15 adaptations of Ray Bradbury: from classic movies to arthouse and cartoons

August 22, 1920 was born the famous writer Ray Bradbury. In addition to well-known novels and short stories, the author has created more and a lot of scripts for film and television. His works also often transferred to the screen. And the creativity of the writer addressed both Western and Soviet filmmakers and animators.

Movies

1. It Came from Outer Space

It Came from Outer Space

• United States, 1953.
• Fiction, horror.
• Duration: 81 min.
• IMDb: 6,6.

Astronomer with his girlfriend watching the stars through a telescope. Suddenly he sees a luminous object, similar to the alien ship. At first no one believes the hero, but soon in the nearby town begin to occur strange and even dangerous things that people lost in the desert, and then returned, but with empty eyes.

This film is not based on some work of Ray Bradbury - he wrote the screenplay for the film. According to the author, he wanted to show aliens with an unusual side: not as a threat but as a nation that understands humanity.

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2. 451º Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit 451

• France, Great Britain, 1966.
• Dystopia.
• Duration: 109 minutes.
• IMDb: 7,3.

Classic film adaptation of the legendary novel about a world where banned literature. The main character works in a team of firefighters - people who burn books. He strongly believes in the business, but a meeting with a young girl Clarissa changes his life.

In 2018 there was a new film adaptation of the same novel. The plot is adapted for the present: the fire has destroyed not only books, but also all the digital media, where information is stored forbidden. However, this version is inferior to the original in the atmosphere.

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3. The Illustrated Man

The Illustrated Man

• United States, 1969.
• Fiction, drama.
• Duration: 103 minutes.
• IMDb: 6,1.

Young man Willie meets a strange stranger. He was covered head to toe tattoos and trying to find the girl who made them. But it's not just a body-painting. If you look carefully, they add up to a true story, which can tell us about the future.

The filmmakers have presented a collection of several stories exactly the same way as it has created itself Bradbury. The plot is framed by the story of "The Illustrated Man," all the remaining stories - "veld", "Tomorrow the end of the world" and "endless rain" - emerge from his tattoos.

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4. Something terrible is coming

Something Wicked This Way Comes

• United States, 1983.
• Fantasy, Thriller.
• Duration: 94 minutes.
• IMDb: 6,8.

Two boys who live in a small town, go to the park attractions. There they meet a man who offers to perform any of their desires. It turns out that children are faced with the devil, tempting people.

This work was originally written Bradbury screenplay based on his story as "Devil's Wheel". But the film failed to find funding, and the author rewrote it into a novel. Later, still managed to take a picture, with Bradbury even had to direct some of the scenes.

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5. Veld

• USSR, 1987.
• Fantasy, dystopia.
• Duration: 81 min.
• IMDb: 6,6.

Family Stone lives in a huge mansion. Children of Peter and Wendy almost do not communicate with their parents and playing all day in a special room, transforming computer games into a kind of reality. Meanwhile, behind the walls of the house take place more and more strange things: a fisherman and his wife had to double their dead son, but it takes a special quarantine team. And then the victim of this command, a father of the family Stone.

The film is the story of the same name lay Bradbury. But as the story progresses in the picture you can see the interpretation and other works by the author: stories "Dragon", "Corporation" Puppets "," "pedestrian" and even one chapter of "The Martian Chronicles."

6. thirteenth apostle

• USSR, 1988.
• Fantasy.
• Duration: 105 minutes.
• IMDb: 6,1.

The crew of space mission killed while attempting to colonize a new planet. In the living there is only a captain. In his report he states the reasons for which this planet must be kept in a quarantine mode. However, 15 years later the inspector tries to find out what really happened with the colonizers.

The film is based on one of the parts of "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury. At the same time director Suren Babayan has managed quite freely with the original, creating its own, almost art-house atmosphere.

7. Dominus

• USSR, 1990.
• Fantasy.
• Duration: 70 minutes.
• IMDb: 6,6.

The film consists of two stories. The first tells the story of a man who simply mows wheat. But spit it is written: "My master - the master of the world." And each cut their ear - someone's life. The second story focuses on two boys who suddenly notice that the owner of the attraction "Ferris Wheel" only younger with time. This is why he spins the wheel in the opposite direction.

As it has become clear in the framework of the film formed stories "Kos" and "Ferris Wheel". And the creators of the picture is very accurately conveys the story of both works.

