Production Year: 2006 - Science Fiction - Director: Richard Linklater - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Keanu Reeves, Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder, Rory Cochrane, Robert Downey Jr more
Richard Linklater's adaptation of Philip K. Dick's classic novel is a challenging, mind-bending experience that cautions about the dangers of excessive drug use as well as the... more
A Scanner Darkly
What does a scanner see? Into the head? Into the heart? From the novel by Philip L. Dick - ... more
the sci-fi legend whose works-to-film include Blade Runner, Total Recall and Minority Report - comes A Scanner Darkly, brought to the screen by filmmaker Richard Linklater with an edgy graphic-novel look. The time: just beyond now. The place: suburbia. The story: a twisted, funny tale of people hooked on Substance D. And of a government that cheerfully destroys its citizens - their rights, their relationships - in order to save them. Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder and Rory Cochrane play strung-out friends terrified of each other and of spies. Keanu Reeves plays a spy who's also one of the friends... until his two personalities begin to split. Enjoy the paranoia. Nobody's watching you. Really.
A Scanner Darkly
Substance D -- otherwise known as Death -- is the most dangerous drug ever to find its way ... more
on to the black market. It destroys the links between the brain's two hemispheres leading first to disorentation and then to complete and irreversible brain damage. Bob Arctor undercover narcotics agent is trying to find a lead to the source of supply but to pass as an addict he must become a user and soon without knowing what is happening to him he is as dependent as any of the addicts he is monitoring.
A Scanner Darkly
Substance D -- otherwise known as Death -- is the most dangerous drug ever to find its way ... more
on to the black market. It destroys the links between the brain's two hemispheres leading first to disorentation and then to complete and irreversible brain damage. Bob Arctor undercover narcotics agent is trying to find a lead to the source of supply but to pass as an addict he must become a user and soon without knowing what is happening to him he is as dependent as any of the addicts he is monitoring.
Production Year: 2006 - Science Fiction - Director: James Hawes - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Noel Clarke, Camille Coduri, Penelope Wilton, David Tennant, Billie Piper
Production Year: 2007 - Science Fiction - Director: Francis Lawrence - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Dash Mihok, Will Smith, Salli Richardson, Willow Smith
A review by Miskah on A Scanner Darkly (DVD) May 30th, 2007
Author's product rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Loved it
Story
Outstanding
Characters / Performances
Outstanding
Special Effects
Outstanding
How does it compare to similar films?
Outstanding
Advantages:
funny yet dark, superbly made with an excellent script
Disadvantages:
will not be to everyones taste
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
I wasn’t looking forward to this film particularly. it was chosen by my resident geek who frequently has an odd taste in movies. Im not a great fan of Keanu Reeves or Winona Ryder and Im also not very keen on animated films (and being told it’s not an animated film, its filmed in Rotoscope doesn’t make much difference!). It’s also a book I’ve read and enjoyed, although quite some time ago, as it’s by an author I like Philip K. Dick and often the films aren’t as good as the book
It’s likely quite a few of you probably enjoy Dicks tales too even though you may not recognize his name. He wrote: • Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which Blade Runner was adapted from, starring Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer • We Can Remember It for You Wholesale ,which Total Recall was adapted from and starred Arnold Schwarzenegger • The Minority Report was based on his book by the same name and starred Tom Cruise • Screamers is based on the short story Second Variety and starred Peter Weller • Paycheck directed by Jonh Woo starring Ben Affleck and Uma thurman was based on a Dick short story by the same name • And Nicholas Cage’s film 'Next' that came out last month is also based on a Dick short storycalled the Golden Man
Most of those films have been quite sucessful and some have been quite good so I gave this film a watch and, almost despite myself, really enjoyed it
A Brief synopsis of the story:
Scanner Darkly is set in California in a not too far distant future where America has lost the war on drugs. The most dangerous narcotic, a highly addictive and debilitating illegal drug called Substance D, which at first causes a dreamy state of intoxication with bizarre hallucinations but chronic users develop a split personality, cognitive problems, and severe paranoia.
Keanu Reeves plays, Fred, an undercover police detective who is sent to unravel the manufacture and distribution of substance D. He infiltrates a group of drug users; his undercover persona is Bob, a fellow drug user.
