15 film adaptations of Ray Bradbury: from cinema classics to arthouse and cartoons.

For the birthday of the great science fiction writer, ProPedia recalls the most striking and unusual film adaptations of his works.

On August 22, 1920, the famous writer Ray Bradbury was born. In addition to well-known novels and short stories, the author also created many scripts for film and television. His works were also often transferred to the screens. Moreover, both Western and Soviet directors, as well as animators, turned to the writer’s work.

Movies

1. It came from outer space

It Came from Outer Space

• USA, 1953.
• Science fiction, horror.
• Duration: 81 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.6.

An astronomer and his girlfriend watch the stars through a telescope. Suddenly he sees a glowing object that looks like an alien ship. At first no one believes the hero, but soon strange and even dangerous things begin to happen in the neighboring city: people disappear in the desert, and then return, but with empty eyes.

This film is not based on any work by Ray Bradbury - he wrote the script for the film. According to the author, he wanted to show the aliens from an unusual side: not as a threat, but as a people who understand humanity.

Watch on Google Play →

2. 451º Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit 451

• France, Great Britain, 1966.
• Dystopia.
• Duration: 109 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.3.

A classic adaptation of the legendary novel about a world where literature is banned. The main character works on a team of firefighters - people who burn books. He firmly believes in his work, but meeting a young girl Clarissa changes his life.

In 2018, a new film adaptation of the same novel was released. The plot has been adapted to modern times: firefighters are already destroying not only books, but also all digital media where prohibited information is stored. However, this version is much inferior to the original in terms of atmosphere.

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3. The Illustrated Man

The Illustrated Man

• USA, 1969.
• Fantasy, drama.
• Duration: 103 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.1.

A young man, Willie, meets a strange stranger. He is covered from head to toe with tattoos and is trying to find the girl who did them. But these are not just drawings on the body. If you look carefully, they add up to real stories that can tell about the future.

The authors of the film presented a collection of several stories in exactly the same way as Bradbury himself created it. The plot is framed by the story of the Illustrated Man, but the other stories - "The Veldt", "Tomorrow the End of the World" and "Endless Rain" - appear from his tattoos.

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4. Something scary is coming

Something Wicked This Way Comes

• USA, 1983.
• Fantasy, thriller.
• Duration: 94 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.8.

Two boys living in a small town go to an amusement park . There they meet a man who offers to fulfill any of their desires. It turns out that the children encountered the devil himself, tempting people.

This work was originally written by Bradbury as a screenplay based on his own story “The Ferris Wheel.” But they could not find financing for the film, and the author turned it into a novel. Later, they managed to film the film, and Bradbury even had to direct some scenes.

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5. Veld

• USSR, 1987.
• Science fiction, dystopia.
• Duration: 81 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.6.

The Stone family lives in a huge mansion. Children Peter and Wendy hardly communicate with their parents and play all day long in a special room that turns computer games into a semblance of reality. Meanwhile, more and more strange things are happening behind the walls of the house: a double of their dead son comes to the fisherman and his wife, but he is taken away by a special quarantine team. And then the father of the Stone family becomes a victim of this team.

The film is based on Bradbury's story of the same name. But as the plot develops in the film, you can see interpretations of other works of the author: the stories “Dragon”, “Puppet Corporation”, “Pedestrian” and even one chapter from “The Martian Chronicles”.

6. Thirteenth Apostle

• USSR, 1988.
• Fantastic.
• Duration: 105 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.1.

The crew of a space expedition dies while trying to colonize a new planet. Only the captain remains alive. In his report, he outlines the reasons why this planet should be quarantined. However, 15 years later, the inspector is trying to find out what really happened to the colonialists.

The film is based on one of the parts of The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. At the same time, director Suren Babayan treated the source material quite freely, creating his own, almost arthouse atmosphere.

7. Dominus

• USSR, 1990.
• Fantastic.
• Duration: 70 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.6.

The film consists of two short stories. The first tells about a man who simply mows wheat. But on his braid it is written: “My master is the master of the world.” And every ear he cuts is someone’s life. The second story is dedicated to two boys who suddenly notice that the owner of the Ferris Wheel attraction is only getting younger with time. This is why he spins the wheel in the opposite direction.

As has already become clear, this film is based on the stories “The Scythe” and “The Ferris Wheel.” And the creators of the film very accurately conveyed the plot of both works.