8. The fourth planet

• USSR, 1995.
• Fantasy, Romance.
• Duration: 84 minutes.
• IMDb: 6,9.

Mars comes first space expedition and was surprised to discover there quite earthly town. The colonists realize that they were in their own pastCreated by the thinking field. The commander decides to take advantage of this opportunity to save long-dead lover.

It is easy to notice that the main subject of the picture - a retelling of "Third Expedition" from "The Martian Chronicles" of Bradbury.

9. Dandelion Wine

• Russia, 1997.
• Drama.
• Duration: 208 minutes.
• IMDb: 7,1.

Grandparents make a special wine from dandelions. After drinking it, one begins to see the world very differently. The story begins with the adventures of their grandchildren and Tom Douglas and a couple of friends of boys. And then the story is woven and ingenious inventor, created the "car to be happy," conjectural and mysterious machine, which can be struck very old fortune teller.

Ray Bradbury novel, logshy the basis of the film adaptation, not as fantastic as some other works of the author. Rather, it is just a story of dreams of ordinary people that have tried to convey in the movie. And for those who are already familiar with it, and the book can be interesting to see the Soviet short film in 1972 with the same title.

TV series

10. Ray Bradbury Theater

The Ray Bradbury Theater

• United States, 1985.
• Fiction, an anthology.
• Duration: 6 seasons.
• IMDb: 7,7.

All episodes of the series are separate stories based on any Bradbury's work. Moreover, each episode begins with an introduction of the author.

Like Alfred HitchcockWith which Bradbury also was able to work, the writer suffered a lot on the screens of their small stories in the format of the series anthology. This project is perfect for a first acquaintance with the works of the famous science fiction writer.

Cartoons

11. Icarus Montgolfier Wright

Icarus Montgolfier Wright

• United States, 1962.
• Fiction parable.
• Duration: 18 minutes.
• IMDb: 6,8.

Before the expedition to the moon rocket pilot dream recalls the first experiences of humanity in flight. It begins with the mythical Icarus, and then goes to the creators of the balloon of the Montgolfier brothers, and then he remembers the Wright Brothers - the inventors of the airplane.

Cartoon created another Ray Bradbury - illustrator Joseph Magnani. He painted with watercolors for the year dozens of paintings, which became the basis of this work.

12. Will gentle rain

• USSR, 1984.
• Fantasy.
• Time: 9 minutes 50 seconds.
• IMDb: 7,6.

In the future, the robot prepares a meal for the whole family, wakes the children to school, make the bed. Once the machine does not even notice that her owners had long been dead. After a global catastrophe all people have died, and the surviving house is completely empty. But one day in building a bird flies, and robot going crazy.

In a very beautiful story postapokaliptichny director added quite psychedelic picture. But as the original story it can not match better with the atmosphere that takes place on the screen.

13. Here There Be Tigers

• USSR, 1989.
• Fantasy.
• Duration: 10 minutes 11 seconds.
• IMDb: 7,6.

Space Expedition arrives at a new planet for the purpose of resource extraction. The astronauts discover that in the new world, they can at any time to get food, water, as well as to fulfill all their desires. However, one member of the expedition is determined to empty the bowels of a new planet. And aggression the world meets the same aggression.

The plot of the cartoon quite accurately recounts the work of the same name Bradbury, although there are significant differences in the final. But in both cases it is the story of the search for harmony between humankind and the planet.

14. The man in the air

• Russia, 1993.
• Parable.
• Duration: 10 minutes 33 seconds.

Once a man has invented wings and could fly like a bird. However, the Chinese emperor is too afraid that this invention harm him, and does not see the real beauty.

Behind the scenes in the movie literally regurgitate a very short but very emotional story Bradbury about the eternal conflict of the creator and the tyrant.

15. The eve of All Saints'

The Halloween Tree

• USA, 1993.
• Fantasy, family.
• Duration: 69 minutes.
• IMDb: 8,2.

on the eve All Saints' Day children go collect candy from neighbors and cookies. But the traditional happy holiday goes according to plan: they come to the house inhabited by the very real ghosts. A ghost, as we know, does not like to be disturbed. And now the young heroes have to escape from the home side.

This cartoon is not only based on a short story by Ray Bradbury. The author himself reads the narration here.

see also

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