Fire Starters
SFX|June 2018

Ray Bradbury’s spookily prescient novel gets a 21st century update

Ray Bradbury
Fire Starters

Even in 1953, Ray Bradbury knew what was up. That was the year his now seminal dystopian novel, Fahrenheit 451, was published positing a future America where firemen burn books to keep the populace mindless and easily controlled. Sixty-five years later, Fahrenheit 451 might as well have been a road map to where we are today with humanity’s global obsession with smartphones that reduce much of life into likes, selfies and swipes.

Starring Black Panther’s Michael B Jordan as fireman Montag, and Michael Shannon as Captain Beatty, HBO’s film adaptation brings the story into the technological age. Set in a near-future Ohio, Yuxie Systems (think Alexa on steroids) run everything in your home; books and digital books are forbidden; and the internet is a headline only wasteland.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM SFXView all
ANCER MAHAGEMENT
SFX UK

ANCER MAHAGEMENT

WITH A NEW TRILOGY IN SIGHT, WE SPEAK TO THE DIRECTOR OF 28 WEEKS LATER THE ORIGINAL CHILLING SEQUEL TO DANNY BOYLE'S SEMINAL SURVIVAL HORROR

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2024
WHO YA CONNA CALL?
SFX UK

WHO YA CONNA CALL?

BEHIND THE SCENES AT HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS FOR GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
SPEAK OF THE DEVIL
SFX UK

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL

THE DEVIL'S HOUR STRIKES TWICE AS THE GENREDEFYING DRAMA RETURNS

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
SCARRY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK
SFX UK

SCARRY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK

FROM THE RETURN OF EC COMICS TO SCREAM!, THIS YEAR'S HALLOWEEN OFFERS UP HORROR COMICS FOR ALL THE AGES

time-read
9 mins  |
November 2024
UNDEADS REFLECTIONS
SFX UK

UNDEADS REFLECTIONS

NEIL JORDAN ON BRINGING ANNE RICE'S MODERN VAMPIRE CLASSIC TO SCREEN, 30 YEARS ON

time-read
6 mins  |
November 2024
MUNSTER MASH!
SFX UK

MUNSTER MASH!

PRODUCTION HELL, SHOCK RECASTING AND HOTLY CONTESTED AUTHORSHIP. AS THE MUNSTERS CELEBRATE THEIR 60TH ANNIVERSARY, WE UNCOVER HOW THE SPOOKY SITCOM WAS ALMOST DEAD ON ARRIVAL

time-read
10+ mins  |
November 2024
COMING TO AMERICA
SFX UK

COMING TO AMERICA

THE MOGWAI LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAM IN THEIR SECOND CHAPTER, GREMLINS: THE WILD BATCH

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
BEING HUMAN EVOLUTION
SFX UK

BEING HUMAN EVOLUTION

IT MAY HAVE BEEN AN INSTANT HIT, BUT BBC THREE'S DARKLY COMIC DRAMA ABOUT A HOUSE-SHARING VAMPIRE/WEREWOLF/GHOST TRIO HAD A STRANGE JOURNEY TO THE SCREEN, SERIES CREATOR TOBY WHITHOUSE TELLS SFX

time-read
5 mins  |
November 2024
THE MAINE EVENT
SFX UK

THE MAINE EVENT

THE DARK IS RISING IN SALEM'S LOT AS STEPHEN KING'S DEATHLESS TALE RETURNS TO THE SCREEN

time-read
7 mins  |
November 2024
WHY DON'T YOU STAY FOR A BITE?
SFX UK

WHY DON'T YOU STAY FOR A BITE?

THE VAMPIRE COMES HOME AS DIRECTOR EUROS LYN WELCOMES SFX TO HIS NEW DARK COMEDY THE RADLEYS

time-read
9 mins  |
November 2024