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Scanners (1981)

Directed by David Cronenberg · Cinematography by Mark Irwin

R103 min60 frames

Science FictionHorror

10 Seconds: The Pain Begins. 15 Seconds: You Can’t Breathe. 20 Seconds: You Explode.

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Stills, screencaps & shots from Scanners

16 of 60 frames — the full set is searchable by lighting, lens, shot size, color and mood with a free account.

Scanners (1981) movie still: closeup — A man stands against a dark, featureless background in a dimly lit environment. He looks forward with a…Scanners (1981) movie still: closeup — A dimly lit interior space features dark, blurred background elements and minimal decor. A man with…Scanners (1981) movie still: closeup — A woman stands against a rough-hewn stone wall in an indoor setting. She faces the camera directly while…Scanners (1981) movie still: wide — A dark, rainy city street is lined with weathered buildings under night sky. A car with illuminated headlights…Scanners (1981) movie still: medium — A corporate conference room features a silver wall with a large ConSec logo signage. Two older men sit at a…Scanners (1981) movie still: medium — A dimly lit interior space with wooden ceiling beams and a large armchair. A man with a beard sits in the…Scanners (1981) movie still: closeup — An indoor space features a man in professional attire during the daytime. The subject looks directly at…Scanners (1981) movie still: medium — Two men in business suits sit behind a desk against a plain black curtain. The man on the right looks toward…Scanners (1981) movie still: wide — A spacious architectural atrium features a high barrel-vaulted glass ceiling and gridded wall panels. Rows of…Scanners (1981) movie still: fullbody — A room features white painted brick walls and an old metal frame bed. A man in white clothing sits on the…Scanners (1981) movie still: medium — A bright red room decorated with framed art hangs behind a doctor and patient. The doctor listens to the…Scanners (1981) movie still: wide — A food court from the 1970s features tiled floors and circular pedestal tables with stools. A man in a trench…Scanners (1981) movie still: closeup — A man stands in a dark environment with indistinct shadows behind him. He faces the camera directly while…Scanners (1981) movie still: medium — A man stands outdoors in front of a tree with yellow autumn leaves. He points a small pistol directly at the…Scanners (1981) movie still: medium — A dimly lit interior room features a white wall and a blurred houseplant. A man in formal business attire…Scanners (1981) movie still: medium — The interior of a large, organic-looking structure constructed from soft, fleshy-toned material. A man sits…
Scanners (1981) — © Filmplan International, Canadian Film Development Corporation

Scanners — official trailer

What is Scanners about?

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 is a 1981 Canadian science-fiction horror film written and directed by David Cronenberg. The film stars include Stephen Lack, Jennifer O'Neill, Michael Ironside, Lawrence Dane and Patrick McGoohan. In the film, "scanners" are psychics with telepathic and telekinetic powers. ConSec, a purveyor of weaponry and security systems, searches out scanners to use them for its own purposes. The film's plot concerns the attempt by Darryl Revok (Ironside), a renegade scanner, to wage a war against ConSec. Another scanner, Cameron Vale (Lack), is dispatched by ConSec to stop Revok.

Second paragraph from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where can you watch Scanners?

US availability for Scanners (1981). Provided by Streaming Availability API by Movie of the Night. Availability changes — check the provider for current listings.

Who stars in Scanners?

Who made Scanners?

What does the cinematography of Scanners look like?

Sampled across 60 frames, the coverage of Scanners leans on close-ups (42% of the sample) and medium shots (28%). Cinematographer Mark Irwin keeps 43% of it in soft, naturalistic light. Vintage glass shapes the frame. Focus stays shallow in 62% of the frames, isolating subjects from their surroundings.

What is the color palette of Scanners?

The dominant colors across the sampled frames of Scanners (1981) are #302e2d, #544f4c, #d3d2cc, #111010, #8b786c, #48382e — measured from the per-frame color data FrameThrower extracts for every film.

  • #302e2d
  • #544f4c
  • #d3d2cc
  • #111010
  • #8b786c
  • #48382e

See the full Scanners colour palette — every hex with its share, plus warmth, saturation and luminance.

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Techniques in this film

More films by David Cronenberg

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