Back To Index The Lathe of Heaven
 Barnes & Noble The long-awaited arrival of Lathe of Heaven on home video is joyful news for many -- especially sci-fi fans who have heard of the 1980 film yet never seen it. Due to legal issues over a song used in one scene, the movie has gone pretty much unseen over the 20 years since it was produced for and aired on public television. (The Beatles version of "A Little Help from My Friends" that was originally used in the film has been replaced with another rendition.) A fine story spun from familiar sci-fi threads, Lathe of Heaven deserves an audience beyond the cult that is sure to race out and grab it. The film is based on the celebrated sci-fi novel by Ursula K. LeGuin and tells the story of a man (Bruce Davison) in the not-too-distant future whose dreams become realities. That is, if he dreams someone is killed in an automobile crash, the next day it will be as if that person never existed. A psychiatrist (Kevin Conway) assigned to his case decides to harness these abilities and begin recasting the world -- an overcrowded, polluted mess -- as he feels it should be. In the long tradition of unwitting guinea pigs racing to foil the megalomaniac, Lathe of Heaven is somewhat, well, traditional. For instance, when beautiful Margaret Avery shows up as a bureaucrat whom Davison approaches for help, theres little doubt that her initial reluctance is a sure sign of romantic sparks. Still, the movies odd look -- buildings in and around 1979 Dallas serve as the films evolving futureworld -- quirky performances, and surprising special effects keep things interesting: At one point in the zany doctors march to a better planet, he solves the issue of "race" by turning everything and everyone gray. The look of the effect may not have the computer-generated sheen of, say, the giant wave in The Perfect Storm, but its just as stirring. Greg Fagan Interested in the song lyrics? - Check out themostlyrics.com! Looking For A DVD? - Check out dvd-a-rama.com! |
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