In this paranoid America of the future (!) trust is a luxury and everyone is a suspected criminal until proven otherwise. Because of this paranoia the agents wear a 'scramble suit' which changes the voice and is an ever changing overlay of thousands of people. This makes it is impossible to identify the wearer. Even the police don’t know the real identity of each other for example Fred doesn't know his superior officer's true appearance, their age or their sex
Fred finds he has to start taking substance D to infiltrate the junkies and his developing addiction leads him on a psychotic journey where loyalties, friendship and truth are as hard to identify as identity of the wearer of a scramble suit.
If I go any further into the story I will give away too much to those who haven’t read the book and possibly spoil the film, and those who have read the book already know the tale. I hate personally hate spoilers :)
The supporting cast: Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson, Robert Downey, Jr., are all extremely good but Rory Cochrane is outstanding as a brain scrambled junkie and the scene where he finds insects in his dog’s fur is hysterically funny
Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney are among the film's executive producers and it is directed by Richard Linklater
Rotoscoping combines digital action filming with an animation technique using a graphics editing program created by Bob Sabiston known as. Rotoscoping in traditional animation involved tracing over film frame-by-frame. Rotoshop animation, however, makes use of vector frames, and draws in the in-between frames automatically. Each minute of animation required 500 hours of work
Music
The score was provided by composer Graham Reynolds. The composition and recording process took over one and a half years (the unusual time allotment was due to the film's time-consuming animation process) and was done in Reynolds' bedroom. This is not a synthesized score; all the instruments except electric guitar and bass were acoustic, though many were transformed through effects. Other music featured in the film includes "Black Swan" by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke . other songs by Radiohead, "Skttrbrain (Four Tet Mix)""Arpeggi" "Fog" and "The Amazing Sounds of Orgy", as well as "Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors" from the album Amnesiac, are also included. The song featured in the original trailer is "Teen Angst" by electronica band M83.
End credits The end credits list people who have suffered serious permanent physical or mental damage (brain damage, psychosis, pancreatic trauma, etc.) or death as a result of massive drug use. The names are found in the Author's Note at the end of the novel. The note that Dick wrote to accompany this list is also reproduced in these credits, in which he mourns the list members' deaths and destruction. Dick includes his own name on the list, as a victim of pancreatic .
A combination of the story, the acting, the soundtrack and the animation keep this film enthralling. The screenplay written by Richard Linklater moves this story from the 70’s when it was written into present day language without changing the original story or meanings too greatly. The dialogue between charcters is frequently extremely funny or moving but always interesting and I don’t think the film would have wqorked half so well if it had been filmed in a traditional manner. The animation somehow holds your attention much better than you expect
If you arent sure whether you will like this film or not its worth looking at. IGN to do this as they legally share the first 24 minutes of the film with anyone over 18. If you want to take a look go to http://uk.media.movies.ign.com/media/670/670907/vids_1.html. Scanner darkly is on the top row. When you click on it you will have to give your age . Then you are free to watch 24 minutes legally. to reiterate this is legal and above board and not filesharing
If you watch it and want to watch the rest of the film you’ll have to nip down to the videoshop and rent it and if you don’t fancy it you’ve lost nothing. enjoy
Advantages: Saddening, deep and surreal Disadvantages: Can be difficult to follow
“What does a scanner see?
Into the head? Into the heart?
Does it see into me? Clearly? Or darkly?”
Originally having gone to see this film at the cinema, I was debating about what to expect from Richard Linklater’s ‘A Scanner Darkly’. I had been utterly intruiged by the ghoulish advertising and darkly presented posters, but lingering in the back of my mind was the constant image of what Linklater had directed so far. From the family orientated, ... ...story of ‘Bad News Bears’ a year later, his films are usually great for a laugh. This preconcieved opinion of what was to come was soon shattered, as I realised that this was not going to be another funny but forgettable Channel 5 afternoon film, but a dark and challenging masterwork, that would turn Linklater’s reputation on its head. Cor!
PLOT: Anaheim, California, and ‘seven years from now’ America has lost the war on drugs. Twenty percent of ...
