Philip and Ridley Scott
In previous posts, we talked about two great sci-ficition authors, Issac Asimov and Ray Bradbury.
Now, it is the turn of Philip K. Dick. Instead of knowing him through his books, we are going to have an approach to his creations through the science fiction films that their stories inspired.
In fact, you are going to see that there are truly wonderful movies based on Philip Dick’s creative greatness.
If you are looking for the best sci-fi movies, you should go on reading this list:
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Blade Runner(1982)
Blade Runner, as you know, is based in “Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?” first published in 1968. The main character is Rick Deckard, played in the movie by our dear Harrison Ford.
The movie is set in a post apocalyptic future, and Rick is an android hunter, hired to capture an android gone rogue.
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Total Recall (1990)
Total Recall is inspired in the short story “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale” written by Philip K. Dick. In this case, the lead actor is Arnold Schwarzenegger and his role is a construction worker, named Douglas Quaid, who discovers that he is actually a secret agent, and travels to Mars to uncover his true identity and why his memory was erased.
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Screamers (1995)
Screamers is based on the short story “Second Variety” of Philip K. Dick.
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Impostor(2001)
Impostor is based in another short story named as the movie title. Impostor story was written in 1953.
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Minority Report (2002)
Now it’s the turn of Steven Spielberg and his Minority Report. I think that this movie is underrated, for me, it was a great sci-fi movie. The story is set in the future where a special division captures criminals before the crimes were committed. The problem starts when the Chief John Anderton, played by Tom Cruise, is accused of a crime he didn’t commit yet, and he can’t understand why.
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Paycheck (2003)
Another great director, John Woo, made Paycheck in 2003, based on another Philip K. Dick short story. The lead actor, in this case, is Ben Affleck (a kind of nerdy actor).
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Next(2007)
In Next movie with Nicolas Cage, is based on the novel story “The Golden Man” of our dear sci-fiction author Philip Dick.
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Radio Free Albemuth(2010)
In 1974, Dick experienced a series of visions about Jesus and ancient Rome, which he referred to as “2-3-74″. He wrote about these experiences, first in the semi-autobiographical novel Radio Free Albemuth and then in the VALIS trilogy. This movie is based on that story.
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The Adjustment Bureau(2011)
In this case, the short story is The Adjustment Team, and it was published in 1954. Sometimes it’s amazing how science fiction goes beyond the years, but it happens and hopefully our children will enjoy same stories. In The Adjustment Bureau movie, Matt Damon is a congressman that is chased by unfamiliar men in suits. They belongs to the “Adjustment Bureau” and they ensure people’s lives proceed as determined by “the plan”. Nothing more to say, a very good movie.
So, my dear geeks, if you still have to see one of these movies, I would tell you what are you waiting for?
