Radio Free Albemuth (2010)

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.

Just a few days ago I learned that Amazon Studios is making a pilot out of Philip K. Dick's The Man in the High Castle, further proof that his work will continue to be among the most provocative and influential sci-fi around. But of all the adaptations I've seen, I think Radio Free Albemuth is the most thoughtful and comes closest to capturing Philip K. Dick's spirit. In an age where sci-fi consists too much of post-toy trash like Transformers, RFA is so refreshing to see. The casting (including Alanis!) is spot on, and I love Philip K. Dick's appearance as a character who wrestles with his personal beliefs and the impact of his writing. This is a film that isn't afraid of its ideas, and it deserves to be seen.

If this is a faithful adaptation of a Philip K Dick book, then I guess I'm glad not to be a Philip K Dick fan. The acting was flat, the script incomprehensible, and the story line simply ludicrous.Alanis Morrisette, bless her heart, can't act any better than she can sing -- thankfully she only attempts one of those in this project. The other actors, unfortunately, aren't much better, though they do try. And try. And try.There is WAY too much dialog and, again, most of it make no sense (or sound issues make it too difficult to hear). While acknowledging that the film is set in "an alternate America" in the late 1980's, it doesn't look 80's at all.Bottom line, this is a terrible movie. Hardcore Philip Dick fans may enjoy it, but I'd advise viewers who appreciate a good *movie* to look elsewhere.

It was surprisingly satisfying to see a much-loved work adapted to screen in a way that felt, smelled, tasted like the book. There are times I read Dick and his characters' affect is brusque, maybe wooden. Intentionally or not, it was that way in parts in the film, and I loved it. It was the most home-y Dick adaptation I've ever seen. At no point did I feel the film directed the work away from his mind, his work, his thoughts. I was home, back in his books, but on the screen.In Wales we have a word; "hiraeth". Sort of a longing, a wistful lack of home and hearth that one was. To be rid of the hiraeth one has to go home and dig one's toes into the soil, breathe in the atmosphere, and reminisce. That feeling is what I got watching this film... my Philip K. Dick hiraeth was reset for a while. Very, very few of Dick's works have been so lovingly and faithfully placed on screen.In this instance I got exactly what I wanted: a faithful transformation from page to screen, and damn the horses. I wouldn't have it any other way.