tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2184123882936370131.post3100346157741375071..comments2024-03-25T10:29:21.161-07:00Comments on Total Dick-Head: Some Thoughts on 'Adjustment Team'Ragle Gummhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13951340313214410331noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2184123882936370131.post-23445823432846134942010-12-25T02:43:07.341-08:002010-12-25T02:43:07.341-08:00The Wikipedia article on "Adjustment Team&quo...The Wikipedia article on "Adjustment Team" has a link to a scan of the original magazine appearance with the illustrations on Wikimedia Commons. Think it requires a free DejaVu plugin to see. Article also has a link to a full text version on some apparently Google owned site.<br /><br />My favorite line in the story is "The natural process must be supplemented--adjusted here and there. Corrections must be made. We are fully licensed to make such corrections. Our adjustment teams perform vital work." Who does the licensing and under what power? Those questions are raised but not answered while the Old Man and his agency/team otherwise seem a typical depiction in 1940s and 1950s movies of an often indirectly named God and angelical heirachy interacting with live people where it's just assumed there's a monotheistic supreme God and angel underlings who do what they do because... Because it fits a rather generic depiction of the major American religions influencing such films and there was an assumption the theological reasoning audience members would fill in those blanks.Pantomime Horsenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2184123882936370131.post-87518011000384481572010-01-16T04:32:32.289-08:002010-01-16T04:32:32.289-08:00Halcyon filed for Chapter 11 recently.http://inves...Halcyon filed for Chapter 11 recently.<a rel="nofollow">http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=62070237</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2184123882936370131.post-23505859770556851042009-11-18T06:45:55.636-08:002009-11-18T06:45:55.636-08:00I have a 5 book set of Dick's short stories (I...I have a 5 book set of Dick's short stories (I think its supposed to be the complete collection) and I read through them all, story to story, book to book, and I think that was a mistake. Now they're all merged together in my mind. Add to that the years since this epic read-through, and now it's thoroughly congealed. The end result though is that I have this odd feeling that PKD now lives in the back of my head.<br /><br />As with all PKD adaptations on the big screen, I both look forward to this one, but also fear disappointment. I just hope the joy I feel at his posthumous success is somehow trickling in to the part of him that is sitting at the back of my head.<br /><br />I just want to take this opportunity to tell you how much I enjoy all your articles and observations here.Jerryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16938749236977060161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2184123882936370131.post-37920114422747403532009-10-15T14:42:51.888-07:002009-10-15T14:42:51.888-07:00As with any Dick story set for the big screen, one...As with any Dick story set for the big screen, one often wonders about the special effects to make the reality appear real (if one can be serious and ironic at the same time). That, in and of itself, ought to be the challenge for the director.The History Rathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17549834823317295684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2184123882936370131.post-84905235713435793292009-10-14T12:33:22.664-07:002009-10-14T12:33:22.664-07:00it seems to me like it would easier to adapt this ...it seems to me like it would easier to adapt this story than trying to tackle even the beginnings of asimovs foundation. <br />i think dicks short stories are the best. when i really started getting into finding them and collecting more of his short stories i came to the conclusion that short stories are the best, most condensed that a writer has to offer. i became a big fan of the short story and to this day find that its the greatest art/tool authors have. <br />my favorite pkd short story is 'faith of our fathers'. at first this story repulsed me and really messed with me but its kind of how i got into pkd. after re reading it a few more times i realized how great of a story it is. that story has a lot esoteric connection and mind expanding potential. theres a lot of jung and marx in it too. all wrapped up in a little story about alien invasion.sclrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14269957937233679929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2184123882936370131.post-51360405729471117932009-10-14T11:00:51.482-07:002009-10-14T11:00:51.482-07:00It had been a while since I read Adjustment Team, ...It had been a while since I read Adjustment Team, so I went back for a quick re-read (one of the benefits of short stories). I certainly do see the utopian theme, although I have not read any Asimov. I think this story could make an interesting premiss for a film...but I'm also thinking it could just end up as another Paycheck or Next.<br /><br />In general, science fiction is a pretty sub-par genre when it comes to film. (Then again, it might just be the industry as a whole today.) So whether they're using PKD, or regurgitating ideas from any number of other authors...seldom is the mark of a good film ever hit.<br /><br />I think the preliminary plot-line of the movie sounds good...the whole making "adjustments" to government...but I'm jaded based on the number of good films based on PKD stories (by my count there's only one, and I'm aware that like half the world disagrees with me on that number).<br /><br />Here's to hope. On the plus side, I keep adding books to my [re-]read pile.ct-scanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09415165623335167516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2184123882936370131.post-14361097982751202142009-10-14T00:22:56.985-07:002009-10-14T00:22:56.985-07:00Minority Report 2, I reckon. Only without the laug...Minority Report 2, I reckon. Only without the laughs.palmer_eldritchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15218327847970391752noreply@blogger.com