Zack Snyder, currently working on the big screen adaptation of The Watchmen, has signed a deal with Warner Bros to direct a new adaptation of The Illustrated Man, the classic short story collection by one of the greatest of SF writers (actually one of the best writers, regardless of genre), Ray Bradbury, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The Illustrated Man was my first exposure to Ray Bradbury (at the tender age of 11) and I’ve been reading and re-reading him pretty much for the rest of my life (as far as I am concerned as both a reader and bookseller Ray is one of those authors anyone who has a decent book collection must have on their shelves).
The mostly unconnected tales are linked by the device of the titular Illustrated Man, a person covered in tattoos which slowly reveal stories – the Veldt I found especially creepy, where parents have a hi-tech home including a holographic playroom for their kids, who become obsessed with lions; it is pretty much the precursor to every Star Trek tale where the holodeck malfunctions and events become real (but much more disturbing and dark). Some tales such as The Other Foot in which coloured people leave racism and persecution behind to settle on Mars, only to be visited by repentant white people who have destroyed Earth and beg forgiveness and shelter may be very much of their time in some ways (the 1950s when the author would be only too aware of legally enforced racism and segregation) but given human nature and continued ethnic and social strife the story is still relevant. The collection has around eighteen short stories, but there’s no word yet on how many Snyder will actually include in his adaptation – a previous film adaptation with Rod Steiger in the late 60s included only a handful of the tales. Anyway, it serves as a good excuse to remind people how brilliant Ray Bradbury is and why they should read him.
Wed, Aug 29, 2007
Books, Film, TV and radio