Topic: A Scanner Darkly

[Xessive]

I just watched it.. It was sweet. Pretty trippy. If you enjoyed Donnie Darko you may enjoy this one

Anyone else seen it yet?

[TheOtherBelmont]

I just watched it.. It was sweet. Pretty trippy. If you enjoyed Donnie Darko you may enjoy this one

Anyone else seen it yet?

Has this come out on DVD yet or something?  I didn't get a chance to go see it at the theaters around here since it was showing for a limited time.  I enjoyed the book and really want to see this.

[Xessive]

Has this come out on DVD yet or something?  I didn't get a chance to go see it at the theaters around here since it was showing for a limited time.  I enjoyed the book and really want to see this.

Yep, the DVD's been out for a few days now. I haven't read the book (didn't even know there was a book until I saw the movie's credits).

It's definitely a good movie, I just don't get the "Scramble Suit." I mean it doesn't disguise the wearer, it just veils their true identity. It would have been more efficient if it was just plain instead of blurry images of people.. Granted the "constantly shifting vague blur" is kinda cool. I was just constantly hoping it would be used to take on alternate identities.

EDIT:
Haha I just check the user ratings at Blockbuster, and people either loved it or hated it 67% thought it was brilliant, and 33% thought it was dreadful. I guess it one of those movies.

[Quemaqua]

I really wanted to see it, but I have trouble seeing things when I haven't yet read the book.

[TheOtherBelmont]

I haven't read the book (didn't even know there was a book until I saw the movie's credits).

It's a very good book, it was written by Phillip K. Dick, he wrote Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? which is the novel that became the movie Blade Runner.  I will have to pick up that DVD soon then.

[Pugnate]

What does that mean? Scanner? Darkly?

[TheOtherBelmont]

What does that mean? Scanner? Darkly?

The title itself is a reference to the Bible, I'm sure Wikipedia could tell you which book.  This may or may not put it in more context and I don't even know if they use this quote in the movie but the main character of the novel says something like "Does a passive infrared scanner...see into me — into us — clearly or darkly?"

EDIT: Wikipedia to the rescue: The "scanner" is a holographic recorder/projector on which the main character views clips of his own life (as part of his job). It is also a reference to a Biblical verse in 1 Corinthians 13 that includes "we see as through a glass darkly"

[MysterD]

Ain't seen this.

[nickclone]

The changing suits are only to protect the identity of the agents from other agents, notice how they always take them off before the leave the building?

[TheOtherBelmont]

I bought the DVD and I'm very glad I did.  Linklater(the director) did a great job translating the book to film, a few minor things were left out from the book, but the main point of the story was portrayed beautifully.  All of the actors did an awesome job playing their parts.  The Rotoscoping animation was a great choice to such a hectic and chaotic story.  I need to watch the special features and commentary with directors and Dick's daughter sometime now.  Everyone needs to watch this movie and better yet, read the book. This is probably my favorite work of Dick's, second being Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.

[iPPi]

I really want to see this.

[Quemaqua]

Thanks for sharing Tet.  I'll be sure to check this out and grab the book when I get the chance.

[HxCeddie]

I liked the book better than the movie, but it was still awesome. I loved the art style of it.

[scottws]

Is the movie really that watchable?  I saw the previews and it looked compelling but I don't know.  I'd almost feel like I was watching a 2 hour Charles Schwab commercial.

[TheOtherBelmont]

Is the movie really that watchable?  I saw the previews and it looked compelling but I don't know.  I'd almost feel like I was watching a 2 hour Charles Schwab commercial.

It's watchable and yes everyone started going apeshit with the rotoscoping in commercials and stuff when A Scanner Darkly first came to theaters.  After awhile you don't even really pay attention to the art style and you end up paying attention to the plot.  The only thing the rotoscoping really sticks out in is the scramble suits but the style works for the concept of those.  The style really works for kind of story the movie is trying to tell.

On a side note, I'm glad to see the DVDs flying off the shelf at work, we ran out of our 2nd shipment last night.

[gpw11]

I saw this a few month ago.  Overall, I was pretty impressed (even with the whole  Keanu Reeves always being the same character thing going on).  I think it's a better book to movie translation than Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, but I do for some reason seem to remember a bit of a different focus in the book on the state of mind of the main character (one of the reasons for the title I assumed).  It's been a long time though, so my memory could be flawed.


Anyways, I used to be a big Dick fan, and would like to see more movies made of his stuff.  Ubik would be great.

[MysterD]

I saw this a few month ago.  Overall, I was pretty impressed (even with the whole  Keanu Reeves always being the same character thing going on).  I think it's a better book to movie translation than Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, but I do for some reason seem to remember a bit of a different focus in the book on the state of mind of the main character (one of the reasons for the title I assumed).  It's been a long time though, so my memory could be flawed.

I liked the flick -- was good, but nothing great to me.

Anyways, I used to be a big Dick fan....

  @ the word choice

[Quemaqua]

I was waiting for somebody to say that.

[MysterD]

I was waiting for somebody to say that.

Hehe, Que!

[gpw11]

Freudian slip?

[iPPi]

Finally got a chance to watch this movie.  Great movie.

[Schlotzky5]

I got this from netflix a couple days ago and burned it. I cant wait to watch it.

[idolminds]

I just watched it. I think I understood it. Maybe.

It looked pretty, at any rate.

[scottws]

I just got done watching it a few minutes ago.  All the parts were very well-acted, including Reaves'.  I'm not sure I totally got the very end.

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Ok, I get the whole they set up Arctor thing as sort of an unknowing infilrator.  They were hoping, as they mention, that something would just click.  What I don't know is whether or not it did at the end.  I mean he keeps the flower, but what does that mean if he gives it to someone?

[TheOtherBelmont]

For Scott:

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The flower is what they use to make Substance D, in the book he makes a mental note that he is going to give it to some "friends"(undercover agents in the rehab program, hoping to take the rehab program down), the ending of the movie is pretty much the same, just not spelled out for you as clearly, so yeah it does finally click in his brain on what it is that he needs to do with the flower.

[nickclone]

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Remember when he wanted to give his girlfriend something and he asked those doctors what he should get her? They suggest blue flowers, I think it was subliminal

[scottws]

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Remember when he wanted to give his girlfriend something and he asked those doctors what he should get her? They suggest blue flowers, I think it was subliminal

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Yeah, it had to be.  I'm sure they wouldn't want the origin of the blue flowers to get out really, especially after all the efforts of hiding them in corn fields.

[Ace_O_Spades]

I want a scramble suit.

that is all...

[PyroMenace]

Just watched it.

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Im still a little confused about the part where Donna was wearing the scramble suit. Or wait... was she the other agent in the office questioning Arcter? Were all his buddies agents too trying to set him up to take more substance D? Damn, it was a totally awesome movie, but it totally tripped me out at the end.

[TheOtherBelmont]

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Yeah Donna was the other agent in the office questioning Arcter, that had the guy's voice, her and the guy she was talking to in the cafe at the end of the movie were some of the few that are in on the operation trying to take down the Substance D rehab program that is making Substance D and believed that Arcter could do it once he was inside.  Also, no his buddies weren't agents, just Donna.

[nickclone]

Maybe you can help me with something I didn't understand.

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Archer talks about how his girlfriend won't let him touch her, so he has sex with another woman who then turns into Ryder's character. Did he have sex with Ryder? If so why did he still see another woman while watching himself on video? Why wouldn't she let him touch her later?

[iPPi]

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As far as I could tell, Arcter was hallucinating or something.