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Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) Binding: VHS Tape EAN: 9786300269583 Format: Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC ISBN: 6300269582 Label: Warner Home Video Manufacturer: Warner Home Video Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Warner Home Video Release Date: December 13, 1993 Running Time: 103 minutes Sales Rank: 17392 Studio: Warner Home Video Theatrical Release Date: March 26, 1969
Description: Sci-fi film adaptation of Ray Bradbury's book involving a young wanderer who meets a tattooed man in search of the woman who "illustrated" his body. When stared at, the tattoo designs prompt elaborate futuristic visions in the wanderer's mind.
Amazon.com: Ray Bradbury's celebrated fiction has been notoriously resistant to screen adaptation, but that hasn't stopped the flawed film version of The Illustrated Man from gaining a small but devoted following. First published in 1951, Bradbury's classic book consisted of 18 stories framed by the tale of a man whose entire body is a living canvas of exotic tattoos, or "skin illustrations," each inviting the reader/viewer into Bradbury's ominous realm of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. In the film, this framing story takes place in Depression-era America, where a young drifter named Willie (well played by Robert Drivas) encounters Carl (Rod Steiger), the gruffly eccentric Illustrated Man. Gazing upon Carl's mesmerizing tattoos, Willie is transported into three of the 18 stories in Bradbury's collection. A pioneering exercise in virtual reality, "The Veldt" features a high-tech playroom (a precursor to Star Trek: The Next Generation's holodeck) where two children select an African veldt as their favorite virtual playground, ultimately trapping their parents (played by real-life couple Steiger and then-wife Claire Bloom) in a place of deadly danger. "The Long Rains" finds a quartet of astronauts (including Steiger and Drivas) stranded on Venus, where an incessant downpour preys on their sanity. "The Last Night of the World" takes place on the eve of a nuclear holocaust, as a desperate couple (again played by Steiger and Bloom) agonizes over the decision to euthanize their children before the end of the world.
As adapted by Howard B. Kreitsek and directed by Jack Smight (best known for Airport '75 and episodes of the original Twilight Zone), none of these stories work as well as the framing device, in which Steiger gives a brashly volatile performance. The story selection is curiously misguided and poorly executed, and Smight predictably fails to capture Bradbury's elusive quality of poetic allegory. Anthology films are always hit-or-miss anyway, but The Illustrated Man is more pretentiously frustrating than most (and more dated, especially in terms of sets and costumes), although it effectively captures the dreamy, contemplative tone that prevailed in many "art" films of the late '60s. If seen in the right mood, it's the kind of failed experiment that makes a lasting impression, despite its many shortcomings. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - vcr tape review
Not in very good condition, took most of MOVIE time to get a picture due to the TV TRACKING!
Rating: - Strange Science Fiction
Rod Steiger and Claire Bloom turn in solid character performances in this anthology chosen from the classic Ray Bradburry novel.
The broad premise of the movie has a deranged Steiger searching for revenge on the mysterious woman who illustrated (tatooed) him. Robert Drivas plays a young traveler who bumps into Steiger on the road.
The movie flows between stories of how Steiger picked up the illustrations, along with the three stories told by them:
- Two parents strugling with their declining relationship, and their children's use of a Holodeck-like virtual reality ... Read More
Rating: - MIND BLOWING
This is one of my most favorite movies it makes you think and thats good if a writer can do that. you must see and own this one. Rod Steiger was born for this one he was perfect for this part, Claire Bloom laked something but still did a good job. if they want a movie to remake with todays cg this is one to do.
Rating: - Oldie but Goodie
Good video (not outstanding, but good). The extra's are fun, but the quality is not very good. If you are a science fiction fan, this is a must-see and is probably the best quality you can get.
Rating: - Reminiscent Of The Twilight Zone
Though I am familiar with some of the work of Ray Bradbury and have enjoyed what stories of his I have read, I never read the anthology of stories that made up The Illustrated Man. But I bought this movie anyhow to see how his stories might work on film.
The answer is they don't work very well as presented here. In the first place, if this is a Depression-era story, then drifter Robert Drivas' haircut is definitely out of place. He looks just like a typical late-1960s teenager. Secondly, the sets are of cheap '60s sci-fi style. "Lost In Space" anyone? Finally, the acting is mostly just lame. ... Read More
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