Insert Humourous Dick-Based Title Here
I went to see A Scanner Darkly last night. This was a bit risky since it is my favourite Philip K Dick novel but it turns out it is the best Dick adaption by some margin and possibly the best film made from a Dick story.
Dick is not know as a humourous writer for the simple reason that most of his books aren't funny. A Scanner Darkly is and this has translated nicely to the screen. Robert Downey Jr as Barris gives a brillant - and presumably somewhat improvised - performance as a motormouth bullshit artist with delusions of grandeur. Woody Harrelson, not exactly stretching himself, plays his goofy straight man.
Whilst it is a funny novel, it is also a dark one. Dick's novel is firmly rooted in the death of the hippy dream and both the book and the film end with a dedication to all the acid casaulties Dick had known. So the book reads very much as of its time. To updated this Linklater has shoehorned in some stuff about the War on Terror. This is understandable but fairly weak. The only really troubling change from the source material is the re-writing of the character of Donna. communicator discusses this here (spoilers obviously.)
Anyway, in honour of this here is GOOD or BAD Dick:
Edit: Before answering the poll heed the Voice of Hogg. You must tick GOOD or BAD for each!
Poll Wither The Line Of Dick?
A related poll here.
Dick is not know as a humourous writer for the simple reason that most of his books aren't funny. A Scanner Darkly is and this has translated nicely to the screen. Robert Downey Jr as Barris gives a brillant - and presumably somewhat improvised - performance as a motormouth bullshit artist with delusions of grandeur. Woody Harrelson, not exactly stretching himself, plays his goofy straight man.
Whilst it is a funny novel, it is also a dark one. Dick's novel is firmly rooted in the death of the hippy dream and both the book and the film end with a dedication to all the acid casaulties Dick had known. So the book reads very much as of its time. To updated this Linklater has shoehorned in some stuff about the War on Terror. This is understandable but fairly weak. The only really troubling change from the source material is the re-writing of the character of Donna. communicator discusses this here (spoilers obviously.)
Anyway, in honour of this here is GOOD or BAD Dick:
Edit: Before answering the poll heed the Voice of Hogg. You must tick GOOD or BAD for each!
Poll Wither The Line Of Dick?
A related poll here.