# Scanner Cop

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{{short description|1994 film by Pierre David}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Scanner Cop
| image          = Poster of the movie Scanner Cop.jpg
| caption        = Official DVD cover

| director       = [Pierre David](/source/Pierre_David_(film_producer))
| story          = Pierre David
| based_on       = Characters by<br>[David Cronenberg](/source/David_Cronenberg)
| producer       = Pierre David
| writer         = 
| screenplay     = George Saunders<br>John Bryan
| starring       = {{plainlist|
* [Daniel Quinn](/source/Daniel_Quinn_(actor))
* [Darlanne Fluegel](/source/Darlanne_Fluegel)
* [Richard Lynch](/source/Richard_Lynch)
* Richard Grove
* [Mark Rolston](/source/Mark_Rolston) 
}}
| music          = [Louis Febre](/source/Louis_Febre)
| cinematography = [Jacques Haitkin](/source/Jacques_Haitkin)
| editing        = Julian Semilian
| studio         = {{ubl|
* Image Organization
* [Malofilm](/source/Ren%C3%A9_Malo)
* [Republic Pictures](/source/Republic_Pictures)
* Starlight Film
}}
| distributor    = {{ubl|
* Malofilm (Canada)
* Cine Plus (Germany)
* Republic Pictures (US)
}}
| released       = {{Film date|1994|7|27}}
| runtime        = 95 minutes
| country        = {{ubl|
* Canada
* Germany
* United States
}}
| language       = English
}}
'''''Scanner Cop''''' is a 1994 [science fiction](/source/Science_fiction_film) [action horror film](/source/Action-horror_film). It is the fourth film in the ''[Scanners](/source/Scanners)'' series and the first of two films in the ''Scanner Cop'' sub-series. It is written, produced, and directed by longtime series producer [Pierre David](/source/Pierre_David_(film_producer)),<ref>{{cite web |title=Scanner Cop |url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/scanner-cop/review/2030059017/}}</ref> and stars [Daniel Quinn](/source/Daniel_Quinn_(actor)), [Darlanne Fluegel](/source/Darlanne_Fluegel), [Mark Rolston](/source/Mark_Rolston) and [Richard Lynch](/source/Richard_Lynch). It was released direct-to-video in March 1994.

==Plot==
A Scanner goes crazy and is shot by officer Pete Harrigan (Richard Grove). Harrigan discovers the Scanner had a child and adopts him. 15 years later, Harrigan is now the leader of the LAPD and the child, Sam Staziak (Daniel Quinn), is a rookie cop in the same department.

Staziak is also a Scanner, although he keeps the powers hidden. Dr. Karl Glock (Richard Lynch) is a psychiatrist who is using a cult he leads to brainwash individuals to kill police.

As the string of murders begins to decimate the police department, Sam faces sensory overload and possible insanity as he reluctantly uses his powers to hunt the man responsible for the killings.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.moriareviews.com/sciencefiction/scanner-cop-1994.htm | title=Scanner Cop (1994) | date=5 May 2003 }}</ref>

Sam scans the memories of a coroner (Gary Hudson) who committed suicide, providing clues to find Glock. Police psychiatrist Dr. Arden discovers puncture marks, indicating those who have been killing officers were drugged. A scan by Sam of a wife who killed her police officer husband shows the drug makes the victim see a giant version of whatever phobia they have.

Glock traps Sam, but Sam escapes. Sam attempts to scan Glock but is blocked by a metal plate in Glock's head. Glock attempts to pose as Harrigan's surgeon, but Sam scans the plate out of Glock's head, killing him.

== Cast ==

* [Daniel Quinn](/source/Daniel_Quinn_(actor)) as Samuel Staziak
* Richard Grove as Commander Peter Harrigan
* [Darlanne Fluegel](/source/Darlanne_Fluegel) as Dr. Joan Alden
* [Mark Rolston](/source/Mark_Rolston) as Lieutenant Harry Brown
* [Richard Lynch](/source/Richard_Lynch) as Karl Glock
* [Hilary Shepard](/source/Hilary_Shepard) as Zena
* [Luca Bercovici](/source/Luca_Bercovici) as Dr. Krench
* [Gary Hudson](/source/Gary_Hudson_(actor)) as Damon Pratt
* [Savannah Smith Boucher](/source/Savannah_Smith_Boucher) as Margaret Harrigan
* Cyndi Pass as Sarah Kopek
* [Ben Reed](/source/Ben_Reed) as Rick Kopek
* Billy Williams as Eightball
* Wayne Grace as Officer Dooley
* [Darren Dalton](/source/Darren_Dalton) as Officer Longo

==Production==
The film was the directorial debut of [Pierre David](/source/Pierre_David_(film_producer)), who had produced the first three ''[Scanners](/source/Scanners)'' films as well as David Cronenberg's ''[Videodrome](/source/Videodrome)''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pierre David |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0203039/ |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}</ref>

Unlike the previous films, which were all shot in Canada, ''Scanner Cop'' was shot in the United States with an American cast. Filming took place in [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles).

