Scanner Darkly
Written by Richard Linklater, Winona Ryder, Rory Cochrane, Robert Downey, Keanu Reeves, Woody Harrelson
Staff Pick
A Scanner Darkly
Richard Linklater's A Scanner Darkly is less interested in telling a straightforward mystery than it is in making the viewer increasingly uncomfortable with every new nightmare scenario. The future is bleak, and the world is under constant government surveillance. Increased tensions and stoked fears lead to an outbreak in substance abuse. Keanu Reeves lives a relatively mundane life in suburbia. His two strung-out friends (played by the scene-chewing Robert Downey, Jr. and Rory Cochrane) are in a constant state of paranoia due to their drug abuse. It is revealed that Reeves remains close to these incompetent men because he is secretly an undercover cop investigating a drug ring. As the mystery unravels, Reeves finds it harder and harder to separate his dual identities. While Reeves battles his own addiction, reality itself becomes increasingly warped, leaving him questioning his own existence. This movie comes highly recommended for its amazing use of rotoscoping (a unique animated style that comes from hand-painting over every frame of live-action film) and its off the wall performances. It leaves the viewer questioning what kind of world we live in, where sometimes someone can be sacrificed without even knowing it.
The war on drugs has been lost, and when a reluctant undercover cop is ordered to spy on those he is closest to, the toll that the mission takes on his sanity is too great to comprehend in director Richard Linklater's rotoscoped take on Philip K. Dick's classic novel. With stratospheric concern over national security prompting paranoid government officials to begin spying on citizens, trust is a luxury and everyone is a suspected criminal until proven otherwise. Bob Arctor (Keanu Reeves) is a narcotics officer who is issued an order to spy on his friends and report back to headquarters. In addition to being a cop, though, Arctor is also an addict. His drug of choice is a ubiquitous street drug called Substance D, a drug known well for producing split personalities in its users. Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Condition: Used - GoodHPB condition ratings
- New: This movie is unopened and brand new.
- Fine/Like New (EX): Near new. No defects, little sign of use. Plays perfectly. Not necessarily sealed or unused, but close. No skipping; no fuzzy or snowy frames in VHS.
- Very Good (VG): Attractive and well cared for but no longer fresh. Minor signs of wear, but will play almost perfectly. For VHS: barely detectable distortion or very few fuzzy or snowy frames.
- Good (G): This item is in okay condition and basically works well. There may be some minor distortion on VHS tape; slight scratching or wear on DVD.
- Fair (FR): Basically plays, but may be obviously well-worn with some scratching or tape distortion.
- Poor (P): Disc or tape is intact, but may be scratched or stretched. There may be skips or distortion or product defects.
- Format: Blu-Ray
- Sold by: HPB West Madison
- Seller rating:
- Publisher: WARNER HOME VIDEO
- UPC: 883929130931
- Region: Region [unknown]
- New: Item is brand new, unused and unmarked, in flawless condition.
- Fine/Like New (F): No defects, little usage. May show remainder marks. Older books may show minor flaws.
- Very Good (VG): Shows some signs of wear and is no longer fresh. Attractive. Used textbooks do not come with supplemental materials.
- Good (G): Average used book with all pages present. Possible loose bindings, highlighting, cocked spine or torn dust jackets. Used textbooks do not come with supplemental materials.
- Fair (FR): Obviously well-worn, but no text pages missing. May be without endpapers or title page. Markings do not interfere with readability. Used textbooks do not come with supplemental materials.
- Poor (P): All text is legible but may be soiled and have binding defects. Reading copies and binding copies fall into this category. Used textbooks do not come with supplemental materials.
- New: Mint condition or still sealed (SS). Absolutely perfect in every way. New.
- Fine/Like New (EX): No defects, little sign of use, well cared for. Plays perfectly. Close to new. Not necessarily sealed or unused, but close. Could be an unopened promotional or cut item. Sometimes called: mint-minus.
- Very Good (VG): Will show some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it.
- Good (G): Attractive and well cared for, but no longer fresh. Minor signs of wear, scuffing or scratching, but will play almost perfectly. For vinyl: barely detectable crackles or pops.
- Fair (FR): This item is in okay condition. For vinyl: good is not so good and the record may have low level crackles or pops when playing. CD: one or more tracks may skip.
- Poor (P): Obviously well-worn and handled. Most vinyl collectors will not buy good or below, but some tracks on CD or vinyl will play.
- New: This movie is unopened and brand new.
- Fine/Like New (EX): Near new. No defects, little sign of use. Plays perfectly. Not necessarily sealed or unused, but close. No skipping; no fuzzy or snowy frames in VHS.
- Very Good (VG): Attractive and well cared for but no longer fresh. Minor signs of wear, but will play almost perfectly. For VHS: barely detectable distortion or very few fuzzy or snowy frames.
- Good (G): This item is in okay condition and basically works well. There may be some minor distortion on VHS tape; slight scratching or wear on DVD.
- Fair (FR): Basically plays, but may be obviously well-worn with some scratching or tape distortion.
- Poor (P): Disc or tape is intact, but may be scratched or stretched. There may be skips or distortion or product defects.