Dreamcatcher

Colour
USA, 2003, 147 min
Section: Horizons
Oficiální stránky: www.dreamcatchermovie.com

Synopsis

Four childhood friends – Henry, Jonesy, Pete and Joe – meet every autumn at a hunting lodge deep in the woods to remember old times. But this time around everything is different: one freezing afternoon a sick stranger turns up at the lodge and immediately dies under very strange circumstances. They discover that he is infected with a bizarre alien parasite. In addition to fighting for their lives (a struggle Pete and Joe soon lose), Jonesy and Henry have to deal with another problem: a secret commando unit formed to fight extraterrestrial aggression, headed by a psycho colonel who thinks he Kurtz from Apocalypse Now. The unit cordons off the area and tries to liquidate every individual possibly infected. In addition to saving their skins, Jonesy and Henry must also fight to save the world, but in this they are helped by a strong bond which connects them to the “fifth of the foursome” – a mentally disabled telepath named Duddits. This Stephen King novel adaptation serves up both high action entertainment and a psychological story about a group of friends who for years have been joined by a commonly shared secret.

About the director

Lawrence Kasdan (b. 1949, Miami), a graduate of the University of Michigan and UCLA screenwriting courses, gained fame for coscripting two Star Wars attractions: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983), and the first Indiana Jones adventure Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). He was nominated for three screenwriting Academy Awards for The Big Chill (1983), Grand Canyon (1991, Golden Bear at the Berlinale) and the romantic comedy The Accidental Tourist (1988), which he also directed. Of his 11 features he wrote all but three (the comedies I Love You to Death – 1990 and French Kiss – 1995, and co.-scr. Dreamcatcher – 2003). In addition, he was screenwriter for The Bodyguard (1992, dir. Mick Jackson). His directing credits also include the film noir Body Heat (1981), the westerns Silverado (1985) and Wyatt Earp (1994), as well as the tragicomedy Mumford (1999).