A Scanner Darkly (2006)

Winona with director Richard Linklater

She's been acting and in show business for over 20 years and she's succeeded in a way... that no young actress has achieved
Keanu Reeves

Cast:

The Story:

In the near future every move and every communication is monitored. The USA has lost the war on drugs. Nearly all citizens are addicted to Substance D – called „death“.

Bob Arctor is a police officer in the department for controlled substances. He's out to catch Substance D dealers. While at work he's posing as Fred – and in his scramble suit no one can see who he really is.

He's on Donna Hawthorne – a might-be Substance D dealer. But he is a addict himselves....and he falls in love with Donna....then he gets the order to observe Bob Arctor...

My Opinion:

Was visiting the Hamburg screening. The cinemas 1001 seats were full – the screening sold out.

After seeing first trailers and clips on my PC I was scared that the lay-over animation would dimish the pleasure. But the contrary was true – the light blur of the animation underlined the main theme of this novel: the shifting, contolling and manipulation of what we call "reality".

The main story to the viewer is dependent of what "reality" the viewer chooses. New Path, the government, the police are all intervoven in the Substance D plot – or are they not?

Due to the scramble suits no seems to be who he really is. Everyone has multiple personalities and appearances - if this is due D misuse or police "games" is floating.

In one scene were Bob – after refused by "Donna" – gets some girlfriend / hooker for sex...he used D and saw Donna. Afterwards this was also recorded with the police recording he studied as Fred. Was the recording tempered with? Is he finally going insane due to D? Or was it Donna in a scramble suit? Choose your "reality"...

The end is typical for Dick – look at Total Recall. In the end you can question yourself: was all this really happening? – Or just part of someones imagination?

Winona plays wonderful the torn police operative. Silently fallen in love with Bob – but she cannot openly love him as she has her own agenda...

Keanu goes from determined and self-thinking cop to somewhat crazy D addict due to the scheme he has innocently fallen into...

The other characters are just weird D addicts – if this is because they really are crazy – or if the other D addicts just see them that way – is again a question of reality...

Winona Ryder interview by ifilm

Short interview by ifilm magazine

Interview – 8 MB – DivX

Big US Premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival

Keanu Reeves, Woody Harrelson, Richard Linklater and – of course – Winona Ryder attended the US premiere of A Scanner Darkly at the Los Angeles Film Festival for Independent Movies. The premiere was held at an open-air theatre – the dress was casual and the spirits were high. The audience was delighted by the movie and the performances.

Premiere Clips

Premiere Pictures

Premiere Videoclips

Premiere Articles

• Stars Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves and director Richard Linklater talk about the making of A Scanner Darkly

• Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves interview by OK Magazine – page 1 – page 2

• Winona Ryder interview by EmpireOnline

• Catching up with...Richard Linklater – page 1 – page 2 – page 3

World-Premiere at the Cannes Movie Festival - 25^th of May 2006

World Premiere was held at Cannes. Not part of the official contest but of the high regarded „Un Certain Regard“ series. The audience was thrilled and the reviews were good – with the exception of two major US reviews. But most likely this is because americans and europeans do sometimes disagree about what a good movie is...

The movie was presented by Richard Linklater, Keanu Reeves and Robert Downey Jr. Winona sadly didn't attend as she feared the press after the infamous events some years ago...

My opinion on this is mixed. On one hand this quite some time ago. But on the other Winona didn't really explained what and why it happened – but she the right not to tell as this is a private thing. The press however really slashed her at the time and she has all the right to detest them. During the last years she also said, that she don't want this celebrity thing anymore – only doing a movie when she likes the story and project...

I fear that she will withdrew herself even more from the public – that would be really sad – but it's her right to do so...

Behind the Scenes vidcaps

New Poster and Trailer

Second A Scanner Darkly Trailer – Quick Time – 31 MB – for smaller Versions look here

Winona on the cover of RES Magazine 01/2006

Winona Teaser Poster

From the official A Scanner Darkly website – you can find at Warner Independent under upcomming releases – is this new vidcap.

Among other posters, featuring each of the stars, a teaser poster with Winona was released

Promotion Picture

The first promotion picture for A Scanner Darkly of Winona appeared in April 2005...

Wallpaper

Some new pics of the movie I've found on the net early april. This proves that the animation is still underway. One of the pictures I've turned into a wallpaper to shorten the wait for the movie - 800x600 - 1024-768.

Teaser Poster

The first teaser poster hit the internet late march...

Teaser / Trailer

The first official Teaser for A Scanner Darkly can be seen by US cinema audiences before the movie Constantine (premiered 18/02/2005) – according to first reports form the net poeple appreciated the Teaser.

The Teaser made it „official“ that the launch date planned by WB independent is the 16^th september 2005 – despite what you've read on the net.

Click here for download – 10 MB – Quick Time Movie.

First Pictures:

This two pictures from A Scanner Darkly apeared on the net during the first week of January 2005...

Articles:

• Love bites Winona and Keanu