The Watcher - The worlds of Philip K. Dick - A Scanner Darkly (part one)

Of all of the film adaptations of the works of Philip K. Dick, ‘A Scanner Darkly’ (2006) is the most unique. Director/screenwriter Richard Linklater pulled off an almost impossible feet, not only turning in the most faithful adaptation of Dick’s work yet committed to screen, but by doing so, he also successfully placed artistic integrity above commercial appeal.

Firstly, the original source material, although overtly science fiction was also one of the most intensely personal of Dick’s novels. Set in the near future and following the investigations of undercover narcotics officer Bob Arctor, the narrative begins as a crime thriller steeped in an atmosphere of paranoia. Writing in the mid Seventies and having witnessed the paranoia that had swept the United States establishment in the wake of the Cold War, the rise of counter culture and the Watergate scandal, Dick also drew heavily on his own experiences. As the novel goes on the narrative focus shifts subtly and the progress of Arctor’s investigations becomes less pivotal than the deterioration of his own mental state, as he himself falls victims to the very drug he is policing. Subverting the readers’ expectations was not a new aspect of Dick’s writing, but reading the novel, one gets the sense that this was less of a technique as it was an organic process, as his closeness to the subject matter unearthed more and more intense personal feelings.

Linklater is clearly a fan of the novel in its many guises, but most of all he seems to understand the personal aspect and embrace it. So here we here we have a film that features the trappings of the sci-fi thriller, with surveillance technology, and the high tech camouflage of the police ‘scramble suit’ (tellingly designed to protect the identity of undercover officers from each other rather than their suspects), while the real story, slowly takes a hold, taking a tragic turn before you realise the trick.

Key to the film’s artistic success is an aspect that might seem almost gimmicky at first. In what the DVD packaging describes as ‘an edgy graphic-novel look’, the film is given life through the seldom used animation technique of roto-scoping. While the idea of filming the entire story with live actors and the spending 18 months painstakingly drawing over every frame using computer software proved arduous, Linklater’s unique vision is more than justified on viewing the finished product. From the opening scene, the director’s goal becomes clear, as we witness peripheral character Charles Freck in the throes of drug induced paranoia over an aphid infestation. Here we see the character’s innermost thoughts given life, as Rory Cochrane’s edgy performance is visibly plagued by a swarm of animated bugs. Although only visible in this first scene, the character is clearly suffering this secret infestation for the rest of the film and we as viewers feel more deeply invested in the various characters’ plights as a result. Furthermore, the unique look of the film imbues it with a strong sense of cohesiveness.

This also helps us to invest in the characters more strongly, given that the ensemble is an array of all to familiar faces. With a role call of well known actors, including Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder and Woody Harrelson, the film never feels like a star vehicle. The animation, together with a snappy script, elevates their performances beyond the usual ‘work for hire’ vibe that character actors so often fall prey to. Perhaps the most surprising casting choice at the time was Robert Downey Jr., as Arctor’s close ‘frenemy’ Jim Barris. Showcasing his now trademark knack for witty dialogue and an indomitable screen presence, this is the film that put Downey Jr. squarely back on the Hollywood radar - a casting coup akin to John Travolta’s superb ‘comeback’ in 1990’s ‘Pulp Fiction’.

As mentioned above, ‘A Scanner Darkly’ is surprisingly faithful to the source material. It helps that the novel is one of the most cohesive and ironically (given the druggy haze it describes) straightforward of Dick’s studies on how we perceive reality. Thrillingly, whatever expectations you bring to this film are subverted in the most sublime way possible as you are rewarded not only with the keen insights of a fantastic writer, but also that of a man who has stared into the abyss and survived. Anyone who has ever pushed their mind and body to the limit in anyway will find something to relate to here. On a personal note, this film took a story I have loved since university and added new depths of insight and meaning - just as much as my own personal experiences enhanced my understanding of the text in with each passing year.

Ultimately, ‘A Scanner Darkly’ is neither fully a police procedural or a stoner comedy, although it plays its thrills and gloriously funny anecdotes as keenly as any example of either genre. While there are many fine examples of Philip K. Dick’s ideas committed to the screen, this film trumps them all. While favourites such as ‘Blade Runner’ (1982), ‘Total Recall’ (1990) and ‘Minority Report’ give a passing nod to the mind of one of the 20th Century’s greatest writers, ‘A Scanner Darkly’ feels like it embodies his very soul, and on reflection, Linklater’s contribution to the legacy of Philip K. Dick stands head and shoulders above them all.

