There are some memories from
our childhood that linger faded and fragmented in our subconscious. One such memory of
mine is the one-time broadcast of the film The
Lathe of Heaven that aired nationally on PBS stations Wednesday, January 9,
1980, featuring Bruce Davison as the protagonist George Orr, Kevin Conway as the antagonist Dr.
William Haber, and Margaret Avery as Orr’s lawyer and love interest Heather
LeLache. The film is available above from the Aeolus 13 Umbra YouTube channel.
First Edition cover.
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In 1980 I was fifteen years old,
and I admit the material was above my head at the time; however, the imagery of
the film and basic concept — that we create our own realities — remained with me
a long time after I forgot the title of film. It was within the folds of a
sci-fi film catalog that I rediscovered it, and a lost part of my youth.
As opposed to today’s special
effects driven sci-fi, The Lathe of
Heaven is representative of pre-Star
Wars sci-fi that was more intellectual and contemplative in nature. It
blends social commentary and philosophy built on an basic conflict of
characters with opposing outlooks on life.
The novel was released in the
early 1970s when a whole generation of young people embraced the alternate
outlook on life Eastern philosophies provided. Indeed, the image of a
long-haired hippie sitting in the lotus position and chanting ancient Asian
proverbs became so common in our culture it has since become a stereotype.
The title of the novel is taken from
a mistranslated passage attributed to Chuang Tzu (Zhuangzi), a Chinese
philosopher circa the fourth century BCE, from Book XXIII, paragraph 7. It
appears in Chapter 3 of the novel as an epigraph:
To let understanding stop at what cannot be
understood is a high attainment. Those who cannot do it will be destroyed on
the lathe of heaven.
The passage is mistranslated because China did not have lathes at the time Chuang Tzu
was alive, as Le Guin herself concedes in an interview with Bill Moyers that accompanied the DVD release of the 1980 film version (see below). Nevertheless, it remains a compelling thought in that it asserts
that there are limits to our reality that cannot be surpassed, and wisdom comes
with that realization.
In the novel, protagonist George
Orr has the power to dream new realities into being. It is a power he fears, for
in every new reality he dreams up George finds himself as much a pawn as anyone
else. He seeks help from Dr. Haber, who manipulates George into dreaming up
solutions to the world’s problems, such as overpopulation, global conflicts,
and racial prejudice, as well as riches and fame for the good doctor.
The solutions, however, are imperfect for they are drawn from deep inside George Orr’s subconscious — his fears and nightmares. The cure for overpopulation is a global pandemic that wipes out six billion humans. The answer to global conflicts is to unite the world against a common enemy, which manifests itself as a classic alien invasion. The solution to racial prejudice is simple — everyone's skin turns gray.
George Orr personifies the
Eastern philosophical outlook while Dr. Haber represents the Western
perspective. The conflict between these two opposing forces is explored in the
following passage from the 1980 film adaptation:
Dr. Haber: You have a great gift George. Together, we can
learn to use it.
George Orr: You can’t use my dreams to change things.
Haven’t you learned that yet?
Dr. Haber: Isn’t that the purpose of man on Earth? To
act? To change things? To run things? To build a better world?
George Orr: No.
Dr. Haber: What then?
George Orr: I don’t know . . . I don’t know. Things don’t have
purposes. I don’t know if life has a purpose. I can’t say that it matters. It
is. We are. I want to stop.
Dr. Haber: George, I know that I can learn to harness
your power, but you must give me time.
George Orr: It’s no use. We haven’t got the right.
Dr. Haber: We have a duty! Why do you resist? Why do you
fear your own power?
George Orr: Because it doesn’t work! You change one thing
and everything changes! The plague didn’t solve anything. We’re closer to war
now than we ever have been. I can’t let
you use me anymore.
Dr. Haber: George . . . you need me George, you know that.
Without me, you’re out of control.
Many who read the book see
it as a statement against the Western philosophical outlook, and to a great
extent it is; however, I believe a deeper theme in the novel, and in the 1980
film adaption, is that there needs to be balance between the two philosophies.
The Western mind provides us with the vision to exceed our grasp while the Eastern
mind cautions us when our grasp exceeds our vision — as in the aforementioned quote by Chuang Tzu.
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| 2000 DVD cover. |
Prior to the 2000 DVD/VHS release, The Lathe of Heaven had not been released on video nor had it been rebroadcast on television since that January day in 1980. The film is a look into a period of time in science fiction and in our culture — when thoughts were deep, and the sci-fi even deeper.
Note: Sharp-eyed sci-fi film buffs will notice that the final scene in the movie takes place at the Fort Worth Water Gardens where Logan's Run also filmed the scene where Logan and Jessica return to the city through the city's water system.
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Great article here. I, like the writer here was captivated by this movie. When first broadcast I was a mere 24 yrs. old. I was lucky enough to have, and still have the VHS Tape I recorded that night. Watch it every so often and didn't have to wait for the DVD all those years. I showed it to my sons but only recommend it to a very few special people I know will appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteIt's not for everyone, but that's too bad for them! Your sons are lucky to have been exposed to it and the concepts in the film!
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