Trancers (1985)
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83% of critics liked it
(6 reviews) -
44% of users liked it
(4,868 ratings)
With the whimsical tagline "Jack Deth is back and he's never been here before," director Charles Band melds Blade Runner, The Terminator, and Jingle All the Way for this low-budget science fiction adventure. The story takes place in Angel City in the year 2247, when enforcer Jack Deth… More With the whimsical tagline "Jack Deth is back and he's never been here before," director Charles Band melds Blade Runner, The Terminator, and Jingle All the Way for this low-budget science fiction adventure. The story takes place in Angel City in the year 2247, when enforcer Jack Deth (Tim Thomerson) has just retired from the weekly grind after vanquishing villain Martin Whistler (Michael Stefani) and his roving cohorts, called "trancers." But Whistler and his trancers have gone back to Christmas 1985, with the insidious plan of exterminating the ruling council by killing off all the council members' ancestors. So Deth agrees to go back in time to get Whistler and the trancers all over again. To do so, he must transfer his memory into the body of one of his ancestors, who in this case has just had an erotic interlude with the perky and attractive Leena (Helen Hunt), who works as a Santa's elf at a shopping mall and gets to wear a skimpy, tight-fitting elf suit. Deth discovers that Whistler has taken over the body of the police inspector and has started transforming the Los Angeles population into trancers --including Santa Claus. With Leena's help, Deth sets out to even the score. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Directed By
- Charles Band
- Genres
- Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Cult Movies
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1985 Wide
- On DVD
- Mar 28, 2000
Critic Reviews
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Michael E. Grost, Classic Film and Television
Lots of fun science fiction adventure
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Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Enjoyable low-budget sci-fi with good performances and a sense of humor.
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Brian Mckay, eFilmCritic.com
A mish-mash of 50's and 80's retro that is laughable at best. But you can certainly do worse when you're in the mood for a "drive-in" kind of night
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Tim Thomerson
as Jack Deth/Philip Dethon
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Helen Hunt
as Leena
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Michael Stefani
as Martin Whistler/Lt. Wiesling
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Art La Fleur
as McNulty
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Biff Manard
as Hap Ashby
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Anne Seymour
as Chairman Ashe
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Alyson Croft
as Baby McNulty
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Miguel Fernandes
as Officer Lopez
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Wiley Harker
as Dapper Old Man
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Richard Herd
as Chairman Spencer
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Telma Hopkins
as Engineer Raines
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Lantz Krantz
as butthead
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Michael McGrady
as Chris Lavery
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Barbara Perry
as Mrs. Santa Claus
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Pete Schrum
as Santa Claus
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Richard Erdman
as Drunken Wise Man
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Don Ross
as Security Guard
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Nicky Beat
as Butthead
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Michael Heldebrant
as Boy with Santa
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Steve "O" Jenson
as butthead
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Minnie Lindsay
as "Mom"
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Brad Logan
as Bull
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Tony Malone
as Butthead
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Edward McClarty
as Jerry the Punk
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Kim Sheppard
as Newswoman
- Art LaFleur