The Lathe of Heaven

(Dir. Fred Barzyk & David R. Loxton, 1980)

Inspired by a post on Cinematical, I asked Netflix to send me this sci-fi artifact (based on the book by Ursula K. Le Guin) about a man whose dreams become waking reality. Set in Portland in the not-too-distant future, Bruce Davison (Short Cuts, X-Men) is George Orr, a man who has been court-ordered to see a therapist following a failed suicide attempt. Dr. William Haber (Kevin Conway) is that therapist—bearded, narcissistic and cardigan-clad—who manipulates Orr’s ability to change the world around them and achieves disastrous results.

The premise behind The Lathe of Heaven is a great one, and it is clear that the filmmakers were fans of the source material. Unfortunately, the collision of Orr’s incredible ability and Dr. Haber’s utilitarian meddling come across as a series of Outer Limits-esque vignettes, instead of a cohesive, interesting story. There are glaring logic holes that are pushed out of sight, and Orr does little to anchor the film, distractingly oscillating between self-righteous crusader and hapless observer. When Orr, suspicious of Dr. Haber’s intentions, seeks the help of lawyer Heather LeLache (Margaret Avery), an awkward connection emerges, one that would be engaging if it weren’t so clumsily acted.

The success of The Lathe of Heaven lies in its intentions, not its execution. There are some inspired moments, like when Dr. Haber instructs Orr to dream of a world without racism, only to have everyone on Earth turn grey. The urban backdrop (it was shot in Dallas) is similarly striking, but haphazard storytelling takes center-stage.