The Lathe of Heaven (film)

The Lathe of Heaven
Cover of the 2000 video/DVD release of The Lathe of Heaven (1980)
Genre	Sci-Fi
Written by	Diane English Ursula K. Le Guin (novel) Roger Swaybill
Directed by	David Loxton Fred Barzyk
Starring	Bruce Davison Kevin Conway Margaret Avery
Music by	Michael Small
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
Production
Executive producer(s)	David R. Loxton
Producer(s)	Carol Brandenburg Fred Barzyk
Cinematography	Robbie Greenberg
Editor(s)	Dick Bartlett
Running time	120 minutes
Production company(s)	Taurus Film WNET
Distributor	Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
Budget	$250,000
Release
Original release	January 9, 1980

The Lathe of Heaven is a 1980 film adaptation of the 1971 science fiction novel The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin. It was produced in 1979 as part of New York City public television station WNET's Experimental TV Lab project, and directed by David Loxton and Fred Barzyk. Le Guin, by her own account, was involved in the casting, script planning, re-writing, and filming of the production.

The film stars Bruce Davison as protagonist George Orr, Kevin Conway as Dr. William Haber, and Margaret Avery as lawyer Heather LeLache.

In Portland, Oregon, in the near future, George Orr is charged with misuse of multiple prescription medications, which he was taking to keep himself from dreaming; he volunteers for psychiatric care to avoid prosecution, and is assigned to the care of licensed oneirologist William Haber. Orr's explanation of his drug abuse is incredible: he has known since age 17 that his dreams change reality, and tries to prevent himself from dreaming because he fears their effects.

Haber initially considers Orr's fear as a delusional symptom of neurosis or psychosis, referring to him as "possibly an intelligent schizophrenic". He puts Orr into a hypnotic trance, and encourages him to have an "effective dream" to record his brain function.

When he realizes Orr is telling the truth, Haber begins to use Orr's "effective dreams" to first create a prestigious, well-funded institute run by himself, then to attempt to solve various social problems. These solutions unravel quickly: Haber suggests that Orr dream of an end to racism (resulting in a world where everyone's skin becomes a uniform shade of gray), a solution to overpopulation (resulting in a plague wiping out three-fourths of the human population), the end to all conflict on Earth (resulting in an alien invasion uniting mankind).

Only after numerous failed attempts to "make the world right", Haber admits to Orr he believes in Orr's power. Having analyzed Orr's supremely complex dreaming brainwaves, Haber begins creating a machine that will similarly enhance his own and allow him to remake reality directly.