Shadowzone (1989)

Surely the best low-budget sci-fi flick around.

I first saw SHADOWZONE on the Sci-Fi Channel maybe ten years ago. It kept me glued to the television screen for two hours even though I couldn't figure out what it was. It could have passed for an original OUTER LIMITS episode, although it was in color. In other words, this is surprisingly good for a low-budget film, and is easily the best thing Full Moon ever put out.

The plot: Capt. Hickock (David Beecroft) has been sent by NASA to investigate the death of a volunteer for a group of scientists doing deep sleep research. The colorful but nervous Shivers (Frederick Flynn) tells him that in his opinion the group of researchers has been "down in the hole too long." Hickock is shown around the facilities by the creepy Dr. Ehrhardt (Louise Fletcher). She and her young assistant Dr. Kidwell (Shawn Weatherly) conduct him to view the body of the deceased volunteer--in one of the movie's gorier moments. Finally he meets the head researcher, Dr. Von Fleet (James Hong), a man with secrets.

Hickock wants to recreate the exact laboratory conditions that resulted in the man's death, using the other volunteer, the beautiful--and naked--Jenna (Maureen Flaherty). Bad idea! The experimenters have accidentally discovered that at certain levels of deep sleep the human brain somehow functions as a kind of beacon that can make contact with another dimension (this whole thing is well-enough done that you're inclined to suspend disbelief although it's never explained and would otherwise be the movie's weakest premise). When they replicate the experiment, catastrophe strikes. A "door" from "somewhere else" is opened, and an entity comes through from the other side. This entity immediately interfaces with the computer and calls itself JOHN DOE. It seems able to change its size and structure at will, and on top of that, can manifest the thoughts of the scientists. In one scene it becomes "Madame Pip," the carnival freak that terrified Von Fleet when he was a kid. In another, it assumes the appearance of the lab monkey Dr. Kidwell is pursuing through the darkened corridors of their underground habitat. In still another, it takes the shape of a monstrously huge rat that comes out of the wall as if in response to the worst nightmare of Mrs. Cutter (Lu Leonard), the group's borderline-deranged cook who had left a dead rat on Shivers' dessert plate in one of the opening scenes.

The entity, whatever its talents with our computers and in manifesting human thought, has a taste for human blood, and begins decimating the population one character at a time. It takes its own sweet time, meaning that there is plenty of suspense. Finally, only Hickock, Dr. Ehrhart (who by this time is certifiably nuts) and the second volunteer are left. They manage to communicate with the creature and discover--surprise, surprise!--that it cannot live in our world and wants to go back. They must open the "door" again, even if this means risking Jenna's life and God knows what else.

It is one of this movie's plusses that the gore content is relatively small, compared to what it could have been. What we get are mere flashes as the creature changes its appearance or wreaks graphic violence; we may see splashes of blood on a window with our imaginations left to do the rest. We aren't shown the creature's actual appearance until the final frames of the movie (beginning with just a hand and forearm--if you can call them that). The wait is worth it--but leads me to suggest not watching this either before you go to bed at night or when eating!

This movie's only drawback is one to which horror sci-fi films are dangerously prone because of their need for an isolated setting. This is to send too many characters wandering around on their own when they know there's danger. But I don't think this distracts too much from the sense of menace that will keep you in your seat from start to finish.

Overall, I'd say this is a better movie than a lot of flicks that cost much, much more to make. Louise Fletcher fans in particular should pay attention; this is her most demented performance since ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST. January 18, 2003

On The Dark Side Of Dreams, A New Terror Takes Shape!!!!!!!!

There's no escaping the Shadowzone. While there, even thoughts can betray you. That's a lesson learned too late by NASA hyper-sleep researchers. They've broken the boundaries of dream-sleep, unveiling a parallel dimension. And through that dimension comes an alien invader unlike anything you've seen before. It's fiendish. Pervasive. Cunning. And it takes the shape of each person's most morbid fear. David Beecroft (Falcon Crest) and Oscar-winner Louise Fletcher (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest) confront an intruder of unrelenting ferocity in Shadowzone-a headlong plunge into a new dimension of unparalleled terror. June 21, 2002

shadowzone

Fullmoon Pictures is a company that makes B horror movies. The best of the lot is the subspecies series. The worst is head of the family and The Creeps. Shadowzone falls in as one of the better ones. A group of scientists are doing dream-state researsh. One subject falls into a deep sleep that opens a third dimension releasing a monster that can change size and form at will. The monster can read peoples minds and comes to them as there deepest fears. The movie has an Alien feel to it. Dark corridors, space suits and lots of gore. The acting is very good for a B movie. At times it's scary and the special effects are good. I would recommend this film for a viewing on a dark stormy night. I have the DVD and it says its widesceen but it is not. It is fullscreen so be aware of this. There is also no videozone on this fill which is usually always on the fullmoon videos. All in all a good, scary well acted movie. Enjoy! July 10, 2000

shadowzone

Fullmoon Pictures is a company that makes B horror movies. The best of the lot is the subspecies series. The worst is head of the family and The Creeps. Shadowzone falls in as one of the better ones. A group of scientists are doing dream-state researsh. One subject falls into a deep sleep that opens a third dimension releasing a monster that can change size and form at will. The monster can read peoples minds and comes to them as there deepest fears. The movie has an Alien feel to it. Dark corridors, space suits and lots of gore. The acting is very good for a B movie. At times it's scary and the special effects are good. I would recommend this film for a viewing on a dark stormy night. I have the DVD and it says its widesceen but it is not. It is fullscreen so be aware of this. There is also no videozone on this fill which is usually always on the fullmoon videos. All in all a good, scary well acted movie. Enjoy! July 10, 2000

I love Gore

Although this is NOT widescreen and only in stereo, this is the kind of movie for gore-lovers. Compare it with Xtro if you like, it's the same kind of movie. Of course there has to be a bad acting mad doctor who drives everyone nuts. The rest of the cast is not bad. Shadowzone is about breaking the boundaries of dream-state sleep and tapping into a parallell dimension. And when the mad doctor taps in, an alien appears. Of course the alien is not very friendly. For sound i rate this DVD 2 points, for picture, although NOT widescreen, i rate it 4 points. Not a lot of extras, but who would expect that anyway. So if you like horror, gore and B-movies, buy this one. For this price you should have an entertaining evening. July 8, 2000

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