Lathe of Heaven (2002) (TV)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Philip Haas

Writers (WGA):

Ursula K. Le Guin (novel)
Alan Sharp (teleplay)

Release Date:

8 September 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

His dreams control our destiny, but who controls his dreams.

Plot Keywords:

Psychiatrist | Central Pontine Myelinosis | Therapist | Dream | Utopia Quest

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

James Caan	...	Dr. William Haber
Lukas Haas	...	George Orr
Lisa Bonet	...	Heather Lelache
David Strathairn	...	Mannie
Sheila McCarthy	...	Penny
Serge Houde	...	Judge
Suzanne Desautels	...	Lelache's Secretary
Belinda Hum	...	Mrs. Nakumisi
Tetsuro Shigematsu	...	Mr. Nakumisi
Jonathan Higgins	...	Medic
Danny Blanco	...	Security Officer (as Danny Blanco-Hall)
Conrad Pla	...	Search Man #1
Daniel Do	...	Waker / Host
Daniel Pilon	...	President Murtle
Steve Adams	...	Game Show Host

Runtime:

USA:90 min | USA:91 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Company:

A&E Television Networks

Trivia:

Bruce Davison, who played George Orr in the 1980 teleplay, acted as executive producer on the 2002 remake.

Movie Connections:

Remake of The Lathe of Heaven (1980) (TV)

Death to Hollywood!

Dreadful. Stupid. Boring. None of these words come even CLOSE to describing the horror of this 2002 A&E film which claims to be based on U.K. LeGuin's "The Lathe of Heaven".

It's not as if they didn't have an example to follow. The PBS production of Lathe is universally recognized as one of the best "thinking" science fiction movies ever made, and they made it for virtually nothing compared to the cost of A&E's dog of a film.

There is a lesson to be learned, here, folks, and the lesson is this: Hollywood is full of idiots. They remade Casablanca. They remade The Third Man. Why? And in the name of all sanity, why can't anyone STOP them?

Virtually all of the plot of the book and original movie are gone, as is all of the sense. The aliens? Gone. The grey-skin solution to race problems? Gone. The dissonance between the Western activist/technological worldview as opposed to the Eastern passive/natural worldview? Gone. Intelligent dialog, talented acting? Gone.

In their place we get some hot tongue action between Lisa Bonet and Lucas Haas. Not a good trade-off.

Ms. Le Guin was heavily involved with the PBS original, and not at all consulted about this remake. The director boasted that he hadn't seen the first movie nor read the book. He should have. If he had, perhaps he'd have recognized his own utter lack of talent and done the decent thing, which is kill himself before he made this monstrosity.

I only hope that new viewers aren't put off seeing the original by this bad, bad movie. Do yourself a favor: buy or rent the original on DVD! Even the special effects were cooler, and it was made in 1980!!