WEEK 8 (Winny)

Research the films that have been adapted from Philip K. Dick novels or short
stories. Which have generally been acclaimed as the most successful? Why? 



Completed Films
Blade Runner  (1982)
Based on "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?"
Screamers  (1995)
Based on "Second Variety"
Total Recall  (1990)
Based on "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale"
Confessions d'un Barjo  (French, 1992)
Based on "Confessions of a Crap Artist"
Impostor  (2001)
Based on "Impostor."
Minority Report  (2002)
Based on "The Minority Report."
Paycheck  (December 25, 2003)
Based on "Paycheck."
A Scanner Darkly  (July 7, 2006)
Based on "A Scanner Darkly"
Next (April 27, 2007)
Based on "The Golden Man"

Films in ProductionThe Adjustment Bureau  (coming 2010)
Based on "The Adjustment Team"
King of the Elves  (coming 2012)
Based on "King of the Elves"

According to Batty (2011), arguably the most famous and most successful of all the Philip K Dick adaptations, Blade Runner has a very troubled history, much like the author himself. Critically and commercially unsuccessful, Screamers went straight to video in most countries. Whilst suffering from poor writing and acting, it is successful in exploring some of the original stories anti-war themes and man’s relationship with their machines.

Batty also stated that it adds a strange dream like aspect to A Scanner Darkly which is highly successful in bringing Dick’s drug addled, mixed up world to life. The second is how close to the source novel the film is. It remains faithful to the book, retaining the quirky, black humour while having a crazy energy all of its own.


I haven't really seen any films adapted from his novel before.  The first one I've seen was A Scanner Darkly in this course's screening session, so maybe it would be easier for me to comment more on this film.   I was quite surprised with the techniques they've used on A Scanner Darkly.  Maybe it sounds a bit weird but I didn't know anything about rotoscoping before I've watched this.  I've seen a Japanese Anime called Kūchū Buranko, literally translated as "Flying Trapeze" which was made similar like this, but I don't think those people in this anime really acted... and it was more animated than A Scanner Darkly.  I think one of the reason why A Scanner Darkly was a successful film was because of the rotoscoping technique.  I do believe it is true like Paul has said in the lectures, books and movies are totally two different genres so we couldn't really compare them, but I also think people usually just like to compare things.  It does makes people love the film more if the content is close to the original work.  

References


Batty, A. (2011). The works of Philip K. Dick. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from http://hopelies.com/2011/03/10/genre-the-works-of-philip-k-dick/

Dick, K. (n.d.). Movies and Films based on works by Pilip K. Dick. Retrieved September 22, 2011, from http://www.philipkdick.com/films_intro.html