Philip K. Dick: A Day In The Afterlife
Posted by Ross Rosenberg
I am a self-professed “Dickhead”, dedicating two full shelves of bookcase space to the work of Philip K. Dick, one of science fiction’s most prolific and insane authors. The ebb and flow of his popularity has been an interesting phenomenon to watch; his status remains that of a cult figure and yet, every few years, an article will pop up in, say, the New York Times expounding on his genius or someone will make a film based on one of his stories and then he will again sink underground, so to speak.
This is all very unsurprising seeing as how, from a purely literary perspective, Dick was not necessarily what one would call an accomplished writer. His characters are generally flat, the women always leeching shrews, the men are wimpy schlubs, usually somewhere in the vicinity of their life’s nadir. His dialogue is generally stilted and overwrought.
Yet despite these shortcomings, Dick embodies everything that I like about sci-fi, for while his characters and their interactions may be lacking, the worlds in which they dwell and the societies that run them are superbly realized. The conflicts which arise in these worlds are fantastic, oftentimes absurd, and yet they mesh flawlessly with the reality that he created. It was these aspects that defined the genre for Dick and, in turn, it was these aspects that he poured most of his efforts.
Which brings us, finally, to the documentary at hand. Philip K. Dick: A Day in the Afterlife was produced for the BBC and focuses on the man himself, in all his crazy, drug-addled, paranoid glory. The mind behind some of my favorite books is fascinated by the constant bombardment of advertising, the effects of giant media conglomerates, and the overwhelming feeling that the world in which we live exists only in the glowing vacuum tubes of countless television sets. It is an ode to one of the most creative minds in science fiction, and another step in the crusade for a wider recognition of his accomplishments.
Philip K. Dick: A Day in the Afterlife [YouTube] : Hugo Strikes Back
Categories: Dystopias, Phillip K. Dick, Drugs, Literature, Science Fiction
Posted at 11:59 am on November 18, 2008
8 Comments -
I haven’t watched this yet, but I did want to comment that I always thought Dick’s aliens and robots were far more human than his humans ever were. I don’t know if he did this on purpose, or if he was just such an outsider that he could only really speak through offworlders. It always struck me as poignant.
I like Clans of the Alphane Moon and would like to see it turned into a slightly goofy Sci-Fi Channel series.
Comment by Eliza Gauger — November 18, 2008 @ 4:41 pm
Thanks for putting this on. I never before knew so much about PKD. Although I’ve been a sci-fi fan for 55 years, I’ve never been a Dick fan, in spite of the fact that intellectuals and Europeans say he’s the greatest. His characters’ problems often seem stupid or unimportant to me, and their efforts to overcome them are too aimless to entertain me. Perhaps I’m too American and want ‘optimistic’ sci-fi. Still, lately, I’ve practically stopped reading the genre. It’s time for me to give Dick a chance.
Comment by Mogo The Mugger — November 20, 2008 @ 12:04 am
I’m almost finished with the Carrere biography on Dick and am waiting to watch this when I’m finished, but I do love what you wrote Mr. Rosenberg. Concise and eloquent. Is this the first time you’ve written about Dick? Or is there a forum or blog somewhere with more?
Comment by malpertuis — November 21, 2008 @ 4:09 pm
Mogo - I don’t necessarily disagree with you, but I think that much of what you are saying stems from his inability to create believable characters. They never have much personality and most times act merely as ciphers which react to whatever scene he’s set. If you do give him a chance I would start with any of his four most well known, A Scanner Darkly, Cry My Tears the Policeman Said, The Man in the High Castle, and (of course) Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. I’m particular to The Man in the High Castle if I had to pick one of those. His really out there stuff, like Ubik, while excellent, may not be to your taste.
malpertius - Thanks, I’m glad you liked it! This is actually the first time I’ve written about Dick, but I’m sure I could go on and on and on.
Comment by Ross Rosenberg — November 21, 2008 @ 4:23 pm
http://downlode.org/Etext/pkdicktionary.html#m
Comment by sm — November 23, 2008 @ 10:36 pm
HE TELL ME YOU BLADE RUNNAH
Comment by Joe Blo — November 24, 2008 @ 7:51 am
schizophrenia is pretty weird mental illness no?
Comment by Joe Blo — November 24, 2008 @ 8:25 pm
While I’d agree that Dick’s characters tend to be flat, I find their shortcomings and petty problems in the novels a strength. Discounting his more psychedelic works, one of his overarching themes is that, despite whichever levels of technological wizardry and bizarre clothing we reach, people will still be aimless, angsty, and weak.
Comment by Angry Sam — November 25, 2008 @ 9:00 am