Search

» » Saved by the Light (1995)

Short summary

A mean, loud-mouthed town bully is talking on the phone one night during a lightning storm when, in a freak occurrence, a bolt of lightning strikes a telephone pole, travels down the phone wires and hits him. He is declared clinically dead, but miraculously recovers shortly thereafter--with a completely new personality and, he claims, the ability to communicate with the dead.

Dannion Brinkley had a NDE, short for Near-Death Experience. This is a term established for the first time by doctor Raymond Moody in his 1975's book "Life After Life". In it, Moody compiled real stories about patients who by a brief time had died and later lived again. The different stories had several common points:

-To be out of the physical body.

-Float around the rooftop of the room, seeing the own body in the bedroom.

-X-rays senses, with capability to see and hear people (familiar, friends...) in the next rooms, or even long-distance senses, with capability to see and hear people far away from their own location.

-Travel by a tunnel to high speed, with a great white light at the end.

-Meet in the light parents and friends previously dead.

-See a retrospective about the own lifeline, like movie frames.

-Feel a great peace and tranquility while standing in the light.

-Feel (not see) the presence of a powerful entity look-a-like a god.

-A voice saying "It's not your time" or something similar, and return from the light.

-Have a great feeling to fall from a high altitude, returning to the physical body and finally back to life.

Debut of Andrea Harrison.

Dr. Raymond Moody, played by Don McManus, is a real doctor that in 1975 published his best-seller book "Life After Life" about Near-Death Experience, about people that they were dead during a brief time and later they could live again. Exactly the same that happened to Dannion Brinkley.

At a point of the movie, Dannion and Dr. Moody talks about Dannion's visions of future, both comment about an actor turning in president of USA. When Moody theorizes about Ronald Reagan, Dannion replies "Must be Robert Redford". A Joke partially repeated in Watchmen (2009).

When Dannion is speaking on the National Forum on the Near Death Experience, previously can be seen an ad poster announcing the names of all speakers: Eugene Slattery, Tom Fallon, Vincent Cresciman, Dannion Brinkley, Meche Farah, Brian Hyckox, Peter Wooley and Vera Mills. Although supposedly the other seven names should must be fictitious, all them coincide with real people:

-Eugene Slattery - He was an activist for the Rights' Victims after the rape and assassination of his 14-years-old daughter Karen, in 1984. He died in 1989 in a plane crash.

-Thomas Fallon - He was the location manager of the movie (appears credited as Tom Fallon).

-Vincent Cresciman - He was the production designer of the movie (appears credited as Vince Cresciman).

-Meche Farah - Michelle "Meche" Farah is a creative decor from Jacksonville, Florida.

-Bryan Hickox - He was the line producer of the movie (appears credited as S. Bryan Hickox).

-Peter Wooley - An English watercolor painter, although his last name is "Woolley".

-Vera Mills - A play on words of Vera Miles, Psycho (1960)'s star.

The movie is based on the events happened after September 17, 1975, when real Dannion Brinkley was truck by lightning while he was using his telephone during a night storm. After 28 minutes clinically dead, Brinkley was resurrected in the hospital by the doctors. After his resurrection Brinkley claimed to see dead people and receiving messages from Afterlife, having premonitions and visions about future. Reluctant to assume his NDE's experience (Near-Death Experience), he was helped by Dr. Raymond Moody, recent author of "Life After Life" in those times, to accept it and use his new abilities to help other people. His new life and experiences were eventually compiled in the autobiographic book "Saved by the Light: The True Story of a Man who Died Twice and the Profound Revelations he Received", published in 1994 and written in collaboration with Paul Perry, author of several books about Afterlife, which is the basis for the movie.

During one of the conversations between Dannion talks with Dr. Moody, this first one gives a list about events that will succeed in the future. These events are:

-Collapse of Communism - It happened between 1989 and 1991, when Wall of Berlin fell, allowing Germany's reunification, and USSR disbanded.

-War in Middle East - Irak's invasions in the 1990s and 2000s, commanded by both presidents Bush.

-Wormwood - A word mentioned in the Holy Bible's Apocalypse as signal of the end of days. Probably it referred to the Chernobyl Disaster, when a nuclear power plant exploded in April 26, 1986 in Chernobyl, Ukrania. In the Ukranian language, Chernobyl means "wormwood".

-Cowboy actor with initials R.R. becoming Presidents of United States - Ronald Reagan had a long career as cowboy actor before to be President of United States between 1981 and 1989 (he was reelected in 1985).

