DVD Review: The Illustrated Man
DVD Reviews
By Jeff Swindoll Jan 3, 2007, 10:00 GMT
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
Other features coming soon.
Talkback
page: 1
If you really want to know Ray Bradbury, I think that his 'Dandelion Wine' book is the clear way to go. I first read it at age 10 or 11, 40+ years ago -- and I continue to read it frequently.
Dear Bradbury fans,
I must say how relieved I am that his works don't translate well to the screen! I always loved reading him, and still do. As a former child actress, making this was the highlight of my 'career,' which isn't saying much compared to other silly 60's shows I was in. I thought the acting was boring (including my own) but the subject matter shines compared to most Hollywood pop movies. As a current teacher of English, I say long live writers, books and readers! Great films are great, and so are the books that should be enjoyed as such.
Christie
'Anna'
I read Ray Bradbury's The Illustrated Man, and all the other Sci-Fi books I could get my hands on 40 years ago. I, too, loved the stories but I thought the device of Willie hearing the skin illustrations whisper and watching them move while Carl slept was a bit silly. Nevertheless I LOVED the stories and was glad to part with a few dollars to see the film. I still remember the second play ('The Long Rain') as one of the most beautiful and evocative depictions of a hopeless situation: trudging endlessly through mud and grey forest in relentless rain. Of course there was a happy ending. Sort of. And Claire Bloom was sooooo beautiful.
At the time Hollywood's previous offerings of Sci-Fi were abysmal. There was The Forbidden Planet, with Robbie the Robot making wisecracks and Monsters of the Id killing spacefarers. Then there was When Two Worlds Collide, with a painted tin rocket ship sliding up a ski jump trailing a pathetic little flame and a lot of smoke. War of the Worlds was pretty neat, but there were no human spacemen in the story. It would be years before Stanley Kubrick brought much greater realism (along with fantasy) in 2001, A Space Odessy. Then along came Star Wars, and everybody's doing it now.
Would I be disappointed if I saw The Illustrated Man today? Quite possibly. But my memory is of being lost for two hours in a future time in far distant worlds, and not being disappointed apart from wishing they had filmed more of Bradbury's stories. Maybe I should just get the book and read them all again.
page: 1
Latest Headlines in DVD
- 1. Mamma Mia! The Movie - Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! More Gift Set – DVD Review
- 2. Stargate: 15th Anniversary Edition - Blu-ray Review
- 3. Walt Disney Treasures: Zorro - The Complete First and Second Seasons – DVD Review
- 4. Ultimate Cars Gift Pack – Blu-ray Review
- 5. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian comes to DVD and M&C’s giving away three copies!

Your Talkback on this Story