8. The fourth planet

• USSR, 1995.
• Fantasy, melodrama.
• Duration: 84 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.9.

The first space expedition arrives on Mars and is surprised to discover a completely earthly town there. The colonists realize that they are in their own past , created by the thinking field. And the commander decides to take this opportunity to save his long-dead beloved.

It’s easy to see that the main plot of the film is a retelling of “The Third Expedition” from Bradbury’s “The Martian Chronicles.”

9. Dandelion wine

• Russia, 1997.
• Drama.
• Duration: 208 minutes.
• IMDb: 7.1.

Grandfather and grandmother make a special wine from dandelions. After drinking it, a person begins to see the world completely differently. The story begins with the adventures of their grandchildren Tom and Douglas and a couple of the boys' friends. And then the story is woven into the story by the brilliant inventor who created the “Machine for Happiness” and a mysterious fortune-telling machine, which may contain the old fortune teller herself.

Ray Bradbury's novel, which formed the basis for the film adaptation, is not as fantastic as some of the author's other works. This is rather just a story of the dreams of ordinary people, which is what they tried to convey in the film. And those who are already familiar with both him and the book may be interested in watching the 1972 Soviet short film with the same name.

Series

10. Ray Bradbury Theater

The Ray Bradbury Theater

• USA, 1985.
• Fiction, anthology.
• Duration: 6 seasons.
• IMDb: 7.7.

All episodes of this series are stand-alone stories based on one of Bradbury's works. Moreover, each episode begins with an introductory word from the author himself.

Like Alfred Hitchcock , with whom Bradbury also had the opportunity to work, the writer brought many of his short stories to the screens in the format of an anthology series. This project is perfect for a first acquaintance with the work of the famous science fiction writer.

Cartoons

11. Icarus Montgolfier Wright

Icarus Montgolfier Wright

• USA, 1962.
• Fiction, parable.
• Duration: 18 minutes.
• IMDb: 6.8.

Before an expedition to the Moon, a rocket pilot in a dream recalls mankind's first experiments in flight. It all starts with the mythical Icarus, then moves on to the creators of the hot air balloon, the Montgolfier brothers, and then he remembers the Wright brothers, the inventors of the airplane.

The cartoon was created by Ray Bradbury's friend, illustrator Joseph Magnani. Over the course of a year, he painted dozens of paintings in watercolors, which became the basis of this work.

12. There will be gentle rain

• USSR, 1984.
• Fantastic.
• Duration: 9 minutes 50 seconds.
• IMDb: 7.6.

In the future, the robot prepares food for the whole family, wakes children up for school, and makes beds. Only the machine doesn’t even notice that its owners have long been dead. After a global catastrophe, all the people died, and the surviving house stands completely empty. But one day a bird flies into the building and the robot goes crazy.

The director added a completely psychedelic picture to a very beautiful post-apocalyptic story. But the plot of the original perfectly matches the atmosphere with what is happening on the screen.

13. There may be tigers here

• USSR, 1989.
• Fantastic.
• Duration: 10 minutes 11 seconds.
• IMDb: 7.6.

A space expedition arrives on a new planet to extract resources. The astronauts discover that in the new world they can get food, water, and fulfill all their desires at any time. However, one of the expedition members is determined to devastate the bowels of the new planet. And this world responds to aggression with the same aggression.

The plot of the cartoon fairly accurately retells Bradbury's work of the same name, although there are significant differences in the ending. But in both cases, it is a story of the search for harmony between humanity and the planet.

14. Man in the air

• Russia, 1993.
• Parable.
• Duration: 10 minutes 33 seconds.

One day a man invented wings and was able to fly like a bird. However, the Chinese Emperor is too afraid that this invention will harm him and does not see the real beauty.

Behind the scenes, the cartoon retells verbatim Bradbury's very short but very emotional story about the eternal conflict between the creator and the tyrant.

15. All Hallows' Eve

The Halloween Tree

• USA, 1993.
• Fantasy, family.
• Duration: 69 minutes.
• IMDb: 8.2.

On the eve of All Saints' Day, children go to collect candy and cookies from their neighbors. But the traditional fun holiday does not go according to plan: they end up in a house inhabited by real ghosts. And ghosts, as you know, don't like to be disturbed. And now the young heroes have to escape from their owners.

This cartoon is not only based on a story by Ray Bradbury. The author himself reads the voice-over text here.