Book and Film Discussion: The Lathe of Heaven (Ursula le Guin)

The Lathe of Heaven (1971, Ursula le Guin) and The Lathe of Heaven (1980, John Huston) or Dream Scenario (2023, Kristoffer Borgli) Set in a world ailed by political violence and ecological catastrophes, George Orr finds himself with the unsettling ability to influence the waking world through his dreams. Frightend by his powers he seeks help from the psychiatrist Dr. William Haber, who instead aims to gain influence over Orr's dreams himself. "What are the consequences of working for change, even with the best of intentions? What is the cost of utopia? What is the use and meaning of dreams?" (Kelly Link, Introduction to The Lathe of Heaven) Ursula Le Guin was deeply involved with the 1980 adaptation of the novel. Despite a very limited budget Le Guin was pleased with outcome and states: "The directors understood the story and the actors did a beautiful job." The 1980s adaptation is currently not available for streaming on any major platform and even the DVD is notoriously difficult to come buy. However the movie Dream Scenario also explores the theme of the boundary between private dreams and public life suddenly blurring and would therefore be an intesting alternative pairing, for those who can't get a hold of the 1980s adaption.