Sooo. Anybody seen the movie?
If you like the movie, watch Waking Life. Richard Linklater's first work with rotoscoping, and definitely as much of a mindfuck, if not more so.
I loved it too, although I didn't think much of Waking Life.
Unfortunately, I saw it a few months ago, and though I remember it was a total mindfuck, now I can't remember anything else. I think it's just one of those movies that slips through your fingers almost immediately.
I'd definitely see it again, though.
Anyone read the book (
A Scanner Darkly)? I looked it up on wikipedia, it looks pretty fascinating.
It reads wonderfully. A bit confusing here and there but that's what you get with drug addicts :)
I'm not sure if this discussion is still going (i noticed there were two separate strings on the same topic), but now that the film version of
A Scanner Darkly is out on DVD perhaps more people have had a chance to see it.
Of course I do recommend reading the book first (as with all novels that are turned into films) since that is an experience of 'first-reading' you can never have if you watch a movie first.
Philip K. Dick's novel was certainly 'disjointed' and particularly due to it's theme/narrative but it is handled well and the reader often times may feel the effects of Substance 'D' in their own brain....
I do think
Linklater did a fine job of transposing to film, though again it does help to have read the novel first since the story can be tricky to follow. The use of 'animation' or rotoscoping is perhaps both positive and negative. It works well to capture the surrealistic feeling of the novel, and hallucinatory episodes, and draws the viewer into the false/real world on screen. But the technology also detracts a bit from viewing and understanding the story (and of course if the viewer is under the influence of a 'mind expanding' drug him or herself, then you truly risk the danger of becoming one of the cast... :)).
My wife and I watched the movie together, and while she lost interest and had trouble staying with the movie, i was happily enthralled and suspended my disbelief enough to enjoy.
Perhaps the most telling point about the film was my wife asking me afterwards: "Do you you have a copy of the book? I'd like to read that."
Elvendindo prefers the film, though I personally prefer the book; and of course that is purely personal taste as both are accomplished within their own medium. (i have not seen Waking Life, but have seen Linklater's other films..)
Lastly i suggest reading
Burroughs' Junky as a companion piece to
Dick's A Scanner Darkly as the former is more 'historical' (pre 1970s when Scanner was written) and does a great job of contextualizing the stage in America for Dick's work. thus one can see how the fear/paranoia of Narc agents was a real one, where even your 'best' friend could be a stool pigeon spying on you and other drug users while actively participating (there is mention in
Junky of certain narcotics agents actually injecting drugs but trying to avoid a full addiction.)
I am purposefully not mentioning too many details in case someone has not read the book or seen the film, as the 'catch' of the story is part of what it makes it fascinating...
any ideas or comments?
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