#488 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Friday October 21)
Good morning,
DYSTOPIAN STORIES IN NOVEL AND FILM
Those who have been reading the Musings for a while know how much I love dystopian novels. To me, following a single premise (e.g., “what if there is a pandemic that wipes out 98% of the population?” or “what happens if a President has gone mad?” or “what if the Nazis won?”) allows the author to go off in any number of directions to describe the lead-up to the catastrophe, the results, and the success (or failure) of ordinary people to create a civilization out of the remnants. They play off of current events or current fears and, in offering a dystopian future, also often describe a hopeful resolution. These are a few of the best dystopian novels or short stories adapted to film:
Seven Days in May. This Fletcher Knebel and Charles W. Bailey III classic was suggested by Paul Kanin. It is the not-so-far-fetched-any-more story of a military coup against a president pursuing a treaty they fear. Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster—what could be better? See, also, Fail Safe, which chilled me when I first saw it and, with the threat of nuclear escalation in Eastern Europe, has messages for today as well.
The Manchurian Candidate. Either version works. The Richard Condon book about a “sleeper” North Korean agent who is placed and nurtured, only to do the bidding of his handlers to assassinate a candidate upon the mere dealing of a hand of cards. While the men are good, Angela Lansbury, in one of her few “heavy” roles, is frightening.
The Man in the High Castle. The Philip K. Dick novel of the defeat of the United States to Japan and Nazi Germany, who carve up the United States. One of the better adaptations that can “run with the story” through successive seasons, staying true to the original conceit, while expanding the plot.
Handmaid’s Tale. Yes, I know; it feels like we are living a part in Margaret Atwood’s classic. The first season is great. Beyond that, too violent and over-the-top, as if the original ideas seemed far fetched but still within the realm of believability.
Fahrenheit 451. I don’t know how many of us grew up loving this book and loving what it said about books and their power. Ray Bradbury’s imagining of a fire department charged with burning books recalls the Bebelplatz book burning staged by the Nazis, ironically located adjacent to Humboldt University. With books—and knowledge—is power. When I first read that the intellectuals in the forest each memorized a book, in order to keep the books alive, I had a tear in my eye.
Station Eleven. Emily St. John Mandel’s unusual story of the time after a pandemic, with curious relationships and a band of actors wandering the Great Lakes. Is art enough to keep civilization alive? Well, yes. Mini-series based upon the book.
Blade Runner. Adapted from Philip Dick’s short story, “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.”
Children of Men. Alfonso Cuaron’s adaptation of the P.D. James novel about infertility grasping the world and a sole cynical bureaucrat’s dealing with mankind’s last, best hope. Here’s a great analysis of the film’s staying power and greatness: https://www.looper.com/282429/why-children-of-men-is-the-best-sci-fi-movie-of-all-time/
2001: A Space Odyssey is an odd film of the future, dystopian in its portrayal of HAL, the computer. But that isn’t the central thesis of the film, which I still struggle to understand. The subsequent Arthur C. Clarke books provided further perspective but it’s still in a genre all its own. Kubrick’s film is beautiful and disturbing. Some would put Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange, an adaptation of Anthony Burgess’s novel, on this list. I would not. It was way too violent and way too disturbing for me.
Total Recall. Great story (I’d stick with the original version with Arnold Schwartzenegger). Filmmakers looking for adaptations continue to plumb the works of Philip K. Dick, the king of adaptations, with Minority Report and Man in the High Castle also among adaptations of his books.
Soylent Green. An adaptation of the short story Make Room! Make Room! Dying oceans, rising temperatures and humidity, depleting resources—an ecological disaster. Charlton Heston’s second most famous final line (the top one being, “You maniacs. You blew it up” from Planet of the Apes, another excellent film; although that one is more of the “alien invasion” concept, versus the crumble of human society illustrated in Soylent Green.
Never Let Me Go. Raising children to go on to be harvested for their organs. Sounds just crazy enough to be plausible. One of several dystopian imaginings of the future by Kazuo Ishiguro. I loved Klara and the Sun better and look forward to its adaptation to film, but this is a chilling world of people just “doing their duty,” falling in love, and accepting their fate to “complete” themselves by sacrificing themselves for others.
The Truman Show. A made-up world for the benefit of a single man, broadcast out to millions of “followers.” Disturbingly close to the curated lives people follow on reality TV and in social media, manipulated by the producers. Okay, so it’s not adapted from a book, but still…
PROOF OF I’M NOT SURE WHAT…
In getting ready to send something back to an online retailer, I had to print out a shipping label. It came with the following admonition:
“SHIPPING LABEL Affix this OUTSIDE the box”
Helpful advice. It begs the question, “Do some people actually put the shipping label inside the box?”
Have a great day,
Glenn
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