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Advantages: Very Stylistic, gerat soundtrack Disadvantages: difficult to follow
...read Philip K Dicks book, A Scanner Darkly, I was eagerly awaiting the film adaptation. Upon hearing that George Clooney had optioned it no less, and that Richard Linklater was down to direct it I was kind of ecstatic. I have a lot of respect for George Clooney, following his efforts to turn out less main stream Hollywood films, in favour of thought provoking and interesting films. So when I heard that Keanu Reeves had go the lead role as Bob Arctor, ... ...But the lead character for A Scanner Darkly, in my opinion would always have needed someone who had a half decent range, and not someone who cam across as a bit of an airhead.
But upon watching the DVD, I was surprised. On a number of levels. Spoiler warning!!
The story follows an undercover drugs operative called Fred (his codename for anonymity. He has to wear a scramble suit at all times to cover his identity within the police station). He has ...
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Advantages: Good Special Effects Disadvantages: Not many
...deep reflection it is not a film that I would recommend. But if you want to watch it do so at your own risk.
1 hour forty mins Rating (15)
The Product details
The Actors: Rory Cochrane, Robert Downey Jr., Mitch Baker, Keanu Reeves, Sean Allen (II)
Directors: Richard Linklater
Format: PAL, Widescreen
Language English
Region: Region 2 ( DVD formats.)
Aspect Ratio: Wide Screen:1
Number of discs: 1
Classification: 15
Studio: Warner Home Video
...
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Advantages: Graphics and humour Disadvantages: Creative licence taken too far?
...them, and it seemed like a good buy.
The way the film works is strange, i had never seen anything like it before, and havent seen anything like it since. The graphical animation of the characters, scenery and settings are amazing!!
Nothing was ever still, which added to the feel of the film as you knew that nobody could trust anybody else, it made each and every character look "sketchy" which is rather relevent for the style of the film.
As well ... ...Keanu Reeves playing the main character who was just as untrustworthy as the drug dealers he was pursuing. The only thing that i found very strange about the film was the undercover suit that the officers wore. This was obviously only enabled because of the format of the film. This would not have been as possible using CGI. But must have taken the animators an eternity.
My favourite part of the film (for those who have seen it) is the scene with ...
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...which he has turned into a superb innovative movie, who better than Robert Downey Jr to play a messed up paranoid degenerate, hes def worn the t-shirt on this front many times, this movie is up there with fear and loathing in Las Vegas, Filmed with an animation process called rotoscoping, in which artists trace over live-action scenes frame by frame, then add subtle alterations, it prob something that your never really seen before, it fresh and colourful.
... ...Reeves) is a narcotics officer who is issued an order to spy on his friends and report back to his peers. In addition to being a cop, though, Arctor is also an addict. His drug of choice is a new easily hooked on, street drug called Substance D, a drug known well for creating split personalities in its users. Bob Arctors friends are played by Rory Cochrane, Winona Ryder and Woody Harrelson.
Can Bob keep it together enough to enable him to do his ...
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Special Features: Director's commentary , One Summer in Austin: The Story of Filming A Scanner Darkly, The Weight of the Line: Animation Tales, Theatrical trailer
Aspect Ratio: Wide Screen
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
Animated: Animated
DVD Description
Richard Linklater's adaptation of Philip K. Dick's classic novel is a challenging, mind-bending experience that cautions about the dangers of excessive drug use as well as the government's capacity to abuse and manipulate power. Using the same interpolated rotoscoping technique that Linklater employed in 2001's WAKING LIFE, the film is an animated, trippy descent into one man's unraveling mind. Set in the not-too-distant future where a new drug, substance D, has created an epidemic, A SCANNER DARKLY charts the mental unraveling of Bob Arctor (Keanu Reeves). Arctor is an undercover cop who has been assigned to track a group of individuals who include the hyper-intense Luckman (Woody Harrelson), the ultra-paranoid Freck (Rory Cochrane), and the beautiful Donna (Winona Ryder). As the film unfolds and Arctor finds himself abusing substance D in order to maintain his façade, his mind begins to spin out of control, to the point where he doesn't know what's real and what isn't. Eventually, the truth comes out, leaving Arctor even more numbed. Linklater's surprisingly faithful adaptation of Dick's novel blends humor, drama, and Bob Sabiston's striking animation to deliver a thought-provoking film that will leave viewers as dazed as the film's protagonist.
Professional reviews
Review: Utterly hypnotic. Mesmerizing and thrillingly original (Maxim, 22/12/2006)
A Scanner Darkly is a resounding success (SFX, 22/12/2006)
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