Product Details

• Actors: Rod Steiger, Claire Bloom, Robert Drivas, Don Dubbins, Jason Evers
• Directors: Jack Smight
• Writers: Howard B. Kreitsek, Ray Bradbury
• Producers: Howard B. Kreitsek, Ted Mann
• Format: Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: December 13, 1993
• Run Time: 103 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300269582
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #191,020 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Ray Bradbury's celebrated fiction has been notoriously resistant to screen adaptation, but that hasn't stopped the flawed film version of The Illustrated Man from gaining a small but devoted following. First published in 1951, Bradbury's classic book consisted of 18 stories framed by the tale of a man whose entire body is a living canvas of exotic tattoos, or "skin illustrations," each inviting the reader/viewer into Bradbury's ominous realm of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. In the film, this framing story takes place in Depression-era America, where a young drifter named Willie (well played by Robert Drivas) encounters Carl (Rod Steiger), the gruffly eccentric Illustrated Man. Gazing upon Carl's mesmerizing tattoos, Willie is transported into three of the 18 stories in Bradbury's collection. A pioneering exercise in virtual reality, "The Veldt" features a high-tech playroom (a precursor to Star Trek: The Next Generation's holodeck) where two children select an African veldt as their favorite virtual playground, ultimately trapping their parents (played by real-life couple Steiger and then-wife Claire Bloom) in a place of deadly danger. "The Long Rains" finds a quartet of astronauts (including Steiger and Drivas) stranded on Venus, where an incessant downpour preys on their sanity. "The Last Night of the World" takes place on the eve of a nuclear holocaust, as a desperate couple (again played by Steiger and Bloom) agonizes over the decision to euthanize their children before the end of the world.

As adapted by Howard B. Kreitsek and directed by Jack Smight (best known for Airport '75 and episodes of the original Twilight Zone), none of these stories work as well as the framing device, in which Steiger gives a brashly volatile performance. The story selection is curiously misguided and poorly executed, and Smight predictably fails to capture Bradbury's elusive quality of poetic allegory. Anthology films are always hit-or-miss anyway, but The Illustrated Man is more pretentiously frustrating than most (and more dated, especially in terms of sets and costumes), although it effectively captures the dreamy, contemplative tone that prevailed in many "art" films of the late '60s. If seen in the right mood, it's the kind of failed experiment that makes a lasting impression, despite its many shortcomings. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

Sci-fi film adaptation of Ray Bradbury's book involving a young wanderer who meets a tattooed man in search of the woman who "illustrated" his body. When stared at, the tattoo designs prompt elaborate futuristic visions in the wanderer's mind.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Steiger's performance main reason to watch "The Illustrated Man", December 23, 2006

By 

WTDK "If at first the idea is not absurd, the... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Illustrated Man (DVD)

It's rare that I'll write an indifferent or negative review because I try to stick to stuff that I like. I had high hopes for "The Illustrated Man". The film has been critically lambasted over the years so was anxious to see if the film was a solid version of Bradbury's stories. Fans who enjoyed the film when it was first released will probably enjoy this the most. It reminds me of the minor classic "The Fool Killer" which had a promising story that just doesn't quite live up to its true potential. Regardless, Steiger gives a powerful and occasionally quirky performance as a drifted tatooed by a woman from the future from head to toe. When you look at the tatoos, they come alive setting up three different stories from Bradbury's famous book of the same name.