User reviews


  • comment
    • Author: Hamrl
    Eric Roberts probes the depths of the psyche, as only he can, in a moving, gut-wrenching, sometimes terrifying performance. This amazing true story parallels many documented accounts of near-death experiences -- but with some shocking twists and turns. "People never change" -- you've heard it said at least a thousand times! Well, the story of this man's life certainly flies in the face of that idea. This just may be the ultimate in documented near-death experiences! In all the cases I've read, the person who has "gone to the other side" and returns to the living, no longer fears death. That's true of this individual as well -- but it leads to some unexpected trials and tribulations. Talk about an "extreme" life! In the end, this is a an emotional, gritty, profoundly meaningful, and surprisingly inspiring film.
  • comment
    • Author: Pedar
    As Eric Roberts (Dannion Brinkley) said with such perfect hair raising moment in the movie. "All I came to do was show them how to love, and all they did was beat me and reject me". Whew....what a line of perfection, this movie should be seen by all of a man who changes his tough guy ways to a man of peace and love, wanting to help everyone in his path. He is overcome with his afterlife experience as he was proclaimed dead for 28 minutes. He takes what he has learned and changes his life for the better, and from that point on the movie shows how people reject others who mean nothing but good. How they crucify those who only want to help !
  • comment
    • Author: Kelerius
    Eric Roberts gives a standout performance in the role of Dannion Brinkley- a cruel, angry, violent town bully living in Aiken, South Carolina in 1975. His life changes one night during a thunderstorm when he gets struck by a bolt of lightning while talking on the telephone. Declared clinically dead for 28 minutes, he has a near-death experience in which his soul leaves his body and goes through a "tunnel", emerging in Heaven. Confronted by beings of light as he refers to them, he relives all the violent episodes of his life in flashback and is made to experience the pain and hurt that he caused others from early childhood on. He hears God tell him that love is the answer and shortly thereafter revives while being taken to the hospital morgue on a gurney. Profoundly shaken and altered by this experience, he seeks to turn his life around and become a kinder, gentler person, while at the same time attempting to understand the new psychic abilities which the lightning strike appears to have bestowed upon him. This is a wonderful movie with a universal message to share about human kindness and compassion and redemption through God's love. I give it a 10 out of 10.
  • comment
    • Author: Zadora
    There are not many movies out there featuring near death experiences. These back from the brink persons, almost all seem like tormented individuals. Eric Roberts search for meaning to his new found revelations, leads to personal disaster, and opens up more doors than it closes. The acting by Roberts is among his finest, and the life changing storyline builds to an acceptable open ended climax. The elusive Lynette Walden is a standout playing Roberts loving, disillusioned wife. If believing in miracles films are on your short list of favorites, then "Saved by the Light" is a must see. Others may find the movie somewhat redundant and draggy. - MERK
  • comment
    • Author: Uttegirazu
    WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS CONTAINED HEREIN. Eric Roberts gives a sincere, honest, and believable performance here that is among his best thus far. He's a superstar in my book. The movie itself has a great eternal message of loving thy neighbor. But far from being a nauseating feel good endeavor, it shows the trials and tribulations plaguing the human psyche. In other words, we can be real bastards sometimes. This is a thought provoking, yet modest, movie that should be seen by all, because let's face facts, most of us need gentle reminders to be kind to each other. I could easily relate to Eric Roberts' character here. My only regret was that the movie wasn't longer. I was enjoying it so much.
  • comment
    • Author: Jwalextell
    Eric Roberts plays Dannion Brinkley who was struck by lightning and dramatically change his outlook on life. Brinkley was dead for a couple minutes, at first he did not believe what had happen to him. Suddenly he developed powers that he can communicate with the dead.
  • comment
    • Author: Nikojas
    For anyone fascinated by the near death experience, this is a must see movie. A true story based on the life of Dannion Brinkley it portrays in a realistic manner the effects of having a near death experience on the person who has the near death event and those around him.

    Roberts is wonderful as usual and the rest of the cast support him beautifully.

    On a Spiritual note, I think this is a movie for all those to see who wonder about what happens after death.....

    An excellent, above average made for TV movie Would love to see Eric given a truly meaty role these days; he is always excellent in the supporting roles he appears to have been doing for the past few years.. but c'mon .. someone give him a lead role in something substantial!!!
  • comment
    • Author: Shistus
    This was an interesting enough story, definitely. However, it was not a good vehicle for Eric Roberts who appeared a little uncomfortable in this role. Compared to his other great accomplishments, Pope of Greenwich Village, Nature of the Beast, Runaway Train, La Cucaracha, etc., this role paled in comparison. Eric is a great talent and likes to stretch his artistic muscles, and this role just didn't give him the opportunity. The story was unusual and gave a lot of insight into the "out of body" experience. Food for thought. Nice cinematography in the "heaven" scenes. Eric's wife played a small role as the woman in the vehicle who he tries to save. I'd say this is a good film for people interested in the supernatural possibilities. Eric Roberts fans may be disappointed.
  • Cast overview, first billed only:
    Eric Roberts Eric Roberts - Dannion Brinkley
    Lynette Walden Lynette Walden - Casey Brinkley
    K Callan K Callan - Marion (Dannion's mother)
    Don Harvey Don Harvey - T.M.
    Ted Manson Ted Manson - Brink (Dannion's father)
    Don McManus Don McManus - Dr. Raymond Moody
    Amber Elias Amber Elias - Julie Weldon
    Chris Nelson Norris Chris Nelson Norris - Bob Weldon
    Michael Flippo Michael Flippo - Coach
    Fred Mooneyham Fred Mooneyham - Shoplifter
    Dan Bright Dan Bright - Gas station attendant
    Allison McKay Allison McKay - Psychic
    Michelle T. Carter Michelle T. Carter - Nursing Home Manager (as Michele Carter Freeman)
    Elizabeth Alley Elizabeth Alley - Grace Ann
    Autumn Huff Autumn Huff - Near-death survivor
    All rights reserved © 2017-2024 hd.thomson-multimedia.com