Joe Eszterhas accused Ken Russell of killing Paddy Chayefsky by what he did to the latter's script on his film - and certainly Chayefsky was unhappy. But I've got to say, while I didn't do a direct comparison and script and film, it felt faithful. Maybe not what Chayefsky wanted but the words were there - spat out, rushed through, but there - and the basic concepts felt the same.
This is an enthralling, intriguing film which takes what is admittedly a really silly idea - something out of a Bela Lugosi movie - and brings it into the modern era with plenty of mumbo jumbo and research. It explores the nature of what it is to be a man and all that stuff.
William Hurt is ideal as the lead, so young and arrogant, and Blair Brown - what happened to her - is lovely and warm (which is what the film needs to give it a human heart) as his wife. The time jump is a bit of a jolt.
Support players include Bob Balaban and Charles Haid.
Its thought provoking, gripping and much better than I'd been led to believe.
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