Radio Free Albemuth

The struggles of the filmmakers in getting this movie made parallel those of Philip K. Dick, the author whose novel serves as source material for this film of the same name as the book. But like Philip K., they forged ahead, and have created a wonderful little film that, in spite of its noticeable budget limitations--particularly visible in the digital effects--is lovingly faithful to its novelistic source. Rather than action set-pieces, the film explores the ideas that frame the novel's plot, and crafts an atmosphere of increasing tension as the web of President Fremont's subversives-cleansing program closes around Philip K. Dick's (Shea Whigham) and Nicholas Brady's (Jonathan Scarfe) plans to insert transgressive messages subliminally in music recordings, all at the behest of a being in space named VALIS that communicates with Nicholas silently.

I'm a huge fan of the works Philip K. Dick, his books and short story collections line my shelves while the DVDs, etc. based on his works, barely make a dent. I'm generally not a fan of the adaptations that take a core PKD concept and turn it into a poorly executed version of The Fugitive. Personally, "A Scanner Darkly" is by far my favorite, with the top five rounded out by Radio Free Albemuth, Blade Runner, Screamers, and the Total Recall 2070 television series (not a true adaption, but close enough.)

I enjoyed RFM enough to watch it twice, and would recommend it to anyone who skews toward A Scanner Darkly as far PKD adaptations, and would compare it tone to 1984 or THX-1138. It definitely feels like a product of the 70's. The highlight of RFM would have to be Shea Whigham's portrayal of "Phil" which comes of as a bizarre mix of a typical neo-noir dick and Jack Kerouac.

RFM is not without its issues. It occasionally falls into "tell don't show" mode, and there's missed opportunity to give us a few scenes depicting the antagonists carrying out their nefarious schemes instead of being told about them, possibly a result of the script following the novel a little too close. But all in all, if you're a fan of PKD, or science fiction with a slower pace and little to no explosions, Radio Free Albemuth is well worth your time.

It's not the flashiest production of a PKD work I've ever seen but it's the one that's stuck with me the most. The themes present here are relevant today as they were when the original novel was being written. There is a pervading sense of dread running through the film, as in the original work. Shea Whigham is brilliant as Philip (obviously based on PKD himself) and the rest of the cast is equally great. This film was stuck in post for a long time and I think it could have benefited from better effects/editing but that's only a small quibble. It's on Netflix so there's no reason for you not to watch it, especially if you're a fan of things like 1984 or V for Vendetta. It's not as showy or grim as those but similar in theme and tone.

Let me start by saying that I have never read this book and cannot tell you how close the adaptation is to what was written. Although, in this case, I may decide to pick it up and read it, as the idea and storyline definitely felt real and reminded me of some of the weirdness we are experiencing in society today. This was an entertaining journey to watch with an intriguing and layered storyline, solid performances, outstanding characterizations, great visuals and a big budget feel. Sure, as a character and story driven movie, it does lack a tremendous amount of action, but that does nothing to bring the film down. In the end, this mixture of political and theological intrigue, conspiracy theories, and historical philosophical and subliminal messages plays out in an educational and entertaining manner, and is a must see for everyone. Check it out!

While previous adaptations of the work of the late, great Philip K. Dick have often been enjoyable, none has really taken a great deal from the original source stories beyond the most perfunctory aspects of the plot.

Radio Free Albemuth, while not sticking slavishly to every letter of the original text, is the first adaptation to really capture the spirit and convey the substance of Dick's work. Although this film does not have the high tech sheen of the more celebrated films to be taken from Dick's writing, it is every bit as gripping and exciting as the best of them, but also retains the intelligence, and political thought that previously has tended to go missing in translating Dick from page to screen.

John Alan Simon has written an exemplary screenplay and matched it with strong direction. The acting performances are also fine throughout.

I saw this at the Sci-Fi London film festival and got the distinct impression that I was not alone in my enthusiasm for this movie.