The Sender (1982) @ EOFFTV


	SYNOPSIS \| REVIEW \| PRODUCTION NOTES \| TRIVIA \| PRESS \| QUOTES \| KIM NEWMAN ARCHIVE \| MEDIA
	The Sender (1982) Country of Origin: UK / USA Year of Production: 1982 Running Times: 91 mins Format: Rankcolor 35mm Ratio: Sound: Dolby Stereo CREDITS PRODUCTION Production Companies: Paramount Pictures / Kingsmere Properties Producer: Edward S. Feldman Associate Producers: J.C. Scott, John Comfort Unit Production Manager: Steve Nicolaides SCRIPT Script: Thomas Baum DIRECTION Director: Roger Christian Unit Director: Bob Bralver Assistant Director: Roger Simons PHOTOGRAPHY Director of Photography: Roger Pratt 2nd Unit Director of Photography: James Pergola Camera Operator: Brian W. Roy EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION Editor: Alan Strachan Assistant Editor: Michael John Bateman MUSIC Music: Trevor Jones Music Performed By: The English Chamber Orchestra Conductor: Marcus Dods SOUND Production Sound Mixer: Tony Dawe Sound Effects: Campbell Askew MAKE UP AND COSTUMES Make Up: Sarah Monzani Hair Supervisor: Jeanette Freeman Costume Supervisors: Shari Feldman, Ian Hickinbotham SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS Make Up Effects: Nick Allder, Allan Bryce SPECIAL EFFECTS Special Effects: Nick Allder Special Effects Technician: Alan Poole DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION Production Designer: Malcolm Middleton Art Directors: Charles Bishop, Steve Spence Set Decorator: Roy Stannard Property Master: Barry Wilkinson MISCELLANEOUS Production Accountant: Andy Birmingham LOCATIONS Locations: Georgia, USA; Shepperton Studios, Middlesex STUNTS Stunt Coordinator: Colin Skeaping CAST Zeljko Ivanek (John Doe no.83) Kathryn Harrold (Dr Gail Farmer) Shirley Knight (Jerolyn) Paul Freeman (Dr Joseph Denman) Sean Hewitt (The Messiah) Al Matthews (Vietnam veteran) Jane Shelden (Nurse Reimbold) Jerry Harte (security guard) Harry Ditson (Dr Hirsch) Tracy Harper (young girl) Marsha Hunt (Nurse Jo) Angus MacInnes (Sheriff Prouty) Manning Redwood, John Stephen Hill (policemen) Monica Buferd (Dr Warren) Colin Bruce (computer technician) Darcy Flynn (TV anchorwoman) Janet Brandes Peter Carlisle, Barbara Coles, Tony Cyrus, Patrick Field, Sara Mason (patients) Miki Iveria Elaine Ives-Cameron Gary Olsen Julie Peel Olivier Pierre (Dr Erskine) John Rees John Sessions Susan Shrand SUMMARY John Doe no.83, a mysterious patient at an imposing asylum, has been committed after a bungled suicide attempt. On his arrival, the staff and patients are almost immediately beset by terrifying hallucinations, caused by Doe's remarkable talent for projecting his fears and nightmares into the minds of others. Doctor Gail Farmer tries to help the mystery patient, dubbed The Sender by some of his fellow inmates, but is unable to get her colleagues to do anything but recommend both electro-shock treatment and brain surgery - which merely results in a chaos as the full extent of Doe's powers are realised. CAPSULE REVIEW Slow and thoughtful, The Sender was a far cry from the effects heavy slashers of the time and it's no real surprise that it was consigned to video - it's unlikely that any distributor in the early 1980s would have been able to find a way to market it. Blessed with a notably well written script and claustrophobic lighting, The Sender looks and feels quite out of place in its year. Christian was never to be as good as this again, his direction both subtle and inventive, creating an atmosphere of melancholy decay within the gloomy setting of the asylum while maintaining a streak of sadness and melancholy throughout - in this respect, Christian is aided immeasurably by Ivanek's moving, understated performance. Altogether a very impressive film that deserves much more attention than it has thus far received. AVAILABILITY UK Video Distributor: CIC USA Theatrical Distributor: Paramount Video Distributor: Paramount Home Video Laserdisc Distributor: Paramount Home Video CENSORSHIP HISTORY Australia Rating: M Norway Rating: 18 UK Rating: 18 USA Rating: R TIMELINE 1982 October 22: USA - theatrical release 1988 May 10: UK - television broadcast (on BBC1) POSTER TAGS Your dreams will never be the same. ALTERNATIVE TITLES Il messaggero della morte - Italian title REFERENCES MAGAZINES Cinefantastique vol.13 no.2/3 (November / December 1982) p.8 (USA) note Cinefantastique vol.13 no.4 (April / May 1983) pp.58, 60 (USA) review Films and Filming no.348 (September 1983) p.33 (UK) credits, review Flesh and Blood no.7 pp.23-24 (UK) credits, synopsis, review Hollywood Reporter vol.272 no.29 (6 July 1982) p.8 (USA) credits Hollywood Reporter vol.274 no.16 (8 November 1982) p.3 (USA) credits, review Motion Picture Product Digest vol.10 no.10 (3 November 1982) p.40 (USA) review Screen International no.331 (20 February 1982) p.26 (UK) note Screen International no.340 (24 April 1982) p.2 (UK) note Screen International no.343 (15 May 1982) p.68 (UK) credits Screen International no.355 (7 August 1982) p.37 (UK) review Starburst no.63 (October 1983) p.39 (UK) review Starburst no.69 (May 1984) pp.34-37 (UK) interview Variety 27 October 1982 p.15 (USA) credits, review BOOKS Creature Features Strikes Again p.341 credits, review KEYWORDS madness; amnesia; psychiatric hospitals; psychiatrists; nightmares; doctors; esp; mental illness; dreams; psychics; suicide; the supernatural; telepathy Last Updated: 15 October, 2008