And with that, Robert Barton-Ancliffe donned his scramble-suit and vanished into the night...

The Watcher - The worlds of Philip K. Dick - Minority Report

Good old Development Hell - the movie buff’s shorthand for the endless process by which filmmakers finally get their act together and, y’know - make a film. Anyone tearing their hair out over the prospect of a new Wolverine movie this decade, or praising Buddha that the long mooted ‘Cowboys & Aliens’ (2011) is finally on its way after nearly fifteen years, knows only too well how those Hollywood devils can hold us in thrall with their spiky pitchforks of false promise and cold shackles of indecisiveness.

In researching film adaptations of the works of Philip K. Dick, I was surprised to learn that this week’s choice, ‘Minority Report’ (2002) had been in development for ten years, having first been optioned in 1992. Interestingly, following the success of ‘Total Recall’ (1990), a script based on another of Dick’s short stories, ‘The Minority Report’ (1956) was quickly put into development. The original tale, of a future police force using telepathic ‘precogs’ to predict and ultimately prevent crime was to be adapted into a sequel of sorts by ‘Recall’ co-writer Ron Shussett and Robert Goethals.

However, as much as I love ‘Total Recall’, and as much as the prospect of Arnie’s working class hero Doug Quaid hunting down, and no doubt breaking the limbs of, future criminals with the aid of the telepathic mutants sounds as sublime as ‘Cassablanca in Space’, fate had other ideas. Arnie passed on the underdeveloped premise, opting instead for ‘Last Action Hero’ (1993) and the project found its way to Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise, who had been looking to collaborate since the 1980s.

Judging by the result, the seven years it took to develop a workable script was time well spent, with the resultant film being one of the most critically and commercially successful adaptations of Dick’s work to date, as well as being an original and well researched sci-fi thriller in its own right. Once again, the various writers managed to take a brilliant yet brief premise and create a story that honours its source material without being slavish.

The usual ‘Hollywood’ concessions are present, with Dick’s ‘Bald and fat and old’ (Minority Report, Philip K. Dick, Gollancz, 2000, p.71) protagonist John Anderton re-imagined as a lean, moody man of action in the typical Tom Cruise mold, together with the Spielberg’s key theme of family tragedy pushed to the fore. But as with nearly all great adaptation’s of Dick’s work, such changes serve the medium and widen the story’s appeal. While sci-fi short stories had long been held to be the preserve of lonely males, Spielberg and Cruise both knew how to craft family entertainment, fusing the intelligence of Dick’s ideas with a combination of spectacle, thrills, and that all important human touch.

As a master of spectacle, Spielberg once again works his magic here, with innovative effects work and inventive chases, one highlight being a showdown in an automated car factory that has a thrillingly Indiana Jones-esque payoff, complete with composer John William’s trademark flourish. Visually too, ‘Minority Report’ is stunningly realised, using muted colours and shadows to make the wide open spaces of Washington D.C. through which Anderton flees for his life seem suitably claustrophobic.

The chillingly realised future world, where technology has made commerce and government near omnipotent, while superficially similar to everything from ‘The Matrix’ (1999) to ‘I, Robot’ (2004) is also one of the most detailed ever committed to the screen. Spielberg, having consulting with experts on technology, came up aces with fun gadgets such as sonic shotguns and touch screen computers, while also hinting at the dreaded surveillance state with concepts such as targeted advertising and biometric data-basing.

As with any Spielberg blockbuster, it is of course that human touch that usually sets him apart, and for all its technical innovation, this is perhaps the films weakest area. Cruise is an always watchable leading man, but in many ways, his John Anderton is almost too complex and earnestly played. It occasionally distracts from the action as Anderton spends so much of the film wrestling his own personal demons. The focus on Cruise is also at the expense of an impressive supporting cast, including Max Von Sydow, Samantha Moreton and ‘Total Recall’ (2012) star Colin Farrell.

Overall, ‘Minority Report’ is by no means a bad film, being rightly regarded as a thoughtful, well executed sci-fi action film that stands fully head and shoulders above most others of its type. It is also a definite highpoint for its director and star, who between them are not short on box office success. The reason it stops short of being a bona fide classic for me is that for all its flare and class on paper, it doesn’t quite blend all of its great elements into an emotionally satisfying whole and to be honest - as adaptation’s of Dick’s work go - Ridley Scott and Paul Verhoeven had already proved that such an achievement wasn’t exactly mission impossible.