The framing device set during the Depression works well as does the very last story in this set. Carl (Rod Steiger in a commanding occasionally unhinged performance)plays a carnival worker who is lured into the parlor of a "Skin Illustrator" Felicia(Clarie Bloom). She works her magic with her needles and die using Carl's body for a canvas to create illustrations that come to life if the viewer stares at them for too long. Carl borders on madness because of the experience (he says he can feel them crawl on his skin literally itching to tell a story I suppose)and because he's now an outcast is trying to find Felicia so he can kill her. Carl meets a drifter Willie (the late Robert Drivas --who looks a bit like Nathan Fillion from "Firefly", "Serenity" and "Slither"-- in a fine performance where he holds his own throughout the film against Steiger). Carl unfolds his story about becoming an illustrated man and Willie finds himself drawn into three of the "tattoos" that ensnare him in their stories.
***
WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW
***
The first story "The Veldt" is set in the future. A holographic playroom figures in this one. Carl and Felicia (Steiger and Bloom in an inspired bit of creative casting the major characters are all played by the same trio of actors that appear in the framing story)discover that their children's version of an African plain is disturbing. They contact their mental health worker (Drivas)in hope that he can help them understand what's going on. In reality the fantasy atmosphere has turned their two children into little more than decadent killers.

In the second part "The Long Rains" we join a quartet astronauts stranded on Venus (I only know this from having read the book)after their ship crashes. They spent their time in the torrential downpour of rain gradually going mad as they search the planet for one of 120 "Sundomes" (essentially an enclosed raft with all the comforts of home). The story becomes a pointless exercise in dramatic extremes and the story is driven into incomprehension by the heavy handed editing of either the sequence, the script or the story. It's clear that this film was fiddled with in the editing room how else to explain the major holes in the plots of some of the stories?

The third story is the most powerful and moving. It's also probably the best outside of the framing story. The world is about to end in a nuclear holocaust. The parents (Steiger and Bloom again) debate euthanizing their children. The last story features moving performances from the cast.

END OF SPOILERS***

An earthbound film all of Bradbury's classic book still features solid performances. The stories selected for the film are probably not the best (except the last which is exceptionally realized)and first time screenwriter Howard B. Kreitsek's script is heavy handed. The editing doesn't do the film any favors either--although it was released in 1969 a quicker cutting style would have improved the slow pacing of the stories. It's not quite the disaster that "The Martian Chronicles" was but it fails to live up to Truffaut's film of "Farenheit 451" or even "Something Wicked This Way Comes".

There's little in the way of visual effects (which is just as well as they would probably distract from the story)and the production design is very much of its times. Why is that when costume designers visualize the future they always see us dressing in badly designed clothing?

Warner has done a terrific job with this release. We get the original theatrical trailer as well a vintage featurette on the film. The film receives an exceptional transfer with nice bold colors during most of the film. Image quality varies a bit there are some hints of softness to the images on occasion but that's not a surprise given the age of the film.

"Tattooed Steiger" gives us a vintage promo piece that looks behind-the-scenes and allows us to see some of the make up sessions as well as bits and pieces of the rehearsals. We also get the original theatrical trailer and a promo piece for "The Dukes of Hazzard"(!) prequel. Why we have the latter is beyond me it has as much to do with sci-fi as "Gomer Pyle". Maybe it's the boomer audience that would buy this that they are aiming at.

Overall this film may not be everyone's cup of tea but those who grew up watching it on TV or when it was originally released will probably still enjoy it. The film will also be appreciated by fans of Steiger.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic, December 20, 2005

By 

C. R. Dun (Riehen, Switzerland) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Illustrated Man [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is my favorite movie. Hard to say why....its something to do with the higher element of it. Rod Steiger gives one of his best performances, Claire Bloom and Robert Drivas are also very powerful and the direction of Jack Smight is masterful. Its a film about the human condition, watch it with a very open mind and you'll be blown away. Ok, so why isn't it available on DVD?

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting... but maybe not for everyone, October 19, 2001

By 

"mn381" (New Mexico USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Illustrated Man [VHS] (VHS Tape)

It is possible that some viewers may find this classic late 60's
sci-fi not up to the standard of Ray Bradbury's creative style. But since childhood, I have always enjoyed this movie. Rod Steiger (one of my favorite actors) is unique and believable in his role as the "illustrated man", and Claire Bloom is beautiful as always. The movie gets a bit slow in parts but somehow with the musical score is mysterious and entertaining. If you enjoyed 451 I think you will be pleased with this captivating film.