Communion

1989
R
1h 49m

IMDb RATING

5.5/10

8.2K

YOUR RATING

Home Video Extra (Clip) from New Line Cinema

Play trailer1:49

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91 Photos

Biography Drama Horror Sci-Fi Thriller

On December 26, 1985, Whitley Strieber has a strange nightmare. In the following days, plagued by painful headaches, his behavior becomes increasingly erratic. Later, under hypnosis, he real... Read allOn December 26, 1985, Whitley Strieber has a strange nightmare. In the following days, plagued by painful headaches, his behavior becomes increasingly erratic. Later, under hypnosis, he realizes that his dream was not a dream at all.On December 26, 1985, Whitley Strieber has a strange nightmare. In the following days, plagued by painful headaches, his behavior becomes increasingly erratic. Later, under hypnosis, he realizes that his dream was not a dream at all.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.5/10

8.2K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination total

Videos1

Trailer 1:49

Communion

Photos91

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Storyline

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Trivia
While serving as executive producer, author Whitley Strieber, whose experiences serve as the basis of the film, expressed concerns about Christopher Walken's abilities in portraying him. When Strieber finally told Walken that he might be portraying him as a little too crazy, Walken replied, "If the shoe fits."

Goofs
When Whitley leaves his vehicle in the 'final' visit to the cabin, the camera cuts to the entire cabin drenched in light. As he starts approaching it, the source of light can be seen as a spotlight at the top right of the screen.

Quotes
Whitley Strieber: [Doppleganger scene] I am you. And you are me. And we are here. I am the dreamer and you are the dream.

Alternate versions
An alternate version of Communion (1989) is shown on FOX network television (USA). The alternate version has extra or extended scenes (compared to the theatrical/cable/video version) as follows:
When Whitley (Christopher Walken) visits Dr. Freidman (Basil Hoffman), he describes the visitors while watching a salamander frolic in the physician's aquarium.
When Whitley's Russian friend Alex (Andreas Katsulas) finds Whitley in the diner, he tells Whitley that as a child in his native country he heard stories of small beings who lived in the mines, called Kobolds. He tells Whitley he believes these stories are true;
On the "ship," Whitley dances with the Little Blue Doctors after they exchange greetings (immediately before the "magic show");
Upon the roof of their apartment building, the stars in the sky do NOT momentarily appear to resemble the face of a visitor, as they do in the theatrical/cabletv/video version;
The end credits roll over a night time aerial shot of the Strieber family standing on the shore with New York City behind them.

Connections
Edited into Encounters of the Fourth Kind (1989)

Soundtracks
PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ
Written by Irving Berlin
(c) Irving Berlin Music Corporation

User reviews89

Featured review

Who dare look behind the mask?

This film left a lasting impression on me, which didn't wane during the second and even third viewing. I have never thought about it as an "alien-movie". (Incidentally, the word "aliens" is never once mentioned in the film.) In my opinion, it is a film about the man's reaction to the inexplicable intruding into his orderly existence. It is all about people, not aliens. Each character has their own reaction to the strange. In fact, what we see is a "pilgrim's progress", with Walken fighting against various attempts (by others and by himself) to explain it away. It is a philosophical parable, saying that any explanation would be nothing but a mask over the truth, which cannot be expressed in words. As Walken says: "This cannot be it. I didn't come all this way for you to tell me that this is it."