[school-discuss] The Dead Zone - Stephen King : class notes & projects

[mike eschman <meschman@engima.com>]

11-08-2002 mike eschman etc ... http://www.etc-edu.com "Not just an 
afterthought ...

The Dead Zone.[1983].
 
Directed by David Cronenberg

Writing credits
Stephen King (novel)
Jeffrey Boam.

Christopher Walken is a teacher (7-8-9th grade?) in a mid-west public school.

He is in love with another young teacher at the school, and is popular with 
his students.

They leave school together, marriage plans are discussed.  It is raining.  
Nighttime.

A truck driver falls asleep at the wheel.  His tanker of milk fills the 
roadway.

Christopher Walken strikes the tanker in his VW Beetle, and wakes up 7 years 
later.

His love is the mother of another man's child, and he is alone with his 
parents.

Christopher Walken discovers a power of "Second Sight" - he can 'see' the 
memories of objects 
and places.  At a press conference, he confronts a reporter with memories of 
his sister's death.
The reporter lashes out at Christopher Walken.  It's on TV and Christopher's 
mom sees it.
It kills her, so Chris is alone with his father.  He helps solve some murders, 
gets shot,
and moves away, to live alone and have some peace.  People want his help.

Kids still love Chris, so he has a private tutoring pratice - his only contact 
with the world.

A rich guy comes by and asks for help.  Chris (aka "Johnny") leaves his home 
to go see the man's son.
They become great friends.  Johnny sees danger in the boy's future.  In the 
end, the boy's ok.
Johnny has found his "dead zone".  It's where he can see a flaw, a place where 
the future can be changed.  
Johnny has discovered a 'sight' into the future.

He has a chance meeting with a politician, and 'sees' the man starting WW III.
He also learns he is dying.


I hope that gives an idea of how the movie moves forward in time.  Now I have 
some questions of you :

(1) Based on these few words, what are johnny's options ?
(2) Could you write a scene, say, between johnny and the boy - the one who 
became his friend after 
he moved away to live alone?

(3) what do you think the boy looks like [from these few words]?

(4) How do you feel Christoper Walken does as johnny[see the movie] ?

Let's play a game.

let's build this story from our insides out.  

write something and send it back.

mike eschman, etc ...
http://www.etc-edu.com
"Not just an afterthought ...