J.G. Ballard's fiction had a way of focusing on the psychological pressures of modern life and in his 1975 novel High-Rise he explores how quickly the lives of the middle-class can descend into chaos when they begin sharing close quarters in a high-rise. The conveniences of modern living very quickly give way to something more sinister, the experience of which may end up being transformative.

 

 

This is the first book in Bad Adaptation, a series of episodes all about good books made into bad movies, so alongside the novel, we'll also be taking a look at director Ben Wheatley's 2015 film adaptation starring Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, and Sienna Miller. How does the film try and fail to capture the ambiguity of Ballard's vision? Tune in to find out! 

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