History Literature / AScannerDarkly

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In 2006, it was [[AnimatedAdaptation adapted]] into a [[TheFilmOfTheBook movie]] by RichardLinklater, starring Creator/KeanuReeves, Woody Harrelson, Creator/RobertDowneyJr, and Creator/WinonaRyder. Neither a traditional live-action nor animated feature, the movie was recorded on digital video and then [[{{Rotoscoping}} rotoscoped]] to create a graphic novel-like visual effect, in a similar style to Linklater's earlier film ''Film/WakingLife''. Both versions of the story are well-loved, although some significant elements of the film are different from the novel.

In 2006, it was [[AnimatedAdaptation adapted]] into a [[TheFilmOfTheBook movie]] by RichardLinklater, starring Creator/KeanuReeves, Woody Harrelson, Creator/RobertDowneyJr, and WinonaRyder. Neither a traditional live-action nor animated feature, the movie was recorded on digital video and then [[{{Rotoscoping}} rotoscoped]] to create a graphic novel-like visual effect, in a similar style to Linklater's earlier film ''Film/WakingLife''. Both versions of the story are well-loved, although some significant elements of the film are different from the novel.

->This has been a novel about some people who were punished entirely too much for what they did. They wanted to have a good time, but they were like children playing in the street; they could see one after another of them being killed - run over, maimed, destroyed - but they continued to play anyhow. We really all were very happy for a while, sitting around not toiling but just bullshitting and playing, but it was for such a terrible brief time, and then the punishment was beyond belief: even when we could see it, we could not believe it...
-->--'''A Scanner Darkly''', afterword, ''Creator/PhilipKDick''

** The rehab clinic and the people who run it are pretty much the only side in the entire book that have the word "BAD" ''clearly'' written over them in big black letters.

*** Well, until the afterward anyway, where the long list of Dick's now dead, dying or incurably insane addict friends essentially screams "NOT WORTH IT".

** In the movie, one of the brands advertised in the liquor store is "St. ''Literature/Ubik''".

* FantasticDrug: Downplayed almost to aversion. Substance-D is the most powerful "typical" drug rather than one with any supernatural qualities. As Dick said, "Everything in ''A Scanner Darkly'' I actually saw".

* FantasticDrug: Substance-D.

* DatingCatwoman: Subverted. Bob/Fred says he loves Donna and would love to date her, but never ultimately does. She claims she doesn't date. He does have sex with someone and hallucinates that its Donna, though...

* HollywoodSilencer: Barris makes a homemade suppressor out of tinfoil and foam rubber. It only manages to make the gun louder.

* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture- 1994 or 1995 in the book (Luckman was born in 1962 and is said to be 32), "seven years from now" in the movie.

* NoodleIncident: One of the characters makes a vague reference to Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio hitting an "Music/{{Elvis|Presley}} phase", hinting that he has a career-ending breakdown some time in [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture the near future]].

* NoodleIncident: One of the characters makes a vague reference to Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio hitting an "Music/Elvis|Presley}} phase", hinting that he has a career-ending breakdown some time in [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture the near future]].

** However, what was different in this book it that through it clearly shows that the drugs are destructive, it asks the question: if the reality without drugs isn't a world you want to live in, what's the point? It shows the pay off: a brief life of dark instability where wonderful moments can still happen, terminated quickly by damage, psychosis and death; or a world of straight living where nothing changes and routine just whiles away the interminable time of your long life. That entire struggle is manifest in Arctor's decision to become an undercover cop, and then in the identity split between Fred and Arctor. Par the course, really, for PKD's dystopian view of reality, the question is discussed vigorously and never answered.

* CastingGag: Creator/RobertDowneyJr, who's infamous for his highly publicized drug problems (which he was just recovering from at the time the movie came out) is cast as a drug addict living in a household full of them.

* NoodleIncident: One of the characters makes a vague reference to LeonardoDiCaprio hitting an "[[ElvisPresley Elvis]] phase", hinting that he has a career-ending breakdown some time in [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture the near future]].
* ShoutOut: The reference to an unnamed LeonardoDiCaprio movie about [=DiCaprio's=] character [[Film/CatchMeIfYouCan "pretending to be other people"]].

** the cops are using questionable means, the drug dealers are pushing a drug that kills people, and the [[spoiler: rehab clinic is growing the drug it claims it's trying to stop]]. No real good guys here...

* CastAsAMask: In the movie, Mark Turner plays "Hank", who is later revealed to be [[spoiler:Winona Ryder's character, Donna]].
* CastingGag: Creator/RobertDowneyJr, who's infamous for his highly publicized drug problems (which he was just recovering from at the time the movie came out) is cast as a drug addict living in a household full of them.

* DerangedAnimation: One of the greatest benefits of rotoscoping the film was that it became easy to seamlessly blend realistic imagery into ThisIsYourPremiseOnDrugs. Freck's "aphids" freakout is the first example and it only gets worse from there...

* IfYouCanReadThis: In the film, a surveillance console displaying a lot of scrolling small text is actually scrolling through ''Film/BladeRunner'''s screenplay.

* NoodleIncident: In the movie, one of the characters makes a vague reference to LeonardoDiCaprio hitting an "[[ElvisPresley Elvis]] phase", hinting that he has a career-ending breakdown some time in [[TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture the near future]].

* ShoutOut: The movie contains a reference to an unnamed LeonardoDiCaprio movie about [=DiCaprio's=] character [[Film/CatchMeIfYouCan "pretending to be other people"]], as well as a brief reference to Leo going through an [[NoodleIncident "Elvis phase"]].

* HollywoodSilencer: Subverted. It's badly made, and actually amplifies the sound.

In 2006, it was [[AnimatedAdaptation adapted]] into a [[TheFilmOfTheBook movie]] by RichardLinklater, starring Creator/KeanuReeves, Woody Harrelson, Creator/RobertDowneyJr, and WinonaRyder. Neither a traditional live-action nor animated feature, the movie was recorded on digital video and then [[{{Rotoscoping}} rotoscoped]] to create a graphic novel-like visual effect. Both versions of the story are well-loved, although some significant elements of the film are different from the novel.

** He wires up Bob's house with surveillance cameras (without asking Bob first of course) and then to make sure they're tested leaves the front door unlocked with a note on it to tell prospective burglars to come on in.

* HiredToHuntYourself: Bob being instructed to spy on Fred, with the catch that Bob starts to ''forget'' that he's Fred and at one point considers him the prime suspect.