==Release==
The film was released on VHS and LaserDisc by [Republic Pictures](/source/Republic_Pictures). A DVD has been released in Canada, along with the sequel ''[Scanners: The Showdown](/source/Scanners%3A_The_Showdown)'' (also known as ''Scanner Cop 2'').

The film along with ''Scanners: The Showdown'' was released on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray from [Vinegar Syndrome](/source/Vinegar_Syndrome_(company)) in a double feature set on May 28, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vinegarsyndrome.com/collections/frontpage/products/scanner-cop-collection|title=Scanner Cop 1 & 2}}</ref>

== Reception ==
''[Empire](/source/Empire_(film_magazine))'' rated it 2/5 stars and described it as a "moderately enjoyable horror movie, that suffers for its cast and script".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/scanner-cop/review/|title=Scanner Cop Review|work=[Empire](/source/Empire_(magazine))|date=January 2000 |accessdate=May 27, 2019}}</ref>  ''[TV Guide](/source/TV_Guide)'' rated it 2/4 stars and wrote that the film "works as a solid exploitation item", though it criticized the [police procedural](/source/police_procedural) aspects.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/scanner-cop/review/129993/|title=Scanner Cop|work=[TV Guide](/source/TV_Guide)|accessdate=May 27, 2019}}</ref>   [Glenn Kenny](/source/Glenn_Kenny) of ''[Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly)'', in an article critiquing recent direct-to-video releases, rated it D+ and called the plot an excuse for "gruesome special effects".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/1994/07/22/scanner-cop/|title=Scanner Cop|last=Kenny|first=Glenn|magazine=[Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly)|date=July 22, 1994|accessdate=May 27, 2019}}</ref>

Writing for ''[Bloody Disgusting](/source/Bloody_Disgusting)'', Daniel Baldwin praised the film for taking the ''Scanners'' series in a new direction, describing it as "a tightly-written and paced cop thriller".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3407587/ranking-the-scanners-films/5/|title=They'll Suck Your Brain Dry: Ranking the 'Scanners' Films|last=Baldwin|first=Daniel|work=[Bloody Disgusting](/source/Bloody_Disgusting)|date=2016-09-26|accessdate=2019-05-28}}</ref> Moira gave the film two stars, found it not a dire as the other films in the franchise, and it was competently made but otherwise found it pedestrian.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.moriareviews.com/sciencefiction/scanner-cop-1994.htm | title=Scanner Cop (1994) | date=5 May 2003 }}</ref>

[TV Guide](/source/TV_Guide) found that the movie depends a bit too much on the police procedural portion of the plot, but overall the movie is intriguing and works as a solid exploitation movie. It did note that Glock should have been given more screen time<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/scanner-cop/review/2030059017/ | title=Scanner Cop }}</ref>

==Sequel==

''Scanner Cop II Volkin's Revenge'', also known as  ''[Scanners: The Showdown](/source/Scanners%3A_The_Showdown)'', was released in 1995.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.moriareviews.com/sciencefiction/scanner-cop-ii-volkins-revenge-1995.htm | title=Scanner Cop II: Volkin's Revenge (1995) | date=20 August 2003 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0111082}}

{{Scanners}}

Category:1994 films
Category:1994 direct-to-video films
Category:1994 horror films
Category:1994 action films
Category:1994 science fiction horror films
Category:Canadian direct-to-video films
Category:Canadian science fiction horror films
Category:English-language Canadian films
Category:Canadian action horror films
Category:Direct-to-video sequel films
Category:Scanners (film series)
Category:Films about telekinesis
Category:Films scored by Louis Febre
Category:1994 English-language films
Category:1994 Canadian films
Category:1994 science fiction films
Category:English-language science fiction horror films
Category:English-language action horror films

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Scanner Cop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scanner_Cop) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scanner_Cop?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.