High-Rise by J. G. Ballard. A possible influence on Mega-City One?

[von Boom]

Hi all,

I've recently read High-Rise by J. G. Ballard. It was first published in 1975 and I can't help but see some similarities between this book and the city blocks of MC-1.

I haven't been able to come across any references that this book might have an influence one way or the other. So I thought I would pose the question here. Did this book influence the world of Judge Dredd in any way?

Cheers.

[James Stacey]

I've mentioned this a few times and their certainly seems to be a number of parallels. Whether it was directly influenced or just tapping into the same zietgeist I don't know. Enjoyed the book if you ignore the chance of no one from outside actually really trying to find out what was going on within.

[von Boom]

That's the difficulty I had with the book. Just the fact that all those fires, piles of rubbish, and derelict cars would attract way too much attention from the outside. Even in the drug addled 70s.

[Richmond Clements]

A Ben Wheatley directed version is filming in Belfast at the moment.

[Ancient Otter]

A Ben Wheatley directed version is filming in Belfast at the moment.

With Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons and Sienna Miller in it, I'm hoping this film will get a bit of attention.

[Proteus4]

cool - where are they filming? i wanna photobomb them haha
Dave

[Richmond Clements]

They are/were (they may have finished) filming in the old maze prison.

[JOE SOAP]

cool - where are they filming? i wanna photobomb them haha

Long time finished; the shoot wrapped in August and post-production is nearly completed.

I've recently read High-Rise by J. G. Ballard. It was first published in 1975 and I can't help but see some similarities between this book and the city blocks of MC-1.

I haven't been able to come across any references that this book might have an influence one way or the other. So I thought I would pose the question here. Did this book influence the world of Judge Dredd in any way?

I'm more interested in Dredd's influence on Ben Wheatley considering the heading picture on his twitter feed:

[JOE SOAP]

First trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRBeZGYisLg

[IAMTHESYSTEM]

As soon as I saw the building I thought of Peach Trees! Looks to me like a very good bunch of Actors signed up for this. Haven't read the Book yet so no spoilers.

[von Boom]

That looks very true to the book. I'm very happy they even set it in the 70s where it belongs. I hope it does well since Ballard deserves to have more of his work adapted to film.

I can't wait to see it.

[I, Cosh]

First trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRBeZGYisLg

Eh? Wasn't this out months ago? Or was that maybe just film festival screenings?

Anyway, it's a bit of a disappointment but then I'm not a big fan of Wheatley.

[JOE SOAP]

It didn't have a distributor and will be released March 18th.

[James Stacey]

Excited by this although I'm not sure how the switch between the 3 main 'protagonists' is going to work in practice in film. Also surprised its 'comedy' as parts of the book are pretty dark [spoiler](hinted in the occasional flash here, like the blood in the water - the bodies piling in the swimming pool in the book was a particularly nasty image)[/spoiler] Lots of nice images in there though and a period piece was definitely the way to go or all the cheese and wine parties would make no sense

[I, Cosh]

It didn't have a distributor and will be released March 18th.

Ah. It was on at the Zurich Film Festival a couple of months ago and I remember seeing a Guardian review around the same time so I just assumed it had already done the rounds in the UK.