Robert Barton-Ancliffe is looking to the future - Paycheck style.

The Watcher - The worlds of Philip K. Dick - The Adjustment Bureau

Adaptations of the stories of Sci-fi great Philip K. Dick are a mixed bag. For Every ‘Blade Runner’ or ‘A Scanner Darkly’, there’s always a ‘Screamers’ or ‘Impostor’ ready to befuddle even the most hardcore of fans. When ‘The Adjustment Bureau’ failed to set the box office alight, this directorial debut from screenwriter George Nolfi (Ocean’s Twelve, The Bourne Ultimatum) slipped below my radar. Being a fan of Philip K. Dick, I knew I’d probably check it out eventually when it was on TV, but I could wait. And so today, on leaving the shop with a shiny new copy of Nicholas Cage ‘Drive Angry’, I realised I’d left my iPod behind. Five minutes later, I’m back at the car, complete with iPod, ‘Drive Angry’ and a copy of ‘The Adjustment Bureau’ tucked safely under my arm. Had fate intervened?

Based on Dick’s short story ‘Adjustment Team’, this adaptation takes a similar approach to 1990’s ‘Total Recall’ in that it takes the story’s basic concept and a few key scenes and fashions them into a more conventional narrative. ‘The Adjustment Bureau’ tells the story of how a blossoming romance between political hotshot David Norris (Matt Damon) and charming and elegant dancer Elise (Emily Blunt) is coldly thwarted at every turn by a cadre of sinister men in hats with uncanny powers, for reasons no one, not even they, can fully comprehend.

The genius concept of the Adjustment Bureau themselves, who ensure that humanity follows their ‘grand plan’ through a series of tiny adjustments (lost car keys, spilled coffee, missed bus, etc.) showcases one of Dick’s great strengths, imbuing the every day world with a powerful sense of the uncanny. By ejecting some of the more whimsical aspects of the source material, such as talking dogs and flying phone booths, George Nolfi has managed to pull off this trick on screen, as the first twenty minutes or so set up Norris and Elise’s story in a fairly conventional series of scenes, ordinary settings and performances that give no hint of the twists to come. It’s to the credit of all involved, not least the two leads, that I didn’t mind the slow pace of the opening one bit, so convincingly and engagingly is it played. Only a tinkling, echoey soundtrack manages to unsettle the mood, but in a clever rather than jarring way.

As noted above though, this is sci-fi played as romance and the mystery/thriller aspects are dialled down a fair bit. I was surprised how quickly the mystery of who exactly the Adjustment Bureau are was revealed, but in a way, this allows the viewer to stay engaged with Norris’s personal struggle rather than becoming distracted by endless head scratching. Perhaps understated is the best word, as the plot seamlessly integrates high concept visuals that echo everything from ‘The Matrix’ (1999) to ‘Inception’(2010), but uses them sparingly. In one key scene, lifted from the original story, we see Norris arrive at work and follow him all the way to his meeting without noticing anything at all amiss until the chilling realisation that the whole building is in the grip of dark forces from which there is seemingly no escape.

Love him or loathe him, you can’t help but root for Matt Damon, who brings passion and wit to a role many more action orientated actors would smother with one liners and testosterone and Emily Blunt might just convince anyone that there are some loves that are worth risking your soul for. As for the supporting players, the script requires that the members of the Adjustment Team maintain an emotional detachment to do their work, but this doesn’t stop Terrance Stamp from bringing all the quiet menace and cold intelligence he is famous for, or Anthony Mackie from almost stealing the film with his thoughtful, if underused Agent Harry Mitchell.

Overall, your enjoyment of this films might depend entirely what you bring with you. The packaging carries the ringing endorsement from Total Film that this is “BOURNE MEETS INCEPTION”, and curiously, such a claim either massively over or undersells this film. Whilst it is true that strands of both films’ DNA inform the look and feel of ‘The Adjustment Team’, for me, any comparison fails to pin down what makes this film unique. As the conclusion draws near, you are struck by the realisation that you have witnessed something rather bold and unique. A thriller without a single gun or gratuitous act of violence, and a love story that embraces cliché, before pulling the rug from under your feet, leaving you guessing to the very last moment.

Although only rated 12, this is perhaps a little too grown up to appeal to children, but it’s definitely both engaging and accessible enough to watch with a group of your best mates on a Friday night in. Don’t let fate decide; find this film, then sit back, relax, and do not adjust your set...

