8 best films based on the books of the great optimist and great science fiction writer Ray Bradbury

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Ray Brabury was not only a great storyteller, but also an incorrigible optimist who retained his memory and sound mind until his very last day. He loved life and considered it the greatest gift. He has written many works that have inspired and continue to inspire filmmakers around the world. They say that he was not very lucky with film adaptations, but our today's review presents the most significant films that were shot based on the books of a great optimist and a great writer.

Ray Bradbury Theater, TV series, 1985 - 1992, UK, France, Canada, New Zealand, 15 directors

This series, in which the writer played several roles at once - executive producer, screenwriter, presenter and even an actor - became a screen version of 65 works by Ray Bradbury, one for each episode. In addition, he personally took part in the selection of actors. The main merit of the "Ray Bradbury Theater" was the increased interest in the writer's works on the part of young people and adolescents, who were sent en masse to the library for science fiction books. In fact, this film adaptation has become a television collected works.

"And Thunder Came", 2005, Czech Republic, Great Britain, Germany, USA, director Peter Hyams

It was based on the mini-novel of the same name, and its release was preceded by many events that postponed the date of the premiere. It was originally planned for 2002, but filming in the Czech Republic was delayed due to an unprecedented flood that paralyzed half of Europe, and then it turned out that the production company did not have the money to finish the film. However, the creative team and the director himself made it impossible: they finished the film and were able to make it exactly the way the writer himself would like to see it. Peter Hyams constantly called up with the science fiction writer, coordinating with him many details and individual scenes. Unfortunately, the film failed at the box office, but the science fiction writer himself did not remain indifferent to it.

Fahrenheit 451, 1966, UK, directed by Francois Truffaut

Surprising was the fact that the adaptation of Bradbury's novel of the same name became the only film by a French director in English and the first color picture in his work. Unlike the original, the main character does not die in the finale, but leaves the city with Guy Montag. By the way, Ray Bradbury highly appreciated this adaptation, and his only remark was that Julie Christie did not match the image of Clarissa. According to the writer, the main character at the age of 17 in the original source looks very young and very naive, which cannot be said about the screen Clarissa.

"The Martian Chronicles", 1980, USA, UK, directed by Michael Anderson

The miniseries director was very careful with the literary source. But the measured and unhurried course of events, although it seemed very appropriate, made a very painful impression on Ray Bradbury. He found The Martian Chronicles too boring.

Veld, 1987, USSR, director Nazim Tulyakhodzhaev

The picture is based on several stories by Ray Bradbury. The main part is the work of the same name, in addition to it, the film contains references to "The Pedestrian", "The Puppet Corporation", "The Dragon", to episodes of the works "The Martian Chronicles" and "Dandelion Wine". "Veld" can be called a full-fledged horror film, but overall it leaves a rather heavy impression.

"There will be gentle rain", cartoon, 1984, USSR, director Nazim Tulyakhodzhaev

Despite the fact that the director of the animated film brought his own vision into his creation and made several factual mistakes in the narrative, critics and viewers in general appreciated the film adaptation quite highly. "It Will Be Gentle Rain" has taken part in several film festivals and won prizes at three of them.

Trouble Coming, 1983, USA, directed by Jack Clayton

The writer himself was very fond of this film adaptation, considering the film quite cute, though not great. Despite some disagreements with the director and the inclusion of several controversial scenes in the final version, the writer called the film one of the best among many film adaptations.

"All Saints' Eve", cartoon, 1993, USA, director Mario Piluso

It was this adaptation that the writer called the best of all that he had seen. The vivid atmospheric action is accompanied by offscreen text performed by Ray Bradbury himself, and the viewer, together with the heroes, will have to make a fascinating, albeit sometimes quite scary journey through time.

Ray Bradbury, one of the most popular and celebrated science fiction writers of the 20th century, described himself as "the man who graduated from libraries instead of college." He dreamed of going to Mars, and Hitchcock himself made films based on his scripts. Lines from his book Dandelion Wine seem like a breath of fresh air in the hectic modern world.