Post by Goatboy on Oct 16, 2006 11:25:37 GMT 1
Probably the most influential science fiction writer of the late 20th century, movies based on his stories are a mixed batch.
While the most popular adaptation is Ridley Scott's Bladerunner, probably the most faithful version was Richard Linklater's excellent A Skanner Darkly, a dark, surreal and occasionally funny chronical of an undercover narcotic cop's battle with addiction. Not a new theme, certainly, but thanks to the animation that is layered over live action (a technique the director first used in Waking Life), much of the surreal imagery from the book remains intact.
While Spielberg's Minority Report takes liberties with changin many of the story details (especially with the casting of someone like Cruise) the film is atill a hugely entertaining science fiction/noir/road movie hybrid that puts many other sci-fi films to shame.
John Woo's attempt, Paycheck, suffers from Ben Afflek in the lead role and too much emphasis on the action. This is also the flaw with Total Recall (with Arnie in top billing) but the great effects and humour that director Paul Verhoeven injects into the film makes it far too entertianing to criticise.
Now another one is due out next year, Next, based on the short story The Golden Man (director's quite often change the names of his stories for film; Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep became Bladrunner, We Can Rememeber It For You Wholesale became Total Recall). But the question is; will this be another Bladrunner, or another Paycheck?
While the most popular adaptation is Ridley Scott's Bladerunner, probably the most faithful version was Richard Linklater's excellent A Skanner Darkly, a dark, surreal and occasionally funny chronical of an undercover narcotic cop's battle with addiction. Not a new theme, certainly, but thanks to the animation that is layered over live action (a technique the director first used in Waking Life), much of the surreal imagery from the book remains intact.
While Spielberg's Minority Report takes liberties with changin many of the story details (especially with the casting of someone like Cruise) the film is atill a hugely entertaining science fiction/noir/road movie hybrid that puts many other sci-fi films to shame.
John Woo's attempt, Paycheck, suffers from Ben Afflek in the lead role and too much emphasis on the action. This is also the flaw with Total Recall (with Arnie in top billing) but the great effects and humour that director Paul Verhoeven injects into the film makes it far too entertianing to criticise.
Now another one is due out next year, Next, based on the short story The Golden Man (director's quite often change the names of his stories for film; Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep became Bladrunner, We Can Rememeber It For You Wholesale became Total Recall). But the question is; will this be another Bladrunner, or another Paycheck?