Silent Running
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Movie Reviews of Silent Running
Movie Review: Ecological sci-fi that even this conservative can embrace
Summary: 4 Stars
Hailed by some as one of the best science-fiction movies of the 1970s, Silent Running is a quirky, unique movie that conveys a serious ecological message in an unforgettable manner. To be honest, I had never heard of this movie before, but the premise of the film intrigued me, as did the knowledge that a prominent special effects man for 2001: A Space Odyssey, Douglas Trumbull, directed it. Almost despite itself, the movie moved me in places, and I ended up quite enjoying it, even though there are many things about it I didn't particularly like. Many would consider this a boring movie, I am sure, as there are no fierce battles fought or alien beings threatening to destroy mankind. Silent Running is a thinking man's science-fiction film that succeeds or fails on its compelling storyline alone. The story takes place some time in earth's near future, at a time when all plant life has been destroyed on the planet in some unexplained way; America's last forest land still exists, however - millions of miles out in space on board the Valley Forge. The ship carries along several huge geodesic domes filled with trees, flowers, garden plants, etc., along with much of the animal life that goes with them. A crew of four mans the ship, with the help of a number of mechanical drones, but only one, Freeman Lowell (Bruce Dern) really cares about the forests in his care. We first meet the other three crew members racing willy-nilly around the ship in jeep like go-carts, thinking nothing of trampling a bunch of flowers or taking shortcuts through the grass. In person, they are even less likeable, making fun of Lowell's idealism and basically harrumphing on their own belief that the forests have no importance whatsoever. Lowell himself starts off on the wrong foot, in my opinion, in terms of the audience's reaction to him. The man is a wide-eyed zealot seemingly about two steps away from madness of a dangerous kind; I agreed with everything he said about the importance of the forests, but his words are somewhat lost on the listener (and the crew) because he is simply annoying in his fanaticism. His mood doesn't improve when the crew gets word that they are to destroy the forests and return home to commercial service. Freeman can't handle such a decision, so he does what he feels he must in order to save the last vestige of earth's forests still in existence.
The second half of the film revolves solely around Freeman, as he is basically stranded in space with his forest. His only companions are (originally) three drones, and in my opinion these little robotic guys steal the show. This is a 1971 film, so the drones are by no means technologically exotic, yet these things do have their own personalities; there are a couple of especially poignant moments with the drones that I would like to have seen explored on their own terms, but this would have wandered a little too far afield from the premise of the film. The ending is actually quite touching and, perhaps more importantly, it feels right to this viewer.
There is certainly a strong undercurrent of allegory working in this storyline. Freeman's fellow crew members represent society at large; their lack of concern for the forests and dismissal of any ecological cares at all are meant to be a condemnation of contemporary society's uncaring and unthinking attitude toward ecology on the planet. Freeman is an evangelical fanatic on the subject, a voice crying in a wilderness that may not survive much longer if things continue as they are; up until the very end, he does not give up hope, though, and that is the inspirational message that stays with the viewer after the movie ends. It's a rather somber and depressing movie for the most part, yet I, who would not call myself an environmentalist of any kind, was touched both emotionally and intellectually by the film. Freeman and his crewmates represent the extreme weights on both sides of the environmentalism/commercialism scale, and it is up to us, the viewers, to find a way to balance those opposing weights on our home planet.
Movie Review: Douglas Trumbull's Underappreciated SF Classic
Summary: 4 Stars
On an overtechnologized and defoliated Earth of the future, the ecosystem has been carelessly destroyed by humans and the only remaining wilderness environs are grudgingly looked after by astronauts on massive domed spaceships. The vitamins, minerals, and such required to sustain human life can be easily synthesized in laboratories, so the folks on Earth are becoming increasingly apathetic about the need to sustain the circumgyrating greenhouses. When the inevitable order to scrap the project and destroy the orbiting flora and fauna finally comes through, Freeman Lowell (Bruce Dern), the only astronaut in the project who truly cares about the plants and animals, violently rebels and places upon himself the responsibility of protecting the last vestiges of Earth's non-human life. But just how far will he go to ensure that he's successful in his self-imposed calling?1972's SILENT RUNNING marks the directorial debut of FX wizard Douglas Trumbull, probably best known for his FX work on Stanley Kubrick's 1968 sci-fi epic 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. Though the skeleton was given flesh by writers Deric Washburn , Michael Cimino, and Steven Bochco, the underlying structure of the plot is Trumbull's. In light of his work with Kubrick, it is interesting that Trumbull would come up with an idea such as that for SILENT RUNNING, as it makes it seem as if he felt that the only way he could demonstrate that he is more than just an FX man was to create a film that is the thematic opposite of the one featuring his best known FX work. Kubrik's opus tells a story that celebrates mankind's intellectual evolution and subsequent technological advancements, whereas Trumbull's brainchild embraces the ideals of 1960's counter-culture ecology movement and implies that technological advancement is conducted irresponsibly and consequently pollutes the environment and wrecks the Earth.
