[Heretic]

As many of you know, my favorite Science Fiction movie of all time is Blade Runner. Along with Movies like Star Wars, as well as books like Neuromancer, this movie defined an entire generation's idea of what the future might hold for us.

What many people do not know is that this movie was adapted from a book called Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick. I have never read this book, but I had always figured that, like many authors, PKD had nothing but disdain for it. After all, how many of us have ever seen the movie adaptation of a book that was worth the effort?

Earlier today, I go a bit of a shock. While reading an io0 article about their opinion of the best science fiction movie adaptations, I ran across a scan of a letter PKD sent to the movie studio back in 1981 after he caught a glimpse of the adaptation they were making of his novel. Keep in mind that PKD died less than five months after sending this letter:



Except for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I hadn't thought any movie had ever done a book justice and here is an author actually praising a movie adaptation, and doing so without an eye on promoting the movie in order to make a buck.


- Heretic

[Wolfmammy]

I love how enthusiastic and ernest he sounds in the letter.

It's a joy to read.

I've actually heard of that book and almost checked it out of the library before! I've yet to see Bladerunner.

[cybele13]

How ironic that he thought it was going to be a commercial success. The critics panned it at the time and it didn't last very long in theaters if I remember correctly. It wasn't until after it hit cable and rental markets that it developed its current cult status.

I only saw it once, and I couldn't have been more than 12 or 13, so I didn't really "get" it. I really do need to see it again.

*cybbie heads off to add Bladerunner to her Netflix cue*

[RazorToTheRosary]

I think Girl, Interrupted did the book plenty justice. And im not even an Angelina Jolie fan. But i liked her in that... and i just like Winona Ryder most of the time,

[Heretic]

Wolfmammy, on 18 December 2009 - 09:18 PM, said:

I've yet to see Bladerunner.

There are people who don't like it, who get turned off by things like the technological elements or Harrison Ford's monotone voice over from the original version. And then there is a large contingent of people who consider Blade Runner to be the finest science fiction movie ever made, one that transcends the techno trappings to tell a story with soul.

I highly recommend it.


- Heretic

[Lazurus]

Heretic, on 20 December 2009 - 03:18 AM, said:

There are people who don't like it, who get turned off by things like the technological elements or Harrison Ford's monotone voice over from the original version. And then there is a large contingent of people who consider Blade Runner to be the finest science fiction movie ever made, one that transcends the techno trappings to tell a story with soul.

I highly recommend it.


- Heretic

I second that motion. It's one of the finest films ever made.

[Wolfmammy]

I do intend to see it one day if I can ever remember to get it. For some reason I always end up forgetting what I'm supposed to be getting and wind up with movies like 'Shaun of the Dead' or 'Dead Alive'. Go failed memory....not.



Maybe I should put a post-it on my forehead?

[S2KDragonKiller]

The original cut of the film was panned by a lot of people but the directors cut(s) have been whats earned it cult status. It really is a good film and I can see why PKD thought it was going to be a success. Maybe not in terms of commercial success like The Matrix had but it certainly affected subsequent generations of film makers and novelists. That gritty realism he speaks of has featured in so many books, films, and graphic novels. Maybe I have a soft spot for it having grown up with it but it is deffinately, along with ghost in the shell, and the matrix one of the cultural artifacts of the last 30 years that has help shape my world view.