365 Movies Day #90 "Dreamscape"

So, it was Doctor Novotny in the form of Max Von Sydow who first pioneered the dream program that would become "Inception"? Interesting, but not exact parallels between the films could very easily make both take place in the same universe. Von Sydow is a film great primarily remembered for his role in "The Exorcist", but you may remember him from previously mentioned "INTACTO", where he plays the world's luckiest man.

In this film, Dr. Novotny has designed a way for psychic talents to go into other people's dreams, primarily for the purpose of helping them overcome issues. One such talent is our story's hero Dennis Quaid ("PANDORUM" and I did a movie with him in "GI JOE", though we were never on set together). He's a young brash psychic with a talent for getting into trouble. Another psychic talent is David Patrick Kelly. Now Kelly's name might not ring any immediate bells so let me help you.

He played the main badguy in the 1979 film "The Warriors" and had the infamous line "Hey Warriors, come out an PLAY!". Schwarzenegger also promised to kill him last as Sully in "Commando". He had it out for Bruce Willis as leader of the Irish gang in "Last Man Standing". He also did real bad by Brandon Lee as T-Bird in the masterpiece, "The Crow". Truly an amazing character actor and has been in so many of my favorite films.

As you can imagine, the government finds a way to turn the project sinister and Dennis Quaid ends up trying to thwart the evil mastermind behind it, played by Christopher Plummer. Rounding out the cast is the lovely Kate Capshaw, wife of Stephen Speilberg, female lead in "Temple of Doom" and Fort Worth native (also went to college in my native state of Missouri). George Wendt makes an appearance and Animaniacs fans will be saddened to know he was not eating beans.

Character actor Peter Jason was in this film as well as previously mentioned "THEY LIVE" and "IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS".

Some have drawn similarities between this film and "Nightmare on Elm Street" claiming that certain elements of the latter were stolen from "Dreamscape", however both films were released too close together for this to have been true. Also of note, the cover of the DVD/Blu Ray release, much like "WIDE AWAKE" completely misrepresents the film as an Indiana Jones type adventure film.

DREAMSCAPE ON IMDB