The plot of SILENT RUNNING is a bit slow at times, but the film is never dull or boring. And in the role of the good-intentioned but increasingly psychotic Lowell, Dern turns in one of his most intense and most memorable performances. Due to its anti-technology and pro-environmentalist theme, however, many critics have panned SILENT RUNNING as a '60s throwback in which Trumbull tries to milk emotions from the last vestiges of the pro-ecology hippies, often citing the fact that '60s folk singer Joan Baez performs some of the film's music as proof of their theory. But this is really an unfair evaluation. Environmentalist themes have been a long tradition in science fiction, with a future dystopia used to illustrate what might happen if present society continues being ecologically apathetic. And SILENT RUNNING isn't the only classic SF film from the '70s built around such a theme. Other SF films of the era also express concern about man's effect on nature--NO BLADE OF GRASS (1970), Z.P.G. (1972), SOYLENT GREEN (1973), and PROPHECY (1979) to name just a few. So it's more likely that Trumbull, a science-fiction fan himself, simply chose a traditional SF theme that appealed to his own ideals and tastes.
The DVD from Universal offers a good digital transfer of the film in anamorphic widescreen. Also included are some pretty cool bonus features, not the least of which are the original made-for-tv featurette on the making of the film and an interesting feature commentary with Trumbull and Dern. No true fans of SF will want to miss the opportunity to include this film in their DVD collections.
Movie Review: Great Science Fiction ... One of the Better from the 1970's
Summary: 4 Stars
There's a strong political/ecological message in this film but I enjoy it for its science fiction screenplay. With many of the films of the time ("Soylent Green", "The Omega Man", etc) there was strong social commentary and apocalyptic themes. While ecology is important to us all, in this film, it's a bit too strong in parts (though it doesn't overwhelm the entire script).With that, there's a bit of a mixed message presented by the film, regarding the forest domes and the ill-fated crewmen of the film's main character, Freeman Lowell. Bruce Dern is perfect as Lowell who disobeys orders but at the cost of his own integrity. There's some shocking heavy-handedness to his otherwise benevolent character. You'll have to see the film for yourself and draw your own conclusions.
But enough of that. As science fiction, this is simply a great film. Excellent special effects (for its time) and sets. I liked the spaceships; they seemed very practical and functional. Without giving away too much of the plot, one must wonder why such extreme measures are taken with the cargo when it seems it could have been "parked" somewhere. When you watch the film, you'll understand what I mean. But of course, there'd be no story without the extreme measures.
Oddly touching and indeed brilliant ahead of their time, are the three robots that accompany Freeman. The robots are apparently equipped to have emotions as they experience grief, concern and loneliness. They even cheat at cards, while playing Poker with Freeman. Two of the robots have a tété-a-tété outside on the surface of the spacecraft where they share their concerns about Lowell and the cargo. By the end of the film, I was surprised to discover how much the robots themselves had touched me. I don't know how they manipulated them but they each took on real personalities. Freeman even takes the little robots out for their own personal "Arbor Day". It's actually done very well and the robots really make you believe it. There's a little bewilderment and disbelief on the part of the robots when their first tree-planting doesn't go smoothly and Freeman chastises them for their lack of understanding ... neat ...
This film has stood the test of time. The cinematography is well-done and has been preserved in near pristine shape. The film looks every bit as new as when it was produced (some colorization in the special effects was characteristic of the studio technology available at that time and does not represent degradation of the master reels as such).
There really was never a film quite like "Silent Running" and I dare say it could not be duplicated nor equaled. This is not the action fare of "Star Wars" but it's a little faster paced than "2001: A Space Odyssey" and the subject matter is a little less complex and mysterious (let me say "2001" was brilliant on several levels for the most part).
I even like the robot that plays pool with the guys. This is a science fiction classic, if you liked the 1970's, and a "must have" for your collection. With regard to the DVD, you get chapter access and nothing else. No production notes, no theatrical trailer, no language / subtitle options, but the film is worthy of digital processing, so buy the DVD if you can for that reason, just don't be surprised by the lack of features.
Movie Review: An acclaimed environmental masterpiece.
Summary: 4 Stars
An acclaimed environmental masterpiece, Silent running is set in a ruined future where huge orbiting spaceships preserve the last remaining trees from pollution and overcrowding on Earth.
In response to the environmental issues of the 1960's,special effects guru Douglas Trumbull married the theme of ecology to his pioneering effects simultaneously making a social statement and a beautiful film full of aesthetic opposites. His rendering of vast greenery trapped within steel and glass is a moving vision. Dern's unforgettable rendering of the unhinged Lowell, a man driven by what he thinks is right, is frightening and heartbreaking.
Silent Running eerily resembles our present environmental and social issues. The concern of environmental awareness is of course obvious and at the forefront of the film. There is also a fantastic speech given by Lowell to his crewmates that really emphasizes some of the social issues that we are facing perhaps more today than in 1972. When his fellow crewmates make fun of Lowell for eating raw fruit and vegetables he argues by asking them if they know where their food came from and better yet, what it actually IS that they are eating. He goes on to explain, passionately to the point of fist fighting, that at least he knows where his food comes from, that he grew it with his own two hands and that he garners much joy from his toiling. These arguments are similar to the present day wave of eco-groups calling for more responsible eating habits a.k.a. sustainable agriculture, which encourages communities to eat "closer to home" by buying direct from local farms, butchers, fisheries and so forth. It is also reminiscent of the classic argument of processed vs. organic food that is still raging on as this is written.
The effects are quite astounding for their time working well with the film rather than overpowering it. The only things that date this film badly are two songs sung by folk musician Joan Baez. While her musical styling is fitting for the socially conscious theme of the film, some may find it over the top and borderline laughable.
Never the less, Silent Running is worthy of a place on your sci-fi DVD shelf, although you may want to see if there will be a high definition format (most likely Blue-ray) in the near future. Digital cleaning and sound enhancement could only serve to make
Movie Review: Highly Recommended Bit Of Sci-Fi Hippie Schmaltz
Summary: 4 Stars
Get ready to LAFF!All the reasons that people cite for why this movie is flawed (shakey premise, preachy, maudlin, flat, Joan Baez theme song) are, in my opinion, reasons to love this film. If it hasn't aged particularly well, it has certainly survived as a hilarious sci-fi feature that is very much of its time. Dern's characterization of the psychotic tree-hugging Lowell is a joy to watch. When he preaches to his crewmates about the benefits of eating "real food" versus food pills (Ren & Stimpy anyone??) as he scoops out his cantelope is mighty funny stuff. "I grew it. I FIXED it." (Fixed it? = Hilarious.) Also, the little circular bumper pool table with the robot arm opponent thing is novel. Ha ha. And the high-speed 6-wheeled all-terrain vehicle joy ride through a warehouse of polystyrene octagonal storage pods is choice. Weeeee!
Trumball's effects are great by '70s standards. Not as spectacular as 2001: A Space Odyssey, but a might better than either Logan's Run or Battlestar Galactica that followed in later years. (I'd say it's comparable to Space: 1999) The establishing shot at the beginning of the film where we see Lowell standing in his kitchen window gazing out into the vastness of space, slowly pulling back to reveal the hull of the "Valley Forge" (his gigantic all-american eco-space ship, complete with geodesic domes) is stunning in its way, and very reminiscent of 2001.
Lastly, the "drones" Huey, Dewey and Louie are fascinating to watch. Like bulky air-conditioning units with articulated "feet" and flash-cube style sensors, cooling vents and grabby little pincher arms, the adorable drones waddle around the Valley Forge and fix things and water plants and - eventually - perform knee surgery on Dern. [Grisly!] Like R2D2, these robots contain live actors inside, and are made to seem very adorable and cute and childlike. When one of them is accidentally destroyed, the other two actually seem "sad". It is a "very special" moment in a very special film. (Define "special" however you see fit.) Unlike R2D2, however, these robot costumes house not dwarf actors but full-sized amputee actors with no legs who walk on their hands. The visual effect is truly like nothing you've ever seen in a sci-fi film, or are likely to see again.