Unmanned
Author: Simon Sellars • Oct 17th, 2007 •Category: Ballardosphere, film
I’d previously linked to this Tom McCarthy interview, but missed the bit where he talks about Vincenzo Natali’s film adaptation of High-Rise. McCarthy talks of meeting Natali and looking forward to the film, but that would have been in 2005. Sadly there’s been no industry news on this film for ages, and in fact I recently heard that Vincenzo Natali was about to shoot Splice, a ‘Species’-type horror flick, which doesn’t bode well for High-Rise’s chances of ever getting made.
What a shame, if so — there have been too many abandoned Ballard film adaptations in the past. Vincenzo, if you’re reading this: how about an update?
Speaking of High-Rise, the novel, I recently re-read it and was again struck by how brutal(alist), how turbulent and savage it is — a two-fingered salute to proto-yuppies everywhere (although no one gets off scot free in this book) and maybe Ballard’s most ‘political’ work (in an anarchic, libertarian stylee, of course). It’s very funny, too.
As I have done each time I’ve encountered it, I laughed out loud, while wincing slightly, at this pearler:
Uneasily, he thought: careful, Laing, or some stockbroker’s wife will un-man you as expertly as she de-stones a pair of avocados.
Ouch. Who said Ballard doesn’t have a sense of humour?
..:: Previously on Ballardian
+ Vincenzo Natali still to direct High-Rise?
+ Ballard Film School
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[...] Ballardian: the World of J.G. Ballard wrote an interesting post today on UnmannedHere’s a quick excerptUnmanned [ Ballardian] I’d previously linked to this Tom McCarthy interview, … scot free in this book), and maybe Ballard’s most ‘political’ work (in an anarchic, libertarian … | Reviews | Features | Bibliography | Archival | Pastiche | Contact Fri 12 Oct 2007 Author: Damien Posted in Ballardian: the World of J.G. Ballard ( 262 links from 162 sites) by saichan [...]
Forgot about that line. I’ll never look at an avocado the same way again…