... and then it turned out that they were just as much concerned with the environment and euthanasia back in 1973 as we are now. Nevertheless this is one of the last convulsions of the era of critical sci-fi movies that came to an abrupt end with the arrival of action-sci-fi Star Wars, Alien and Mad Max etc. Correct me if I'm wrong here as I didn't do any research. Typically for the action era: one of the first video-games (I believe it is Space Invaders) is featured in Soylent Green as a decadent toy.
Thought provoking sci-fi is slowly returning nowadays (Gattaca, Truman Show, A.I.) as I see it. E.g. the same global warming problem as in Soylent Green is a topic in A.I. that also pervasively depicts the consequences of that problem clearly in that same old futuristic NYC. I haven't found any recent movie that features genetically engineered food though (retrodirect to '2001', Dark Star, Silent Running and Willy Wonka :-). I recommend Fahrenheit 451 and Gattaca for the thinking audience.
The bleak messages have difficulties boiling to the surface. The point of the film is less apparent than it's entertaining value: indeed this calls for a remake as someone stated. If only for the awkwardly mischosen music to be corrected. The movie concentrated too much on Heston's mission that isn't very thrilling, and should've done more with the corruptions of future dystopian society incl corporations and authorities. Most of it worked alright though and the intentions of the authors are unmistakenly present. Watching it widescreen next time and reading the novel may help.
Fleischer in a sense wasted the magnificent cast (Heston, Cotten, Robinson), but then again he never was one of my favourite directors. Harrison's novel must be more poignant and cynical. The screenplay is ok, but with this sort of movies the atmosphere is more important to convince, like in The Omega Man and Westworld, and that certainly works here. Credit to cinematographer Richard Kline (Andromeda strain, Terminal man) and what's left of the acting talent. Heston (Omega man, Touch of evil) seems to enjoy his authoritative and violent role in society as a detective. Edward G. Robinson (Little Caesar, Double Indemnity, the Stranger) is most convincing though, as the (unexpectedly) nostalghic and sentimental roommate who ensures the audience that the time of democracy and free nature is long over. Survival of the fittest is now. The government doesn't seem to be withholding in scooping people off the streets and hasn't any ethical problems with euthanasia too. This movie made me feel extremely happy to be able to open a window and simply look at a tree+bird. Same feeling I had with 'THX 1138'. See what it does for you... 8/10
Thought provoking sci-fi is slowly returning nowadays (Gattaca, Truman Show, A.I.) as I see it. E.g. the same global warming problem as in Soylent Green is a topic in A.I. that also pervasively depicts the consequences of that problem clearly in that same old futuristic NYC. I haven't found any recent movie that features genetically engineered food though (retrodirect to '2001', Dark Star, Silent Running and Willy Wonka :-). I recommend Fahrenheit 451 and Gattaca for the thinking audience.
The bleak messages have difficulties boiling to the surface. The point of the film is less apparent than it's entertaining value: indeed this calls for a remake as someone stated. If only for the awkwardly mischosen music to be corrected. The movie concentrated too much on Heston's mission that isn't very thrilling, and should've done more with the corruptions of future dystopian society incl corporations and authorities. Most of it worked alright though and the intentions of the authors are unmistakenly present. Watching it widescreen next time and reading the novel may help.
Fleischer in a sense wasted the magnificent cast (Heston, Cotten, Robinson), but then again he never was one of my favourite directors. Harrison's novel must be more poignant and cynical. The screenplay is ok, but with this sort of movies the atmosphere is more important to convince, like in The Omega Man and Westworld, and that certainly works here. Credit to cinematographer Richard Kline (Andromeda strain, Terminal man) and what's left of the acting talent. Heston (Omega man, Touch of evil) seems to enjoy his authoritative and violent role in society as a detective. Edward G. Robinson (Little Caesar, Double Indemnity, the Stranger) is most convincing though, as the (unexpectedly) nostalghic and sentimental roommate who ensures the audience that the time of democracy and free nature is long over. Survival of the fittest is now. The government doesn't seem to be withholding in scooping people off the streets and hasn't any ethical problems with euthanasia too. This movie made me feel extremely happy to be able to open a window and simply look at a tree+bird. Same feeling I had with 'THX 1138'. See what it does for you... 8/10