The Lathe of Heaven is a 1979 film based on the 1971 Science Fiction novel The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin. It was produced in 1979 as part of New York City public television station WNET's Experimental TV Lab project, and directed by David Loxton and Fred Barzyk. Le Guin, by her own account, was involved in the casting, script planning, re-writing, and filming of the production. The film stars Bruce Davison as protagonist George Orr, Kevin Conway as Dr. William Haber, and Margaret Avery as lawyer Heather LeLache. In Portland, Oregon in the near future, George Orr is charged with... misuse of multiple prescription medications, which he was taking to keep himself from dreaming; he volunteers for psychiatric care to avoid prosecution, and is assigned to the care of licensed "Oneirologist" William Haber. Orr's explanation of his drug abuse is incredible: he has known since age 17 that his dreams change reality, and tries to prevent himself from dreaming because he fears their effects. Haber initially considers Orr's fear as a delusional symptom of neurosis or psychosis, referring to him as "possibly an intelligent schizophrenic".
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| Release date: | January 9, 1980 |
| Directed by: | David Loxton, Fred Barzyk, David R. Loxton |
| Runtime: | 120 Minutes |
| Music by: | Michael Small |
| Estimated budget: | $250,000 |
| Genre: | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller |