Huge flop at the worldwide Box Office in 2006, “A Scanner Darkly” is nevertheless a wonderful adaptation of a famous work by Philip K. Dick, where paranoia, drugs and mass surveillance coexist in a result that is as fascinating as it is disturbing.
In the galaxy of authors very often adapted for the screen, Philip K. Dick undoubtedly occupies a place of choice. There are thus nearly twenty adaptations of short stories or novels brought to the big screen; more including TV series. Adaptations with more or less happiness elsewhere.
To an absolute and definitive masterpiece like Blade Runner or the rather solid Minority Report and Total Recall, are opposed adaptations like Next or Paycheck which did not quite shine in the firmament of the 7th Art… Scanner Darkly, released in 2006 and directed by Richard Linklater, is undoubtedly part of the top of the basket.
Published in 1977 in the United States and a year later in France under the title dead stuff, A Scanner Darkly is one of K. Dick’s masterpieces. The author has also dedicated it to his former friends, drug addicts, dead or keeping lifelong scars from this era. A very personal book, largely autobiographical, it depicts a chilling America.
The time: a near future. The place: the American suburbs. The story ? the twisted and funny story of a group of friends addicted to substance D. And a government that blithely destroys its citizens (their rights, their relationships) to save them. Robert Downey Jr, Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder and Rory Cochrane play these stoned friends who are scared to death of each other and of spies. Keanu Reeves plays a spy who is also part of the gang. Until his two personalities begin to split…
Warner Bros.
Of the references that come to mind regarding Keanu Reeves’ roles in sci-fi films, the most obvious is of course the Matrix saga. Never, or very little, A Scanner Darklyin which he nevertheless proves to be formidable in the guise of the character of Bob Arctor.
“I love Keanu. I had thought of him years ago, to see if he was available. I think he was right in the middle of filming The Matrix at the time, and didn’t want to do Science Fiction again. So I tried again in 2004, I wanted him so badly as Bob Arctor!” said Linklater in the making of the film. “While working on my character, I tried with Richard to find the right resonance for each role, physically, emotionally, mentally. I really relied on the book” explained the actor for his part.
A project passed from hand to hand
Originally, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind, In the skin of John Malkovich) had started working on an adaptation of this short story by Philip K. Dick, before the project changed hands, for move to the early 90s between that of filmmaker Terry Gilliam. The latter also thought of adapting this short story to the cinema. In the end, it’s Richard Linklater (Boyhood) who (well) took the project in hand.
Additional originality of the work is that it was animated from real shots using the rotoscoping technique. The animators use the Rotoshop software, from the firm Linklater, to redraw the characters and the sets. A rendering way Cell Shading amazing.
Warner Bros.
“We actually made two films” explained producer Tommy Pallotta. “We wrote the script, did the casting, we filmed, and we edited it, like a classic fiction. Then, we transformed it into an animated film, thanks to the long post-production work”. A work that will require no less than 18 months, where the team thought to complete this work in nine…
Philip K. Dick’s book is more topical than ever. In the age of Mass Surveillance Capitalism, where technology controls and dominates everything, even our emotions, the work is definitely no longer within the purview of Science Fiction.
Sometimes funny, often disturbing and fascinating, Linklater’s film is an ideal extension, and remains one of Keanu Reeves’ best films. Its colossal flop at the worldwide Box Office at the time, with less than 8 million dollars on the counter, was a cruel injustice. It’s up to you to fix it!