The Dead Zone (movie) - Definition and Overview

The Dead Zone is a 1983 film directed by David Cronenberg. The screenplay is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. Christopher Walken stars. Martin Sheen, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom, Brooke Adams and Colleen Dewhurst are also featured.

Johnny Smith (Walken) is a young New England schoolteacher in love with his colleague Sarah (Adams) when he is involved in a serious car accident that sends him into a coma. He awakes under the care of neurologist Dr. Weizak (Lom) and counts himself fortunate when he notes no casts, bandages or visible signs of injuries on his body. However, the awakening turns rude when he is told that five years have passed since he last knew consciousness: his girlfriend has long since married and had a child.

Johnny's transition back to life is made rougher when he discovers that he has the ability to learn a person's secrets (past, present, future) through making physical contact with the person.

After reluctantly using his ability to help a local sheriff (Skerritt) solve a series of brutal rape-murders, Johnny attempts to resume his profession, as a private tutor. However, his ability continues to haunt him, especially when he foresees that a rising local political star (Sheen) will someday be elected President of the United States, with disastrous consequences...