short stories
- Films based on works by Philip K. Dick
- Films directed by Christian Duguay (director)
- Films scored by Normand Corbeil
- Films set in 2078
- Films set in the 2070s
- Films set in bunkers
- Films set on fictional planets
- Films shot in Montreal
- Films using stop-motion animation
- Films with screenplays by Dan O'Bannon
- Quebec films
- Space adventure films
- Triumph Films films
- 1995 science fiction films
- English-language science fiction horror films
- English-language science fiction action films