Film A Scanner Darkly

[L2R]

The central theme, as I understood it, was the search for truth when dealing with the day to day complications of human life. I found some of the scenes very touching in those few moments of clarity that Bob Artor had about his relationships and circumstances.

nice acid

 

[eggman]

I enjoyed it but I could see why others probably didnt like it.

The story was good enough to keep you interested but the plot twist was just a little too abrubt and failed to pack a punch.

Robert Downey Jnr and Woody Harrelsons charcters where a little to contrived and seemed to be just wedged in without any real motive.

What stood out for me those was the animation, mostly becasue I am an avid fan anime. It was interesting to see how much of an impact using real actors as type of template had on the fluidity

 

[ego_loss]

Robert Downey Jnr and Woody Harrelsons charcters where a little to contrived and seemed to be just wedged in without any real motive.

Have you never spent time in the presence of hardcore tweakers?

 

[eggman]

^ Yeah I have been around quite a few, especially back when I was one

But I think what I was trying to say is that I kind of hoped those characters where more involved in the plot. They where clearly developed to be stand out but the way they where worked into scenes was a bit disappointing

 

[tambourine-man]

Robert Downey Jnr and Woody Harrelsons charcters where a little to contrived and seemed to be just wedged in without any real motive.

Read the book. They take on a much more realistic and important role.

Harrelson's role was intentionally dumbed-down IMO to provide some comic relief.

 

[axl blaze]

I will admit when I first tried to watch this film I could only get about halfway through without falling asleep (not so much the film's fault as me being tired). the next day I watched it all the way through and I was pleasantly surprised. Robert Downey Jr. packs in a great performance, and yes, Woody Harrelson character may have been trite, but the trio of characters really needed someone like him to pull them out of either the doldrums or being too serious. I enjoyed this movie.

 

[Tranctrppn]

All i got to say about the movie is that it made me go out pof my mind .......n ate 4 hits of some gels and that movie fucked my head up the rest the night ...... its a demented movie really the story line gets to ur head and fucks with ya really goood ....... so i give it alot of props....

 

[rollplayk]

Read the book. They take on a much more realistic and important role.

Harrelson's role was intentionally dumbed-down IMO to provide some comic relief.

I saw the movie before I read the book. the movie didn't really do anything for me.. but the book was fking amazing.
"D... Substance D. "D" is dumbness, and despair, desertion-desertion of you from your friends, your friends from you, everyone from everyone. Isolation and loneliness... and hating and suspecting each other, "D" is finally death. Slow death from the head down. Well... that's it. "

 

[ControlDenied]

yeh Philip K. dick is awesome

 

[frizzantik]

mediocre film.. 3 stars i guess. if it didn't have the cool cartoon effect on everything i doubt it would be worth mentioning. shame too cause the story idea provides a lot of potential

 

[Perpetual Indulgence]

Disappointing.

 

[supertrav77]

S'alright. Though I wish a giant anvil would materialize out of thin air and fall on Woody Harrelson's head. I was enjoying the movie until I found out that he was in it.

 

[SmokingMan]

I really like this movie.
I am a fan of PKD and found this film to be very poignant. I felt it paralleled our society in that the government/police state are the ones that are growing Substance D while at the same time "fighting the war" against the scourge of "D". They use the war on D to create police jobs for just about everyone and turn almost everyone into policers of their neighbors. From what I've seen PKD was using meth for the basis of "D" and was written about his friends and their experiences. Honestly many things could be substitued for D like: cocaine, opium, heroin, prozac, Zoloft, "War on Terror", etc.

It's definitely a thinking film with a pretty accurate presentation of the everyday life of addiction. Highly recommended.

one question> why was the random preachy guy in the parking lot abducted by the dudes in the van?

The guy with the bullhorn was Alex Jones (www.infowars.com, www.prisonplanet.com), a political activist and strong opponent of the police state and the New World Order. He is typically found using a bullhorn a the State Capital in Austin, TX as well as around the world speaking (yelling) about the dangers of the coming police state.
The comment was about the police silencing the dissenting voices that were on to the hidden story of the film, an anti-authoritarian anti-police state statement.

 

[threelibras99]

I turned the movie on and literally shut it off within the first ten minutes.

 

[tribal girl]

S'alright. Though I wish a giant anvil would materialize out of thin air and fall on Woody Harrelson's head. I was enjoying the movie until I found out that he was in it.

I hear that!.

There's something hugely unfulfilled about that guy

 

[Jamshyd]

^ Whats with ll the woody harrelson hate?? I love that guy!

If anyone is annoying in this film, that would be Keanu reaves!

Anyways, I gave it a 3. I just watched it twice a couple of weeks ago - once on a medium dose(es) of Ketamine, and once sober.

It is extremely interesting, and rather uncomfortable to watch on K, but I found it very "lacking"... I really can't put my finger on it.

Its a great experiment, but hardly gripping. Although I think I should watch it one more time to make a better judgment.

 

[L2R]

^ahah! k, i did the same thing with this film about a year ago. interesting indeed!

 

[ControlDenied]

It is extremely interesting, and rather uncomfortable to watch on K, but I found it very "lacking"... I really can't put my finger on it.

That's the thing. There's an ingredient commercial artists just can't fake; there's something about true art that can't be reproduced. Hollywood just doesn't understand this.

 

[tribal girl]

Whats with ll the woody harrelson hate?? I love that guy!

Each to their own and all that. Personally, I think he's a bit of a meat head.

If anyone is annoying in this film, that would be Keanu reaves!

That guy's annoying whatever the hell he's in. He spoilt My Own Private Idaho for me. Big time

 

[echo off]

too many keanu reaves haters out here these days... truth is he was perfectly cast for the role of a half-brain dead junkie whose grip on reality is slipping. its the role he plays best!!

i really digged this movie. it was a nice little drama that took a little mystery twist, and in the end highlights the one major problem that society actually has with drugs. it's not in their value... they can be so powerful as to change reality, and we should be really careful whom we give control of such substances to.

to be honest, now i desperately need to read the book. the end-game story is to me reminiscent of the kinds of stories you could pull from a true dystopia. "D" could be easily renamed "soma" or even "orgy porgy" and the story could be easily re-worked to make sense.

in fact, what scares me most is that considering the majority of people on this board either take drugs or are in some way involved with drug takers... how such a simple yet profound reflection of our current reality can be so easily dismissed. scares the fuckin shit outta me...