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A Sound of Thunder
blamanj writes "One of the great sci-fi short stories, Ray Bradbury's A Sound of Thunder is scheduled to be released on film next month. Links to the trailers (QT, Real, WMP) can be found here. The original story prefigured chaos theory in its 'small changes, large effects' premise. Indeed, when I first heard the term 'butterfly theory,' I assumed it was based on Bradbury's story. Unlike the original, however, the film won't be touching on dystopian politics, but appears to have been turned into a 'Jurassic Park'-style creature feature. Sigh. Oh, well, we can hope that the new Fahrenheit 451 will be treated with a bit more respect."
I watched the preview and my theory is that this has already happened. Some doofus stepped off the path and killed a butterfly, because the rest of the trailer bears absolutely no resemblence to my memory of Ray Bradbury's story.
Oh, well, we can hope that the new Fahrenheit 451 will be treated with a bit more respect.
You don't know Hollywood very well do you?
Great, now a title like this rings the bell of M. Moore instead of R. Bradbury. Great indeed.
It's like when I saw in a DVD review of TRON that it was the Matrix of the eighties. I shouldn't comment on this further.
I just guess today's bright minds can't take the burden of even just 10-20 years of cultural heritage. Let alone history.
I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I can think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do.
*Fade up, its a dystopian world 2054, things constantly break down, the sky is polluted. Cars with the MS logo are crashing randomly on the side of the road. Computer screens flicker, and some of them even show BSODs*
*Cut to scene in a corporation*
Salesrep: We offer time travel services! Go back in time and play pranks on you favorite CEOs!
Client: Sounds like fun! Can i throw a pie in bill gates face?
Salesrep: your in luck! He gets pied in history. We'll send you back in time and it won't disrupt the timeline.
Client: great, I want to pay that SOB back. I look around and see all the things that have gone wrong and I get so mad.
*cut to time machine*
Expedition leader: remember... stay on the path. Now ready your pies!
*time machine starts, expedition walks in, cut to scene in japan. Bill Gates is attending a conference. A japanese prankster sneaks up on bill with a cream pie.*
Leader: get ready... he's almost there... now!!!!
*Bill is pied from every direction. He quickly ducks into a bathroom to freshen up*
Client: woo hoo *gets a little excited, but slips on pie on the path. He catches his balance but not before stepping off the path*
Leader: get back on the path! now! Everyone back home quick!
*cut back to corporation as the expedition comes home*
*scene has dramatically changed. It's more utopian. Everything works flawlessly and is clean. Cars in near collisions find ways to avoid each other safely and automatically.*
Leader: what happened?
Salesrep: sir? Nothing has happened, you've returned safely.
Leader: Damnit we changed the timeline. I have to find my wife!
Salesrep (looking puzzled): you can use that terminal there to email her, use the search engine to locate her, or place voice call even.
Leader: what? no! Thats impossible, Microsoft computers don't work that well, it would break down or I'd send her a virus! I can't risk that!
Salerep: Microsoft sir? Microsoft has been dead for decades. Everyone uses Linux now.
*Leader turns to client, pushes him into a chair and lifts the client's boot. Under his boot is an MSN butterfly, crushed and dead.*
Announcer: Change your future with Linux!!!
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