A SCANNER DARKLY DIRECTOR WEIGHS IN

Director Richard Linklater adapted the screenplay for A Scanner Darkly from Philip K. Dick’s sci-fi novel set in the year 2013 where the war on drugs becomes equal to the war on terrorism. Linklater who also directed the film used the same method of rotoscoping animation as he did in Waking Life where the actors appear as themselves but they are also digitized into what looks like a moving painting. Linklater says he felt the pressure of working on the film.

Robert Downey Jr. and Woody Harrelson star as the friends of undercover cop Keanu Reeves who are being spied on to track their drug dealings. Downey, Jr. who has battled his own personal drug demons talks about why he was attracted to playing Barris.

“I felt like I had Philip K. Dick, his family and then I don’t know however many millions of fans out there who kind of feel a special relation not only to him but maybe this particular work. You feel like you have this weight on you.”

Woody Harrelson who has been forging a crusade for the legalization of hemp and marijuana was the perfect choice for the hyper intense Luckman. He talks about his desire to play the character.

“Well I thought it was probably the strangest script I’ve ever read. I knew Keanu was doing it and Rick was directing and I thought, ‘alright well these guys are pretty smart and on a good roll. I wonder how this will turn out.’”

A Scanner Darkly opens July 7 in theaters nationwide.rn

“Not always but a lot of times it’s about the innocence of the character, you know. And Luckman has a real innocence about him even though he’s kind of crazy and messed up in so many ways. It’s a real joy to play.”