Class Notes - Minority Report

Minority Report Movie vs Short Story

Similarities

Differences

John Anderton is the protagonist Anderton is the head of the pre-crime organization Witwer wants Anderton's job Futuristic, flying cars, etc Hasn't been any murder in a long time Page exists

John Anderton is significantly younger in the movie Pre-cogs names were different (Donna-Agatha, Jerry-Arthur, etc) Story is in New York, Movie is in DC Everyone in the movie is attractive (no overweight people, etc) Murders printed on wooden balls in movie, rather than cards Three minority reports in short story, no minority reports in movie Movie contained concept of “echos” In story, pre-crime had a week or two advance notice, in the movie, they only had barely enough time to stop the crime Anderton didn't have a son in the short story No Flemming in the movie No eyes being surgically removed Anderton kidnaps Donna in the movie The precogs are depicted as more human in the movie Changed name of victim from “Leopold Kaplin” to “Leo Crow” Witwer came from Department of Defense in movie Lamar Burgess is villain in movie, as opposed to Leopold Kaplin Anderton's a drug addict in the movie Movie has a lot of focus on drugs – drugs caused the precogs gifts/curses

Added from class discussion:

Similarities	Differences
Idea of free will – choice Concept of minority report and alternate futures Futuristic, sci-fi Precrime works in relatively same way future setting Witwer = Danny/Anderton Leo/Leopold Kaplan/Leo Crow	Precrime is preserved in the story but not in the movie drug problem Anderton has a son in the movie Three minority reports in story, none in movie Anderton is different age + plays different roles Lisa/Laura Agatha, Dashiel, Arthur (named after writers) Advertising, surveillance

Security vs Privacy

Backstory of Son – used against Anderton to make him kill, rather than in the story where the “bad guys” didn't want him to actually kill anyone

Wife Divorced – makes it possible for things to appear healed in the happy Hollywood ending when they get back together

John Anderton made into the “good guy” - negative aspects of Anderton in the story put on Lamar.