Soylent Green
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DVD details
Actor: Brock Peters, Charlton Heston, Chuck Connors, Joseph Cotten, Leigh Taylor-YoungDVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 1.0; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 1.0; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 1.0; French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 1.0
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 97 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-08-05
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Reviews of Soylent Green
DVD Review: Well made dystopian sf classic arrives in a nice Blu-ray tranfers Review (updated)
Summary: 4 Stars
We live in the future. Every film made about the future no matter what the futuristic details are just cautionary tales written about our times. "Soylent Green" came out when the concern over the environment was at a fever pitch (it has since returned to that fever pitch whether or not you believe in global warming). Based on Harry Harrison's classic novel MAKE ROOM, MAKE ROOM the big focus isn't on a global economy (although that has clearly happened based on the corporations portrayed in the film but on over population and something very like global warming Richard Fleischer's film presaged many things we are seeing (to a lesser extent) today and but was still wrapped up in the concerns of the 70's, I'm sure the forthcoming remake will be every bit about 2012.
Set nearly twenty years from now, humanity has used up most of our resources and spoiled the planet. There isn't enough to eat and there's even less space to live in; the cities are crowded with street people everywhere. The middle class is virtually extinct and only the wealthy have lives approaching the comfort to which we've become accustomed.
Heston plays a New York City detective named Thorn who, like every other cop, is on the make but when he investigates the murder of a former executive (Joseph Cotton in a cameo)for the Soylent Corporation the company that makes ALL the food supplements for the entire world, he discovers a conspiracy involving every one he could possibly imagine. With assistance from his roommate a former private investigator named Sol (Edward G. Robinson in a marvelous final performance that truly should have earned him an Oscar nomination), Thorn begins to unravel the conspiracy but not before having his life threatened by goons (including Chuck Conners) and being pressured to drop the case by his boss (Brock Peters).
The film holds up amazingly well.
The main flaw with the film is that the conclusion is telegraphed to the audience too soon before Thorn realizes what is going on. For a first impression of a film that is important. The screenplay by Stanley Greenberg does a nice job of creating credible characters and Thorn like the other anti-heroes that Heston played from around the same time in other films ("Planet of the Apes", "The Omega Man", "Will Penny")has a veneer of weary cynicism but Heston doesn't rest his entire performance on that to his credit he makes Thorn a character we learn to care about.
There are a number of importance observations, all of them are well integrated into this sharply written science fiction murder mystery. The direction by Richard Fleischer (Fantastic Voyage, 20,000 Leages Under the Sea, Treasure Island)isn't as stylized as one would expect but he does manage to get the most out of the material. The director's commentary is often wry and observant--a rarity now on most Blu-ray's where most folks are content to pat themselves on the back for their effort.
Among the trivia we hear about form the late Fleischer (his commentary was recorded for the previous DVD incarnation)the dinner scene between Heston and Robinson (which was ad libbed) is terrific and much of the dialog and banter between the two actors is both funny and touching. He doesn't hesitate to point out a variety of flaws in the film including not being able to tackle the film with the scope he had wanted due to budget restrictions. Warner has been very good about bringing vintage films to Blu-ray with extras where possible and this film is no exception; we get the original featurettes produced to promote the film (contrast the condition of these with the good looking high def transfer) and the original theatrical trailer.
The Blu-ray looks terrific particularly after all the poor prints that have circulated on television. Yes, there's analog artifacts but this is probably about as pristine a print as were likely to see. The transfer is vivid and well balanced. Don't mistkae my praise though this is NOT a film that you will put on as a reference standard to wow people about Blu-ray and high def that doesn't mean, however, that the film doesn't look the best it ever has--it does and probably looks better than when it was exhibited in most theaters. The sound is fairly strong given the fact that this was pre-THX and stereo. included.
Soylent Green's importance in science fiction cannot be underestimated. There were a number of bad films produced after 2001 and Planet of the Apes (including many of the sequels to the original Apes film)that had cheapened the luster these two fine films had temporarily given to science fiction. Soylent Green is a somber, powerful film. It's also an entertaining mystery. After this the genre would fall back into decline (although there were a few highlights) until the success of Star Wars in 1977. Thoughtful, impactful science fiction films were rare during the 70's. Although Soylent Green hasn't aged as well as one would expect, it's intent and the power of the performances, script and direction still make it a potent look into the future.
Recommended.
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