Scanners
1981
Not currently streaming on CaSTV
Synopsis
After a man with extraordinary, and frighteningly destructive, telepathic abilities is nabbed by agents from a mysterious rogue corporation, he discovers he is far from the only possessor of such strange powers. Some of the other “scanners” have their minds set on world domination, while others are trying to stop them.
Scanners (1981) is a 1h 43min sci-fi feature film by David Cronenberg. After a man with extraordinary, and frighteningly destructive, telepathic abilities is nabbed by agents from a myster... Selected for Romford Horror Festival (2026).
Key facts
Cast
Lawrence Dane, Jennifer O'Neill, Michael Ironside, Stephen Lack, Patrick McGoohan, Jennifer O'Neil, Robert A. Silverman, Lee Broker
Original language
English
First release
January 14, 1981 (United States)
Production companies
FILMPLAN INTERNATIONAL
Home video distributors
20th Century Fox Video (United States), Embassy Home Entertainment (United States), Malofilm Video (Canada)
Funding
SOCIÉTÉ DE DÉVELOPPEMENT DE L'INDUSTRIE CINÉMATOGRAPHIQUE CANADIENNE
Awards
Saturn Award for Best International Film
Setting
Canada
Filming locations
Montreal, Toronto
Crew
Screenplay
David Cronenberg
Producer
Claude Héroux
Cinematography
Mark Irwin
Editing
Ronald Sanders
Music
Howard Shore
Special makeup effects
Chris Walas, Dick Smith, Stephan Dupuis, Tom Schwartz
Trailer
Stills
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to write one.
Festival History
- Popcorn Frights Film Festival 2026 - Features
- Romford Horror Festival 2026 - Screen 5
- Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival 2026 generic - Sitges Clàssics
- SLASH Fantastic Film Festival 2023 - Features
- Dead by Dawn Horror Film Festival 2017 generic - Classics
Titles
| Original title | Scanners | English |
| Alternate title | The Sensitives | |
| Alternate title | Telepathy 2000 |
VHS & home video releases
| VHS | 20th Century Fox Video (cat. no. 4073) | 1982, United States, fox box |
| VHS | Embassy Home Entertainment (cat. no. 2080) | 1983, United States, slipcase |
| VHS | Malofilm Video (cat. no. 91028) | 1983, Canada, slipcase |
| VHS | Embassy Home Entertainment (cat. no. 2080) | 1984, United States, slipcase |
Soundtracks
| CD | Scanners Trilogy - Howard Shore (2007) | 4 releases, 2007-2018: Cimmerian Records, Movietracks Music Soundtraks, Wicked Vision |
Releases & classifications
| Theatrical | United States | January 14, 1981 |
| Theatrical | Canada | January 16, 1981 |
| Theatrical | Germany | March 5, 1981 |
| Theatrical | France | April 8, 1981 |
| Theatrical | Spain | April 14, 1981 |
| Theatrical | United Kingdom | April 23, 1981 |
| Theatrical | Brazil | May 15, 1981 |
| Theatrical | Denmark | July 17, 1981 |
| Theatrical | Colombia | July 29, 1981 |
| Theatrical | Finland | August 7, 1981 |
| Theatrical | Netherlands | September 3, 1981 |
| Theatrical | Australia | October 1, 1981 |
| Theatrical | Sweden | November 2, 1981 |
| Theatrical | Mexico | November 27, 1981 |
| Theatrical | Norway | January 21, 1982 |
| Theatrical | Italy | May 1, 1982 |
| Theatrical | Portugal | May 6, 1982 |
| Theatrical | Italy | May 7, 1982 |
| Theatrical | Uruguay | May 13, 1983 |
| Theatrical | Japan | February 1, 1987 |
| Theatrical | Portugal | February 13, 2006 |
| Theatrical | Spain | November 4, 2017 |
| Theatrical | France | August 19, 2020 |
| Theatrical | Spain | January 11, 2021 |
| Theatrical | Spain | January 14, 2021 |
| Streaming | France | July 22, 2022 |
| Theatrical | Portugal | October 15, 2023 |
| Classification | Germany | 16 |
| Classification | United States | R |
Versions & editions
| Original version (English) | ||
| Home video VHS | United States | 1982 4073 |
| Home video VHS | United States | 1983 2080 |
| Home video VHS | Canada | 1983 91028 |
| Home video VHS | United States | 1984 2080 |
| Home video | United States | June 13, 2000 |
| Home video | France | December 15, 2000 |
| Home video | France | October 1, 2014 |
Full credits
| Director | David Cronenberg |
| Cast | Lawrence Dane, Jennifer O'Neill (Kim Obrist), Michael Ironside, Stephen Lack, Patrick McGoohan, Jennifer O'Neil, Robert A. Silverman (Benjamin Pierce), Lee Broker (Security One), Mavor Moore (Trevellyan), Adam Ludwig (Arno Crostic), Murray Cruchley (Programmer 1), Fred Döderlein (Dieter Tautz), Géza Kovács (Killer in Record Store), Sonny Forbes (Killer in Attic), Jérôme Tiberghien (Killer in Attic), Denis Lacroix (Killer in Barn), Elizabeth Mudry (Killer in Barn), Victor Désy (Dr. Gatineau), Louis Del Grande (First Scanner), Anthony Sherwood (Scanner in Attic), Ken Umland (Scanner in Attic), Anne Anglin (Scanner in Attic), Jock Brandis (Scanner in Attic), Jack Messinger (Scanner at Door), Victor Knight (Dr. Frane), Karen Fullerton (Pregnant Girl), Margaret Gadbois (Woman in Mall), Terrance P. Coady (Security 1 Car Passenger), Steve Michaels (Security 1 Car Driver), Malcolm Nelthorpe (Security 2 Car Driver), Nicholas Kilbertus (Security 2 Car Partner), Don Buchsbaum (Large Man in Mall), Roland Nincheri (Large Man in Mall), Kimberly McKeever (Hallucinating Guard), Robert Boyd (Hallucinating Guard), Graham Batchelor (Yoga Technician), Dean Hagopian (Programmer 2), Alex Stevens (Programmer 3), Neil Affleck (Student), John Brasington (Hazmat-Suit Worker (uncredited)), Chris Britton (Hazmat-Suit Worker (uncredited)), Jack Canon (Hazmat-Suit Worker (uncredited)), Richard Chapman Jr. (Hazmat-Suit Worker (uncredited)), Leon Herbert (Hazmat-Suit Worker (uncredited)), William Hope (Hazmat-Suit Worker (uncredited)), Thomas Kovacs (Boyfriend (uncredited)), Michael Maloley (Doctor in Hall (uncredited)), Ian McQue (Scanner / Security Guard (uncredited)), Chuck Shamata (Tony (uncredited)), Sam Stone (Security Guard (uncredited)) |
| Screenplay | David Cronenberg |
| Producer | Claude Héroux |
| Executive producer | Pierre David, Victor Solnicki |
| Cinematography | Mark Irwin |
| Editing | Ronald Sanders |
| Music | Howard Shore |
| Production design | Carol Spier |
| Special makeup effects | Chris Walas, Dick Smith, Stephan Dupuis, Tom Schwartz |
| Visual effects | Dennis Pike, Gary Zeller |
| Sound | Don Cohen |
| Costumes | Delphine White |
Additional data: TMDB.
Source: Cinémathèque québécoise, linked catalogue data (CC BY 4.0)
