George Orr has dreams and then whatever he dreams come true. After doing a little too much self medicating, he is assigned to an oneiric specialist, a thinly disguised Freudian psychologist who may or may not be perfectly scrupulous in finding a cure for George. Ursula K. Le Guin's book is a terrific read, drawing from the fear of unconscious desires and documenting the power struggle between doctor and patient.

Replete with turtles, turtle-like alien suits, and shifting realities, the 1980 PBS film version of Lathe of Heaven is an accomplished translation of Le Guin's novel. Unlike other movies, such as Dune or Harry Potter, whose enjoyment depends on a lavish realization of exterior worlds, Lathe of Heaven emphasizes the cinematic links to integrate a dream come true premise with the actual plotting of the story. Poetic license is taken only to effectively expand upon the central themes.

The PBS narrative is slightly tighter than the book but still captures the high stakes tension, disorienting sensory experiences and a serious loss of reality. While the production isn't as slick as we're currently used to seeing, this is one of those extremely rare occasions where I can recommend the material and the remix.