By my count, there's only three screen works based on concepts birthed from the mind of eccentric genius
Philip K. Dick that can be proudly perched on the same shelf as his extraordinary novels. Those are '
Total Recall' (though uneven, it's a movie with good ideas), '
Minority Report' and the real jewel in the crown, '
Blade Runner'. The latter is probably legendary director
Sir. Ridley Scott's finest achievement. So it's with much delight that I read Scott is attempting
to develop a 4-part BBC series based on Dick's Hugo-Award winning, alternative universe parable '
The Man In The High Castle'. Published in 1963, the novel is set in a world where the Allies lost World War II to The Axis power of Japan and Germany. The Western world is under totalitarian imperialism. Here is the world in 1963, according to Dick's, if the Allies were beaten; (click
HERE to see larger version) The novel takes place over the U.S. (at least what we now geographically know as the States anyway) as now politically opposing Japan and Germany fight for control of the territory. The novel features a whole host of famous figures (mostly Nazi generals like Goebells and Goring) but is grounded by a set of blue-collar Americans who try and cope with life under Facism. '
Spook's' writer and playwright
Howard Brenton is working on the screenplay, which will more than likely water-down and simplifier (much like I have above)
a very complex novel, full of rich ideas and diverging sub-plots. Here's a fan-made trailer for what an adaptation might look like; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42a3jwxypj0 Not much is known about it just yet, and credit to
Bleeding Cool for spotting the story in the first place. What we do know is Ridley's Scott Free productions are working closely with Electric Shepherd, the development company of Dick's estate, and this exciting quote from Scott;
a joy and a privilege to be back in Dicks world. Ive been a lifelong fan. He is the master of creating worlds which not only spark the imagination, but offer deeper commentary on the human condition. Howard is one of Britains most highly regarded writers and will bring even more depth to Dicks classic.
