Television series and full-length films have shown us various scenarios of the future from the perfectly comfortable one aided by artificial intelligence to dystopian and post-apocalyptic. While many wonder what the future holds, some would hold on to the what ifs of the past. On Nov. 20, Amazon Prime will begin streaming its adaptation of Philip K. Dick's alternate-history novel where he mulls over the kind of future in store for Americans had the Axis Powers won the war.
"The Man in the High Castle" is set in 1962, fifteen years after World War II ended and the United States is divided into 3 areas: the Eastern Nazi-dominated region, the Western Japanese-led territory and the middle neutral zone. Sudden disappearances are to be expected, any movement that hints at treason is punishable by death, Times Square is flashing a giant swastika and showing identification papers to Nazi officers is commonplace.
The present is bleak. The future more dreary. You may find yourself suffering through the possibility of that kind of society as you watch the series, but not all hope is lost. A mysterious character known as the Man in the High Castle seems to be planning something big, and through the underground resistance, he is able to distribute a few newsreels about the Allies winning the war. What the disseminated films show made the other characters who want their country back question reality, caused them to think whether they have been lied to and wonder of an existing alternate universe wherein the Allied forces won.
"The Man in the High Castle" won the Hugo Book Awards for Best Novel in 1963 and rightly so because of its rich and bold storytelling and thought provoking insights. Ridley Scott expressed interest in adapting the novel back in the 1980s, after he worked on "Blade Runner," but it took years before the director is finally able to turn his plan into reality with the incredible and talented Frank Spotnitz.
Initially, Spotnitz was afraid to touch the story because it was too good, but in the end, the incredible and talented writer/producer tried his hand at the adaptation and that is how the 10-episode series was born. "We depart from the novel, but we only did it to try to be more faithful to the ideas, to try and find ways to dramatize them more clearly," he said.
Watch the trailer below.
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