Triple Feature: FIRESTARTER, CARRIE, THE DEAD ZONE at Aero Theatre

Triple Feature: FIRESTARTER, 1984, Park Circus, 114 min. Dir. Mark L. Lester. After rocketing to fame in E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, preteen Drew Barrymore was tapped for the lead in this Stephen King adaptation. She plays Charlene “Charlie” McGee, a girl with pyrokinetic powers that government agency “The Shop” is eager to harness. Her father (David Keith) also has psychic abilities, which he uses to protect his daughter from Shop agents. Sharing the screen with fiery special effects is a top-notch cast – including George C. Scott, Martin Sheen, Louise Fletcher, Art Carney and Heather Locklear – and an electronic score by Tangerine Dream.
CARRIE, 1976, Park Circus/MGM, 97 min. Director Brian De Palma strikes exactly the right note between empathy and horror in this yarn of Carrie (Sissy Spacek), a teen misfit who becomes so unglued after being repeatedly victimized by sadistic classmates and religious-zealot mom Piper Laurie that her latent telekinetic powers kick in, resulting in a blitz of gory, vengeful carnage. Enormously popular on its original release, CARRIE remains one of the best adaptations of a Stephen King novel. With John Travolta, Amy Irving, Nancy Allen, P.J. Soles.
THE DEAD ZONE, 1983, Paramount, 103 min. Director David Cronenberg helms one of the best Stephen King adaptations, with Christopher Walken as a young man who receives the gift (or is it curse?) of second sight after a near-death accident. Radical upheaval plagues his life as his marriage to Brooke Adams is thwarted, and he becomes involved in helping Sheriff Tom Skerritt track a serial killer. But foreseeing the apocalyptic behavior of power-drunk presidential candidate Martin Sheen provides him with his most torturous challenge. One of Walken’s most poignant, sensitive portrayals. Discussion following FIRESTARTER with director Mark Lester. Special Ticket Prices: $15 General, $14 Students/Seniors, $13 Cinematheque Members. No vouchers.