Aspiring filmmaker J.S. Cardone got a lot of attention for his controversial 1982 slasher film, The Slayer. One of the production managers was a young Peter Manoogian, who later worked with Charles Band on The Dungeonmaster. Cardone met with Band through this connection to discuss ideas and was signed to a two-picture deal. At the time, Charles Band had just made his deal with Paramount to distribute, and they demanded content. Cardone presented Band with a script he worked on after The Slayer, and Charles offered him $1 million to produce. As part of the deal, Cardone got to bring his producer wife Carol Kottenbrook and FX artist Mark Shostrom. With a twenty-four-day shooting schedule, Cardone had complete creative control to make the film he wanted to make. After a New York City premiere in January 1990, Shadowzone hit video store shelves that February.
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Synopsis
NASA Captain Hickock (David Beecroft) is sent to the Jackass Flats Proving Ground to investigate a recent death. At the proving grounds, a group of scientists is working on “Project Shadowzone,” an experiment to tap into people’s dreams. Dr. Erhardt (Louise Fletcher) and Dr. Van Fleet (James Hong) are heading the research team alongside Dr. Kidwell (Shawn Weatherly). The team believes that sleeping in a deep EDS state can allow a person to access a parallel dimension. Hickock wants them to recreate the experiments to ensure they’re not life-threatening, but something goes wrong. During the test, computer engineer Wiley (Miguel A. Núñez Jr.) notices a mysterious figure, known only as “John Doe,” lurking. According to Dr. Erhardt, “John Doe” is a creature from the parallel dimension who’s slipped into our world. Now trapped with no rescue coming, it’s up to the team to survive against this interdimensional terror.
Review
Like many early Full Moon movies, Shadowzone is incredibly ambitious, even if hampered by a low budget. The film borrows elements from movies like Alien, The Thing, and Galaxy of Terror, but not in the wrong way. Cardone takes some familiar features and crafts them into a uniquely terrifying sci-fi/horror film. For one, it’s established that the creature can take on the physical manifestation of one’s thoughts and dreams. This concept opens up many opportunities for some decent scares and creative kills, which they take advantage of. Everyone in the cast does a solid job, such as David Beecroft, who makes for a decent leading man. The biggest stand-out is Louise Fletcher, who plays the well-intentioned scientist driven to the breaking point. James Hong also stands out as a scientist driven to ensure his experiments work despite what’s happening around him.
Everything is here to satisfy any gorehound’s thirst for blood, from the creature designs to the gruesome deaths. With credits including From Beyond, Evil Dead II, and The Beastmaster, Mark Shostrom continues to do excellent work here. The production design is also terrific, with the sets having a rustic, lived-in feel, adding to the sense of isolation. You feel like you’re with the characters stuck in this abandoned facility, separate from the rest of the world. Cardone’s direction is on-point, using minimal lighting, dynamic shadows, and plenty of darkness to create a suspenseful mood. Admittedly, there are a lot of slow scenes, and it takes a while for the plot to kick in. Among Full Moon’s non-franchise movies, this is one of the more underrated entries and is worth checking out. Overall, Shadowzone has its issues, but give it a watch if you’re a fan of claustrophobic sci-fi/horror films.
Buy Shadowzone from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3UT7t4z.
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Louise Fletcher, 1934 - 2022
This review is dedicated to the memory of legendary actress Louise Fletcher, who passed away on September 23, 2022, at the age of 88.
