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Grex > Scifi > #123: The Lathe of Heaven, on television, again | |
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krj
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The Lathe of Heaven, on television, again
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May 23 17:21 UTC 2000 |
The PBS adaptation of Ursula K. LeGuin's "The Lathe of Heaven" is reported
to have been liberated from the vaults; some PBS stations will be airing
it in the next week or two, and I've read that after that it will be
available for purchase on tape or DVD.
The program was aired once, before VCRs were very common. My faint
recollection is that it was a pretty good, very low-budget adaptation
of the story, which is one of my favorite LeGuin works.
Since then there have been rare bootleg showings at SF conventions,
but other than that this program has not been seen in about 20 years.
A story about the re-release is at Aaron Barnhart's "TV Barn" site:
http://www.tvbarn.com/sfloft/sf-051700.html
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| 14 responses total. |
mcnally
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response 1 of 14:
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May 23 18:09 UTC 2000 |
I wonder -- did the story's protagonist dream away the bottom 15-20
lines of Ken's text? ;-)
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krj
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response 2 of 14:
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May 23 19:58 UTC 2000 |
Ooops. The cat walked on the keyboard at one point and I forgot
to clean it up. Sorry about that.
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scott
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response 3 of 14:
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May 23 21:24 UTC 2000 |
Riiiiiggghhhhttt.
Yeah, I remember watching that movie. I must have been 13 or 14 at the time,
but I thought it was really cool. Seems like I've seen it since, though.
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gjharb
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response 4 of 14:
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May 25 01:28 UTC 2000 |
I saw it and never forgot it. I've thought about it often over the years
and wondered why such a first rate production was never repeated. I also
remember liking the music.
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krj
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response 5 of 14:
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May 25 02:23 UTC 2000 |
I saw a list of stations carrying it posted to a Usenet SF newsgroup.
It is *not* getting a wide distribution.
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robh
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response 6 of 14:
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May 25 17:46 UTC 2000 |
Re 4 - I think it had to do with arguments over who had the distribution
rights, or some such legal silliness.
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dbratman
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response 7 of 14:
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May 30 20:30 UTC 2000 |
The New York PBS station produced it and owns the rights to it, and for
years was simply not interested in re-broadcasting it or releasing it on
videotape, no matter how many people pleaded for it. As I recall, the
human producer died, so there was nobody to fight for it in the
bureaucracy.
I've seen it three times, I think, thanks to home copies made by other
people. It's exceedingly low-budget, but it's also very faithful to the
book, and the acting is good. Kevin Conway, then little-known, is Dr.
Haber: he's probably the best.
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mcnally
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response 8 of 14:
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May 30 21:44 UTC 2000 |
the phrase "Kevin Conway, then little-known.." implies that at this
point Kevin Conway is now better-known. Obviously not to me, however --
who is ie?
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gjharb
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response 9 of 14:
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May 31 16:10 UTC 2000 |
When it comes out on video, I'll be first in line.
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dbratman
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response 10 of 14:
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Jun 2 17:22 UTC 2000 |
I think Kevin Conway is best-known for his stage work, but I was
pleased to see him not too long ago as Hastings in Al Pacino's "Looking
for Richard".
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janc
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response 11 of 14:
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Jun 5 15:59 UTC 2000 |
I remember seeing it on TV too. Liked it.
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gjharb
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response 12 of 14:
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Jul 2 19:08 UTC 2000 |
Any new info when this might be televised in the Ann Arbor area - or anywhere
in the states at all?
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scott
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response 13 of 14:
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Jan 14 01:15 UTC 2001 |
I found it on video (and possibly DVD; I didn't check) at the downtown Ann
Arbor Border's. I *think* it's the same one, anyway. About $25; I haven't
decided whether to buy it or not.
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robh
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response 14 of 14:
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Jan 14 02:14 UTC 2001 |
Wow, I'd forgotten this item was here. I got the video via the
SF Book Club for $25 or thereabouts, and I was very impressed.
(My fiance' was less impressed, but she's not info SF, and
is usually not impressed by much of anything. >8)
Obscure trivia - the fellow who played George Orr also played
Senator Kelly in last summer's X-Men movie.
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