Scanners – Second Sight Blu-ray Review

Scanners, David Cronenberg’s mind-bending 1981 sci-fi-horror hybrid that’s as infamous for a certain exploding head as it is for its quietly philosophical musings on identity, control and corporate corruption. A film that’s nestled itself comfortably into cult status not just for the gore, but for the sheer weirdness of it all. This is vintage Cronenberg, full of eerie stillness, body horror flourishes and that unmistakable air of cold detachment. With Second Sight’s new 4K restoration, it’s finally getting the high-def resurrection it deserves.

Directed by a pre-Videodrome, pre-The Fly Cronenberg, Scanners centres around Cameron Vale (Stephen Lack), a troubled man with extraordinary psychic powers. He’s what’s known as a “scanner” capable of reading minds, controlling thoughts, and in more intense moments, causing a bloke’s noggin to burst like an overripe watermelon. Discovered by a shady tech-corp called ConSec, Cameron is recruited to help hunt down a rogue scanner, the supremely menacing Darryl Revok (Michael Ironside), who’s leading a revolution of telepaths against their human oppressors.

What unfolds is a deeply strange espionage-style thriller punctuated with sudden bursts of grotesque body horror and strange philosophical detours. This is defintitely not a film where all the answers are handed to you. Instead, Scanners invites you into a world of corporate conspiracies, government experiments and the terrifying idea that your own thoughts might not be your own. It’s not the easiest watch, with its jarring score and often dodgy acting, but its worth sticking with.

It has a standout performance by Michael Ironside as Revok, one of the great villains of ‘80s genre cinema. Ironside delivers his performance with a barely-restrained rage that simmers just below the surface. Revok is scary not because he’s loud or wild, but because he’s in complete control. Every scene he’s in feels like a loaded gun on the table. His brief appearances dominate the film, and his presence looms large even when he’s off-screen. That now-iconic moment early on where he pops a rival scanner’s skull like a balloon at a child’s party? Still shocking. Still magnificent. Still meme-worthy. Ironside gives mind of a vampire, the early scenes where he slips his captors has him appear behind one of them, out of focus he looks even more beast like and vampiric.

Opposite him, we’ve got Stephen Lack as Cameron Vale. Lack’s performance is… well, let’s call it minimalist. Bizarrely his acting chops work within Cronenberg’s chilly, clinical aesthetic. Vale is meant to be emotionally stunted, traumatised and drugged-up for most of the film. He’s a vessel. A sponge soaking in the horrors around him. He’s not there to chew scenery — he’s there to be chewed by it. Lack is an artist and not an actor per se, and honestly it really does show, even by 80’s horror standards.

What really elevates Scanners is Cronenberg’s direction and the brilliant cinematography by Mark Irwin. The world of the film is sterile and corporate, with white-walled labs and grey urban sprawl. Everything feels cold to the touch, as if human warmth has been drained from the screen. Add to this Howard Shore’s pulsating, unnerving score, and you’ve got a film that feels more like a paranoid fever dream than a traditional sci-fi horror.

You’ll be surprised to hear, Second Sight have nailed it once again when it comes to this release.

The 4K restoration from the original camera negative is a thing of beauty. The clarity on this is astonishing – especially given the grainy, muted look of early ‘80s Canadian genre films. The clean-up work allows the practical effects to shine (or splatter), and the details in Irwin’s cold architecture really come through. Skin tones are natural, the blacks are deep, and there’s none of that digital noise that ruins so many restorations. It’s all handled with care and respect for the original look.

Audio-wise, the original stereo track is crisp, with dialogue clear even over Shore’s brooding score. The sound design is intimate, internal. You feel the psychic attacks more than hear them.

Let’s talk extras, because this set is positively bursting with content:

Audio Commentary by Caelum Vatnsdal – Caelum is the author of They came from Within: A history of Canadian horror cinema. This is a decent enough commentary, however I personally prefer people who were actually involved with the film doing these as what’s the point of them otherwise, there’s a billion podcasts for this type of thing.
Audio Commentary by William Beard – William Beard is a professor of film studies. As per Caelum Vatnsdal, it’s an interesting enough commentary but as he has no first hand knowledge of being on set, it’s just anecdotal and theoretical.
My Art Keeps Me Sane – A 25 minute interview with Stephen Lack. Less an acting retrospective, more of a philosophical musing. Something tells me Lack didn’t get on too well with the filmmakers and doesn’t particularly enjoy acting. He’s an artist, it shows and his approach to the character was as abstract as the film itself.
A Method in His Madness – A 30 minute interview with Ironside, full of his usual charm and some great behind-the-scenes titbits. “You could fart in the kitchen and smell it in the front bedroom” is a hell of a quote 😀
Bad Guy Dane – A quick 5 minute interview with Lawrence Dane who plays Braedon Keller in the film, not great quality shot in a weird room by the very bright window. He’s interesting enough though.
The Eye of Scanners – A 15 minute chat with Cinematographer Mark Irwin. Looks like it’s shot in his hallway. Pretty interesting insight into the film and the hard work that went into getting it made. Sounds like it was a nightmare!
Mind Fragments– Just under 19 minute interview with composer Howard Shore. I have always thought the score of Scanners is very classic gothic horror in tone. He discusses his career and his inspirations. Really interesting insight into the process he used making the music. Well shot interview this.
The Chaos of Scanners – 13 minute interview with producer Pierre David. The chaos of the shoot is touched on by a few of the other interviews and this just encapsulates everything. You may be left wondering how nobody died. “The making of Scanners was chaos, you had to be there to see it”. Nuff said! 😀
Exploding Brains & Popping Veins – A quick 10 minute chat with Make-up effects artist Stephan Dupuis. Funnily enough, they talk about the exploding head. Good insight into the test phase of exploding a head.
Monster Kid – 21 minutes with make up effects artist Chris Walas. Very great chat about his career generally (“Halloween” mask was interesting) and another interesting look at the effects work of Scanners.
Cronenberg’s Tech Babies– 13 minutes Tim Coleman “read my written piece about the film” thing. You may know my thoughts on these extras, although really well written and packed with ideas, they’re not for me personally.

Scanners is more than just an exploding head gif. It’s a cold, cerebral, deeply unnerving piece of speculative horror that asks uncomfortable questions about power, identity, and control. It’s not always an easy watch, the pacing is strange, the performances unconventional (watch some of the extras and you’ll find out why) but therein lies its charm. It feels like a dream you can’t wake up from. A film out of time, but strangely relevant, possibly more relevant today than ever before.

Second Sight have treated it with the reverence it deserves. A must-own for fans of Cronenberg, cult cinema, and practical gore effects done properly. Put it on, crank the volume, and prepare to have it blow your mind, but hopefully not literally…

Limited Edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray Box Set & Standard Edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray arrive March 31st 2025 from Second Sight Films.