{"id":70982,"date":"2021-04-01T09:01:27","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T16:01:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=70982"},"modified":"2023-12-08T12:53:33","modified_gmt":"2023-12-08T19:53:33","slug":"firestarter-1984","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=70982","title":{"rendered":"Firestarter (1984)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;If I do something bad, will you still love me?&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Poster-191x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"191\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-70983\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Poster-191x300.png 191w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Poster-652x1024.png 652w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Poster-82x128.png 82w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Poster-172x270.png 172w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Poster.png 713w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 191px) 100vw, 191px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAccompanied by her father (David Keith), a young girl with pyrokinetic powers (Drew Barrymore) stays on the run from government officials hoping to capture her and weaponize her abilities.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Art Carney Films<\/li>\n<li>Father and Child<\/li>\n<li>Fugitives <\/li>\n<li>George C. Scott Films<\/li>\n<li>Horror Films<\/li>\n<li>Louise Fletcher Films<\/li>\n<li>Martin Sheen Films<\/li>\n<li>Political Corruption<\/li>\n<li>Stephen King Adaptations<\/li>\n<li>Supernatural Powers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary\u2019s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary argues that this &#8220;mess of a film, adapted from <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Firestarter_(novel)\">Stephen King&#8217;s novel<\/a>&#8221; about a &#8220;sympathetic little girl [named Charlie] (Drew Barrymore) with the power to start fires through mental impulses and her nice-guy father (David Keith) with mind-control powers&#8221; &#8220;picks up slightly once the two are captured and separated,&#8221; given that we then &#8220;no longer have to endure Keith repeatedly getting down on one knee and sensitively comforting the teary child, who feels guilt about the destruction and deaths her fires have caused.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Keith.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Keith-1024x435.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"272\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-70991\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Keith-1024x435.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Keith-300x128.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Keith-128x54.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Keith-768x326.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Keith-1536x653.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Keith-604x257.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Keith.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>He notes that the &#8220;picture&#8217;s main selling point is the special effects, most of which involve people and objects bursting into flames&#8221;, in addition to a climax &#8220;filled with flying fireballs.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Fireballs.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Fireballs-1024x435.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"272\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-70993\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Fireballs-1024x435.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Fireballs-300x128.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Fireballs-128x54.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Fireballs-768x326.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Fireballs-1536x653.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Fireballs-604x257.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Fireballs.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>He writes that &#8220;George C. Scott, wearing a pony tail, has a field day as a maniacal government assassin who literally wants to bash Charlie&#8217;s brains in&#8221;: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott2-1024x435.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"272\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-70996\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott2-1024x435.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott2-300x128.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott2-128x54.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott2-768x326.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott2-1536x653.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott2-604x257.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott2.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; but &#8220;all the other actors are poorly used.&#8221; I&#8217;m essentially in agreement with Peary&#8217;s assessment of this film, which was purportedly a major disappointment to King. The special effects are super-cool, and Barrymore inhabits her role with conviction &#8212; but there&#8217;s far too much we never learn about her family&#8217;s situation (what, exactly, happened after Keith and Locklear underwent experimental treatment, apparently married, and had a child?), and various supporting characters &#8212; including Art Carney and Louise Fletcher as kindly farmers who offer shelter to the runaway duo: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Carney-Fletcher.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Carney-Fletcher-1024x435.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"272\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-70992\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Carney-Fletcher-1024x435.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Carney-Fletcher-300x128.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Carney-Fletcher-128x54.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Carney-Fletcher-768x326.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Carney-Fletcher-1536x653.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Carney-Fletcher-604x257.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Carney-Fletcher.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and Sheen as a corrupt politician:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Sheen.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Sheen-1024x435.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"272\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-70994\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Sheen-1024x435.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Sheen-300x128.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Sheen-128x54.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Sheen-768x326.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Sheen-1536x653.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Sheen-604x257.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Sheen.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8212; are underdeveloped.   <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Drew Barrymore as Charlie<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Barrymore.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Barrymore-1024x435.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"272\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-70985\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Barrymore-1024x435.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Barrymore-300x128.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Barrymore-128x54.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Barrymore-768x326.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Barrymore-1536x653.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Barrymore-604x257.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Barrymore.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>George C. Scott as John Rainbird<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott-1024x435.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"272\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-70984\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott-1024x435.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott-300x128.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott-128x54.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott-768x326.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott-1536x653.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott-604x257.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Scott.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Impressive special effects<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Effects.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Effects-1024x435.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"272\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-70986\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Effects-1024x435.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Effects-300x128.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Effects-128x54.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Effects-768x326.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Effects-1536x653.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Effects-604x257.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Firestarter-Effects.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo; you can skip this one unless you&#8217;re a Stephen King fan and curious to check it out. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0087262\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1984\/05\/11\/movies\/screen-firestarter-a-stephen-king-story.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.moriareviews.com\/sciencefiction\/firestarter-1984.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;If I do something bad, will you still love me?&#8221; Synopsis: Accompanied by her father (David Keith), a young girl with pyrokinetic powers (Drew Barrymore) stays on the run from government officials hoping to capture her and weaponize her abilities. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Art Carney Films Father and Child Fugitives George C. Scott Films Horror Films Louise Fletcher Films Martin Sheen Films Political Corruption Stephen King Adaptations Supernatural Powers Response to Peary\u2019s Review: Peary argues that this &#8220;mess&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=70982\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=70982"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70982\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":93834,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70982\/revisions\/93834"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=70982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=70982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=70982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}