Characters

Ann O. = movie watcher

Jan O.  = film critic

Ian O. = school skipper

The scene opens with three people sitting in movie seats facing downstage just after watching a vintage movie.

Ann O.:  This seat is similar to where I sat before. It is both unimpressive and unforgettable. 

Jan O. :  You know, this version of The Lathe of Heaven was almost a word for word conversion of Ursula K. LeGuin's book.

Ian O.: Its view of societal failings seems a bit outdated for our more sophisticated times. 

Jan O. :  That's an interesting observation, Ian. Shouldn't you be in school?

Ian O.: That is an interesting question, Mrs, O.

Jan  O. :  It's Miss O., young man. Why are you here and not in a classroom? 

Ian O. :  This viewing of the 1980 Public Broadcasting Service's production of the famous science fiction author's 1971 serialized magazine story is not available there. 

Ann O. :  (interrupting) May I say something?

Jan O. :  Has it anything to do with this film -- or truancy?

Ann O.:  Sort of -- I heard they have Fruity Good-N-Plenty at the concession stand. 

Jan O. : What has that to do with either the film or truancy?

Ann O.:  I am broadening the subject. 

Ian O.:  You know, A&E remade this movie in 2002 with a much higher budget. However, the theme had been updated past the seventies' concerns of overpopulation, race discrimination, global war, and drug use.  

Ann O.:  Don't forget the aliens.

Jan O. : The aliens were eliminated. 

Ian O.: I thought they were the best part. Gentle Taoist giant turtle-people quoting the philosopher Chung Tzu. 

Ann O.:  Did we fear illegal aliens in the Seventies?

Jan O. :  No, the giant turtle-people. 

Ian O.: I could never be afraid of a turtle. 

Ann O.:  Why did they eliminate the aliens. 

Jan O. : The script was updated to eliminate the fear of "invaders", since the Soviet Union fell.

Ian O.: What's the Soviet Union? 

Ann O.:  We call them Russia now. 

Ian O.:  So -- they fell?

Ann O.:  This isn't your first day off the chain is it, boy?

Jan O. :  You HAVE heard of Communism -- right?

Ian O.: Is that with the wine and bread?

Ann O.:  Wrong pew, Junior.

Jan O. :  As far as the film is concerned, George Orr discovered that his dreams become reality, but only he knows it. 

Ian O.: So, this whole deal of us watching a movie could have been my dream. 

Ann O.:  Exactly!

Jan O. :  Pathetic!  

Ian O.: This must be somebody else's dream.

Ann O.:  Yes, it would have been George Orr's dream.

Jan O. :  JorJor, JorJor. That's a funny name. 

Ian O.: So George ended up dreaming a perfect world?

Ann O.:  Yes. He got the girl; the aliens were friendly business owners; and the bad guy was eliminated.  

Jan O. :  He actually saved the world, as he dreamed away the devastation of World War III as the story began. 

Ian O.: Imagine that -- a world war.

Ann O.:  We actually have already had two world wars. 

Ian O.:  Who dreamed those away?

Ann O.:  I will need to talk to the history teacher at your school.

Ian O.:  Who's that?

To be continued...