Tom
An Old Friend
In June of last year we posted a piece on John Alan Simon's adaptation of Philip K Dick's Radio Free Albemuth wondering where it was. Since then, I've had a phone conversation with the director who told me the reason that it's taking so long is that they want to do it right, low budget and all. I know they've redone the cgi for the satellite multiple times and all in all, he says he'd rather take his time then put out felgercarb. Well it's getting close folks, he tells me they are a month or two away from a finished product and we're quite excited. The film stars Alanis Morissette as Sylvia (which he tells me is perfect for her role), Ashley Greene as Rhonda, Jonathan Scarfe as Nicholas Brady, Shea Whigham as Phil, Katheryn Winnick as Rachel Brady, Hanna Hall as Vivian Kaplan, and Scott Wilson as President Fremont. This version has been updated a bit but it is not set in contemporary times but we'll hold off on further details as we reveal more in the future. On a side note, Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said will be getting an adaptation by Halcyon and John is also behind this project as well and will produce. We've known this for a while but weren't allowed to share, lots more to come!
Nick Brady is a college dropout and record store clerk living in Berkeley in the year 1984. But it's not the same reality we know. The Watergate tapes were burned and President Ferris Fremont, a Nixon-like clone is still in office. And he'll probably be elected to another term and another ... pursuing a terrorist organization known as Aramchek.
One night, a shadowy figure appears beside Nick's bed. Soon after, he begins to experience a series of vivid images and messages in his dreams. Rachel's father is about to retire and Nick will be "promoted" to running the record store, just as cd's are being introduced. Nick starts to have visions, about moving to Los Angeles and becoming a music executive. He feels guided by a higher power that he calls VALIS, an acronym for Vast Active Living Intelligent System. His wife Rachel and best friend, science fiction writer Philip K. Dick, suspect he's going crazy but the strange part is that his slacker life is suddenly shaping up. Against all odds, Nick does get a job offer from Progressive Records and the couple moves to Los Angeles. When Phil comes to visit, he finds that both Rachel and Nick have quickly adapted to the upwardly mobile LA lifestyle. Nick's a rising star at Progressive Records.
That night, a strange pink light flashes inf ront of them. It blinds Nick for a few minutes. Later, Nick goes into baby Ezra's room and reveals that their son needs immediate surgery for a strangulated hernia. Nick's diagnosis proves accurate.
All pictures copyright Radio Free LLC, all rights reserved.
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