“The Illustrated Man” is a drama film about a man whose numerous tattoos on his body each tell a story if you stare at it for a moment. Director Jack Smight (“Harper” 1966) did a sloppy directing job in adapting this movie from Ray Bradbury’s 1951 book of the same name, from a very unfocused screenplay by Howard B. Kreitsek. The Bradbury book was a very popular collection of 18 science fiction stories, much better than Smight’s atrocious film adaptation.
The movie featured only three of the stories, which is probably a blessing to the audience considering its tedious and monotonous nature. The star of the show is Rod Steiger, whose obnoxious presence dominated the film in a negative way. Co-stars include Claire Bloom, Robert Drivas, Don Dubbins, and Jason Evers. (Bloom was married to Steiger for ten years and they were divorced later in 1969.) The unwatchable and boring “The Illustrated Man” was a huge failure at the box office for producer Ted Mann and Warner Bros.-Seven Arts.
The Illustrated Man (1969)
cinema
My Review
“The Illustrated Man” is a drama film about a man whose numerous tattoos on his body each tell a story if you stare at it for a moment. Director Jack Smight (“Harper” 1966) did a sloppy directing job in adapting this movie from Ray Bradbury’s 1951 book of the same name, from a very unfocused screenplay by Howard B. Kreitsek. The Bradbury book was a very popular collection of 18 science fiction stories, much better than Smight’s atrocious film adaptation.
The movie featured only three of the stories, which is probably a blessing to the audience considering its tedious and monotonous nature. The star of the show is Rod Steiger, whose obnoxious presence dominated the film in a negative way. Co-stars include Claire Bloom, Robert Drivas, Don Dubbins, and Jason Evers. (Bloom was married to Steiger for ten years and they were divorced later in 1969.) The unwatchable and boring “The Illustrated Man” was a huge failure at the box office for producer Ted Mann and Warner Bros.-Seven Arts.