Robert Barton-Ancliffe adjusts himself every day. But then that's the joys of boxer shorts.

The Watcher - The worlds of Philip K. Dick - Blade Runner

Next Monday, July 4th, sees the DVD/Blu-Ray release of the 12th feature film based on the works of Sci-fi icon Philip K. Dick. While ‘The Adjustment Bureau’ has earned mostly positive reviews, critics have noted the film’s divergence from the source material, Dick’s 1954 short story ‘The Adjustment Team’. As such, the finished movie retains only the story’s core concept of a "shadowy team of G-Men type spooks who make tiny adjustments […] to our lives to make sure the future plays out as it should (SFX issue 211)." But with the exception of 2006’s excellent ‘A Scanner Darkly’, adaptations of Dick’s writing usually take only the core sci-fi concept and run with it, often jettisoning the title itself together with subplots, twists and more philosophical themes.

Nowhere is this more true than the very first adaptation of Dick’s work to hit the silver screen, 1982’s ‘Blade Runner’. Directed by relative newcomer Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer, it was, at the time, a relative flop, but has since become regarded as a classic, and marks something of a career high for almost everyone involved.

‘Blade Runner’, based on Dick’s 1968 novel ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’ is the story of Police bounty hunter Rick Dekkard, who hunts down dangerous ‘replicants’, genetically enhanced humanoid slaves, through the streets of a decaying future society. This is where the similarities to Dick’s story end, but at the same time, the world evoked by Scott is unmistakably that of the original author, who having been privy to the filmmaking process, happily acknowledged the truth that "A movie moves and a book talks." (Lee/Sauter: ‘What if our World is Their Heaven?’ Overlook, 2000, p.33)

Fittingly, ‘Blade Runner’ is remembered first and foremost for its stunning depiction of the future city-scape of Los Angeles circa 2019. From the opening shot of a dark urban sprawl lit by neon light and flaming spires, to the rain drenched streets and smoke filled offices, Scott crafted a cohesive, atmospheric world that mixed film noir with futurist style. His insistence that the visuals take equal place alongside the drama ensuring the film’s legacy in a whole new sub genre of ‘neo-noir’ visuals in films and animation.

Legacy aside - simply watch the opening few minutes of the film for yourself. Some scenes are so well constructed that they belie their sheer complexity. In one, Dekkard and colleague Jaff fly through the city as various shots seamlessly mix live action, miniatures and matt paintings to stunning effect. It took about twenty years for the film industry to produce anything else so detailed and visually cohesive, and even then it was with the aid of computers (*cough* George Lucas *cough*).

At its heart though, there is more to this film than simple looks. It’s also a decent thriller where the action is never gratuitous and a story that doesn’t completely ignore the more interesting questions thrown up by the source material. Again, at Scott’s insistence, we not only see how Dekkard’s quest to ‘retire’ the rogue replicants highlights his own brutality and seeming lack of empathy, but ultimately the film makes you doubt whether there are any real humans left at all.

Which leads to the performances. Harrison Ford, no stranger to leading man duties by this point, takes a risk and ditches the easy going charisma of Han Solo and Indiana Jones for something altogether more hard boiled and tortured, and is all the better for it. The two leading ladies, Sean Young and Daryl Hannah who both play replicants, bring a perfectly nuanced physicality to their roles that is at once human and yet slightly alien to our senses.

Rutger Hauer though, as replicant ’big bad’ Roy Batty is, ironically, the film’s beating heart, a tortured soul, and awesome physical presense, who reads his lines with all the passion of a man about to die, and the grace of a classical actor reading Shakespeare. The rooftop showdown between Ford and Hauer at the film’s finale gets the heart racing, before leaving you staggered with its sheers beauty. The flowing soundtrack by Vangelis might also be classed as a performer, perfectly mirroring the emotional beats and even providing them completely during the film’s more stark moments.

All in all, watching 2007’s ‘Final Cut’ version of the film, its hard to believe that ‘Blade Runner’ is pushing thirty. Sure, there are moments, such as the smoking, the flying cars and the lack of digital photographs in the film’s future world that betray its 80s roots, but one still can’t help but conclude that Blade Runner was so cutting edge that it wasn’t so much ahead of its time, but that it simply took the rest of the film industry about thirty years to grow up around it.

And as if that was enough... Edward J. Olmos, with a ’tache and a bow tie. Bow ties are cool. Eddie Olmos is cooler. ’Nuff Said.

Robert Barton-Ancliffe has seen things you people wouldn't believe...