My next entry is not about Italian gladiators, unfortunately. It's about the much more exciting subject of space gardening.
Have you ever had a group assignment in which nobody seemed interested in doing a good job except yourself? On the other hand, have you ever been in a group with one person who was a goody-two-shoes control freak? Either way, this movie proves that it's worth listening to such people every once in a while. In a future in which the only remaining plant life is housed on orbiting spaceships, the small crew of the Valley Forge complies with an unexplained order to jettison and nuke this life. One crewman, however, is unwilling to do so: ecologist Freeman Lowell (Bruce Dern), who I would describe as someone who would be the first in line to volunteer for the Biosphere project from the early '90s. His battle soon becomes a solitary one, although he programs his station's droids to assist him and to provide company.
Douglas Trumbull, who is most probably famous for designing the visual effects for
Blade Runner, directed this movie and also contributed to its look. Qualities that make that movie great sci-fi can also be found here, such as how nearly everyone except for one or a select few - in this case Lowell - has, to quote The Buggles, bought the fake and sold what's real. Besides the rest of the crew's eagerness to finish their work and go home, there's Lowell's impassioned speeches as to why they should do the opposite. The theme of machine company being more attractive than human company is also done well here with the scenes of Lowell bonding with the droids he affectionately dubs Huey and Dewey. They're especially rewarding considering that despite having legs, the bots have no anthropomorphic features. Speaking of, since this is mostly a one-person show, it would fall apart if the actor were not game, but Bruce Dern very much is. In addition to his speechifying, he again proves that few actors are better at saying so much with a single (eagle-eyed) glare. The aesthetic is also worth calling out for being reminiscent of the art of Chesley Bonestell, and with its smattering of corporate logos proves that Trumbull's fascination with corporate control also didn't start with
Blade Runner.
While there's nothing terribly wrong with the movie, even at 90 minutes, it still seems a bit lean. Also, I didn't need everything to be explained, but it would have been nice to know why Earth sent the order to destroy the plant life. With that said, it's a fine example of eco-sci fi that not only inspires for how far Lowell is willing to go to preserve his work, but also for how it makes you ask what cause you would also fight tooth and nail for. Again, I also love the scenes showing Lowell and the droids' companionship. It's no wonder that the movie inspired Joel Hodgson while developing
Mystery Science Theater 3000. Oh, and if the story doesn't leave you teary-eyed, Joan Baez's songs definitely will.