Quote of the day: “What do YOU think, Linda?”

Films from Ray Bradbury’s books have generally failed, but the good bits in them are sometimes so good, they justify continued efforts.

In Truffaut’s FAHRENHEIT 451, there’s the Hitchcockian opening, with Bernard Herrmann’s malevolent toytown score, the eerie shots of narcissists in a monorail, and the heartbreaking end. The Book People wander the countryside committing their texts to memory, a community of mad idealists on a doomed quest to preserve human culture, and a soft snow starts to descend.

The snow was a happy accident. It totally makes the scene.

“The little boy is repeating the words of the book, and he’s already making mistakes, and you realise it’s all going to be lost,” recalls cinematographer Nicholas Roeg.

Another happy accident: Mel Gibson’s planned remake so far shows no signs of going ahead! I don’t care too much what Mel does, as long as he leaves that one alone.

In the scene pictured above, Julie Christie, as Linda Montag, watches an interactive TV show. At key moments, the rather queer actors pause in their dialogue, turn to camera and ask, “What do YOU think, Linda?” in a strangely severe way. and she’s supposed to supply some improv dialogue of her own.

“Disturbing television programme!” remarked my friend Kiyo.

And maybe the most prophetic thing in the film…