Another solid enjoyable science fiction film. I love that this takes place in the year 2022. So many of the scifi movies we have been watching lately take place in what we would now consider modern day. 2022 is only four years away and hopefully we won’t have to deal with overpopulation and food shortage.
Our protagonist, Det. Thorn is a fun character to watch. Without hesitation he steals valuables from the crime scene. Clearly this isn’t the first time he has done this considering he immediately removes a pillow case and starts filling it with what we might take for granted today. He steals soap, a towel, fruits and vegetables, brandy, and a huge chunk of beef. After leaving the luxurious crime scene Thorn presents his friend Sol with the loot and they enjoy an extravagant roast and apple dinner with some brandy. The whole scene is shot without dialogue. Just faces of pure enjoyment and laughter for being able to eat real food for the first time in who knows how long. I love that they didn’t use dialogue for this, and I wish more modern films tried to tell the story without an exposition every single scene.
The clear divide between rich and poor is still a prominent feature in dystopic literature today and goes to show the reality of this threat to society. Perhaps when the ratio between the wealthy and common are so disproportioned we may start seeing the wealthy have such disregard toward human life. Some women in this story are considered to be furniture, passed along to the new occupants of the homes. When people are rioting in the streets for food, many are scooped up like garbage and dumped into the cargo hold of the trucks.
I love Sol’s profession. He is what is referred to as a “book.” Reading is not commonplace and books are rare. Sol is older and remembers how to read. He is a member of the book club which appears to be charged with keeping the secrets of history alive. When Sol discovers the secret of soylent green he is overwhelmed with grief and decides it is time to go “Home.” Home is a euthanasia clinic where people go to end their own life peacefully. He is asked upon arrival what his favorite color is and he chooses orange. His choice presumably dictates what experience he gets to enjoy during his death. He is brought to a room with a hospital bed and is injected with fluids. The ambient light switches to orange and a panoramic video plays all around depicting images of what the world used to look like while Beethoven played aloud. Our main Thorn watches from the window and is brought to tears by the beauty of the world that is no more. Both actors performances are stunning, but Edward G. Robinson’s performance of Sol in this scene is one of the most incredible, moving performances ever. Why is this? Because Edward G. Robinson was secretly dying of cancer and knew he was about to die. The best acting comes from real life emotion and delivered pure, raw, life ending emotion. Edward died 10 days after filming wrapped. Edward kept his illness secret and the cast and crew had no idea until after his death.
This film was visually beautiful and just as relevant today as it was in 1973.
I wish the reveal at the end had more impact than it did and I think some minor editing could have accomplished this. The ending of the film was bleak and left no hope of a positive outcome. This is fine by me but I would have liked this to be shown to us in some way. Perhaps as he is screaming his final line they could show people staying in line waiting for their share despite of what they are being told.
SPOILERS BELOW:
ReplyDeleteAnother solid enjoyable science fiction film. I love that this takes place in the year 2022. So many of the scifi movies we have been watching lately take place in what we would now consider modern day. 2022 is only four years away and hopefully we won’t have to deal with overpopulation and food shortage.
Our protagonist, Det. Thorn is a fun character to watch. Without hesitation he steals valuables from the crime scene. Clearly this isn’t the first time he has done this considering he immediately removes a pillow case and starts filling it with what we might take for granted today. He steals soap, a towel, fruits and vegetables, brandy, and a huge chunk of beef. After leaving the luxurious crime scene Thorn presents his friend Sol with the loot and they enjoy an extravagant roast and apple dinner with some brandy. The whole scene is shot without dialogue. Just faces of pure enjoyment and laughter for being able to eat real food for the first time in who knows how long. I love that they didn’t use dialogue for this, and I wish more modern films tried to tell the story without an exposition every single scene.
The clear divide between rich and poor is still a prominent feature in dystopic literature today and goes to show the reality of this threat to society. Perhaps when the ratio between the wealthy and common are so disproportioned we may start seeing the wealthy have such disregard toward human life. Some women in this story are considered to be furniture, passed along to the new occupants of the homes. When people are rioting in the streets for food, many are scooped up like garbage and dumped into the cargo hold of the trucks.
I love Sol’s profession. He is what is referred to as a “book.” Reading is not commonplace and books are rare. Sol is older and remembers how to read. He is a member of the book club which appears to be charged with keeping the secrets of history alive. When Sol discovers the secret of soylent green he is overwhelmed with grief and decides it is time to go “Home.” Home is a euthanasia clinic where people go to end their own life peacefully. He is asked upon arrival what his favorite color is and he chooses orange. His choice presumably dictates what experience he gets to enjoy during his death. He is brought to a room with a hospital bed and is injected with fluids. The ambient light switches to orange and a panoramic video plays all around depicting images of what the world used to look like while Beethoven played aloud. Our main Thorn watches from the window and is brought to tears by the beauty of the world that is no more. Both actors performances are stunning, but Edward G. Robinson’s performance of Sol in this scene is one of the most incredible, moving performances ever. Why is this? Because Edward G. Robinson was secretly dying of cancer and knew he was about to die. The best acting comes from real life emotion and delivered pure, raw, life ending emotion. Edward died 10 days after filming wrapped. Edward kept his illness secret and the cast and crew had no idea until after his death.
This film was visually beautiful and just as relevant today as it was in 1973.
I wish the reveal at the end had more impact than it did and I think some minor editing could have accomplished this. The ending of the film was bleak and left no hope of a positive outcome. This is fine by me but I would have liked this to be shown to us in some way. Perhaps as he is screaming his final line they could show people staying in line waiting for their share despite of what they are being told.
Solid Watch. 9.5/10 would watch again.