Powder (1995)

Director:

Victor Salva

Writer (WGA):

Victor Salva (written by)

Release Date:

27 October 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Pure energy has a name

Plot:

A young bald albino boy with unique powers shakes up the rural community he lives in.

Plot Keywords:

Psionic Power | Mutant | Genius | Death | Extrasensory Perception

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Mary Steenburgen	...	Jessie Caldwell
Sean Patrick Flanery	...	Jeremy 'Powder' Reed
Lance Henriksen	...	Sheriff Doug Barnum
Jeff Goldblum	...	Donald Ripley
Brandon Smith	...	Deputy Harley Duncan
Bradford Tatum	...	John Box
Susan Tyrrell	...	Maxine
Missy Crider	...	Lindsey Kelloway
Ray Wise	...	Dr. Aaron Stripler
Esteban Powell	...	Mitch
Reed Frerichs	...	Skye
Chad Cox	...	Zane
Joe Marchman	...	Brennan
Phil Hayes	...	Greg Reed (as Phillip Maurice Hayes)
Danette McMahon	...	Emma Barnum

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense, sometimes frightening elements of theme, and for language.

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Singapore:NC-16 | Brazil:14 | Australia:M | Denmark:16 | Germany:12 (w) | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Houston, Texas, USA

Company:

Caravan Pictures

Goofs:

Continuity: When Powder gets his first kiss with the redhead, you see her standing when her father is coming towards them, but then in the next shot she's still sitting and just about to get up.

Quotes:

Deputy Harley Duncan: I'm just saying that that's more than albino, Doug. That is spooky.
Sheriff Doug Barnum: I never thought we'd find a man too white for you there Harley.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Alag: He Is Different.... He Is Alone... (2006)

Soundtrack:

PUPPET MARCH

A film of emotional power, beauty, and humanity

I have not seen any of Victor Salva's movies before until now. He is also the director of the recent horror film Jeepers Creepers. The actors are all quite good: Mary Steenburgen as the woman that tries to help, Lance Henriksen as the local sheriff, Jeff Goldblum as the science teacher, and especially Sean Patrick Flanery as Powder. The movie can be classified in a number of ways: uplifting drama, family picture, and horror. There are strong moments of absolute emotional power, beauty, and humanity as Powder tries to fit in amongst the local people, but ends up teaching them lessons about humanity instead. Powder's appearance seemed even chaplinesque at times, emoting with the slightest variances in expressions like a mime. Like many uplifting family movies, Powder was hard to find. I had never heard of it before and wonder if it was ever in theaters even. I give this movie 3 out of 4 stars. I don't think the script was developed enough and it was a bit predictable at times. I would rate it a PG-13 movie because of the intensity in some scenes and innuendo in the bullying. Teenagers, who feel they don't fit in, will strongly identify with Powder and will probably love this movie. However, this is also a horror movie, but a different kind of horror movie. At first it seems to follow in Carrie's shoes, setting up a revenge plot. But the horror we see isn't a misfit student getting revenge in unspeakable ways on classmates. It's in the town's inability to treat Powder with humanity.