Good stuff on A Scanner Darkly from boingboing.net (via keanuweb)
Boing Boing pal Erik Davis sends us this exclusive bit of insider insight into the Hollywood adaptation of Philip K. Dick's surreal SF novel "A Scanner Darkly":darkly | from inside the mind of krix at May 23, 2004 11:44 AM ."This spring, I had the opportunity to read and consult on Richard Linklater’s screenplay for Philip K. Dick’s A Scanner Darkly, which is set to start filming this July. As I love many of Linklater’s films, this was a great honor, although much less funny than the New Yorker’s description of me as a “Dick expert.” Expert or no, I can tell you that I have every reason to believe that Linklater’s film will be what Dickheads everywhere have been waiting for: the first “real” “authentic” PKD movie. While the film updates the historical vibe from paranoid 70s to paranoid 00s, the script is dark and tart, funny and faithful. Nearly all the dialogue is drawn from the novel, and the few changes sharpen Dick’s themes rather than squelch them. Linklater has kept the story dark, and haunted by rumors of God.As has been reported, Keanu Reeves will play Bob Arctor, the Orange County narc who goes schizo after being assigned to spy on himself. Linklater has been planning this project for years; it was Reeves’ interest in the story that finally got the ball rolling. As has been already noted, Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, and Rory Cochrane round out the cast, though it also needs to be mentioned that these are some of the most famous druggies in Hollywood. Actually, I don’t know anything about Rory’s personal habits, but he sure spouted convincing cannabinoid bon mots in Dazed & Confused.
During my time at Linklater’s pine-forested getaway pad outside of Austin, which features a pagoda, a huge stone tower, and many pinball machines, I got to meet the genius team whose digital rotoscoping helped make Waking Life one of the few masterpieces of the new millennium. These are definitely the guys you want to bring Bob Arctor’s scramble suit to life."
It's nice to see K appreciated for a change after people started
bashing him again before a project is finished,
this time for getting cast in "Scanner"...
Just finished the book and can't say that I loved it...can't say I hated it either since it's not really my type of thing. It'll be interesting to see how it reads on screen though.
Posted by: Irene on May 23, 2004 12:36 PMI loved "Dazed and Confused" and I have never taken drugs...What's with that remark???? LOL!
It says they film in July...I thought they were filming now?
Posted by: shelz on May 23, 2004 01:16 PMThanks, krix. Nice to experience a lack of Keanu-bashing for once. And I didn't realize that it was Keanu's interest that is making this happen. Excellent!
As for July, who knows? maybe that's when the artwork is going to begin, after they've finished the digital filming with the actors?
Posted by: Nudel on May 23, 2004 04:11 PMparonoid and dark and tart and funny and faithful... a n d that top bannanarama casting!!! that rawks! ;)))
Posted by: wanda on May 23, 2004 08:08 PMDickheads! *giggle*
I think Keanu has been a dickhead from way back. For that reason, it's nice to hear that he's the driving force in making this particuular project a reality. That's what I really dig about Keanu ... he chooses projects that he's genuinely interested in. I admire that.
Posted by: sta-cie on May 23, 2004 11:19 PMWell I'm a BIG Dick fan!
Keanu should fit right in...
With great cast members - i can't wait to see the end results.
Posted by: virgo on May 24, 2004 01:38 AMLMAO! @ virgo! good one! LOL so am I I guess ;)
Posted by: neosjourney on May 24, 2004 05:45 AM...this thread is spinning quickly out of control I see...
...LOL@Virgo...LOL!...you too Neosjourney...LOL!
Posted by: shelz on May 24, 2004 06:30 AMI can't wait to see this film. I want to see how they do the Scramble suits myself. since it's so detailed in the novel. I would have loved to play Donna tho, but I guess Winona will do an ok Job playing her. wonder who Robert will be playing? Maybe Charles Freck? Well, I just hope that it's a good film.
Posted by: Keana on May 24, 2004 09:57 AM