This is the first draft screenplay adaptation of Philip K. Dick's novel A Scanner Darkly, written by Charlie Kaufman and dated December 20, 1997. Kaufman, who would later become renowned for screenplays including Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, adapted Dick's semi-autobiographical novel about undercover narcotics agent Bob Arctor.
The screenplay opens with a shot of a notebook page dappled with sunlight, establishing a visual and narrative approach that reflects Kaufman's characteristically inventive storytelling methods. This is a significant document in the history of Dick film adaptations, as Kaufman's version was never produced. The film that was eventually made in 2006 was directed by Richard Linklater using a different screenplay and the distinctive rotoscoping animation technique.
Kaufman's unproduced adaptation represents an intriguing counterfactual in Dick cinema history, combining two of the most distinctive creative voices in American storytelling. The screenplay is a valuable document for scholars interested in the process of adapting Dick's work for film and in Kaufman's early career development.