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Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
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Year of release
1975

Directed by
Paul Bartel

Written by
Robert Thom
Charles P. Griffith

Starring
David Carradine
Sylvester Stallone
Simone Griffith
Sandy McCallum
Louisa Moritz


Death Race 2000

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Plot – In a dystopian future, America has collapsed and is now a fascist state ruled by Mr President. The country's residents are kept entertained and in check by a series of violent, gladiatorial sporting exploits, including the annual Transcontinental Road Race. The race is a 3 day, coast-to-coast affair where its entrants are scored not just on time but on the amount of points they can gain for killing innocent people along the way. The competitors include Frankenstein (Carradine), a legendary racer and the government's champion; with his main competition coming in the form of 'Machine Gun' Joe Viterbo (Stallone), a man jealous of the attention Frankenstein gets and obsessed with defeating him. It is the 20th annual race, but this one will not run as smoothly as normal. At least not if a resistance group have their way; they plan to sabotage the race and lead a rebellion against Mr President's rule.

That's right ladies and gentlmen. The reviews thread which has brought you such esteemed cinematic classics as Rashomon, All the President's Men, Apocalypse Now, Bridge on the River Kwai, Rear Window and Some Like It Hot now tackles the 1975 Roger Corman B-movie classic, Death Race 2000.

And want an absolute blast it is! A demented, ghoulish delight which is actually rather camp and gloriously un-PC. With its excessive violence, gratuitous nudity and “let's just p*ss people off” attitude this is a film most certainly in exploitation territory. In fact this is the kind of thing I was expecting of grindhouse cinema but failed to get with Death Proof. And while it is as cheap and trashy as you'd expect, I also found it to be a smarter and overall better film than I was anticipating. I'm not going to make any great arguments for it being an immensely deep film it actually does have a few issues at its core, mostly highlighted as a result of its often surrealist satirical humour. It highlights how politicians can utilise sports as a way to try and control the public, an opium for the masses if you will. While at the same time perhaps criticising the bloodlust of the public for sports where the objective is pain - boxing, MMA, even motorsports when the only reason for watching is the crashes. It also has a bit of commentary on celebrity and its fandom, leading to a surprisingly touching and poignant moment where a girl sacrifices herself to help Frankenstein gain points as a way of proving how deep her love for him is.

David Carradine's Frankenstein is a giddy treat, and in terms of appearance I'm pretty sure is the b*stard offspring of Batman and the gimp from Pulp Fiction! However the star for me would have to be Stallone and his 'Machine Gun' Joe Viterbo character. Playing out like a stereotypical Italian-American hood (I was expecting him to throw out a “you mooks” at any moment) he is the big-mouthed, trash-talking villain of the piece. And Stallone seems to be having a great time as he hams it up in fine style, spouting out such ridiculous lines as “I think you're one very large baked potato.” He steals the show and it actually makes me wish he had taken on more villainous roles throughout his subsequent career. His showing makes for a really nice contrast when combined with Carradine's attempts at imbuing Franenstein with an almost Shakespearean gravitas.

Film Trivia Snippets - Originally the role of Frankenstein was actually offered to Peter Fonda. He rejected it however as he considered it to be too ridiculous for words. /// Sylvester Stallone actually wrote a good deal of his character's dialogue himself, including that fantastic 'baked potato' line which he ad-libbed. /// In a great representation of the film's tiny budget, most of the time the cars didn't actually work. So in order to get them to actually move they had to be pushed down hills! While the cameras were undercranked in an effort to create the illusion that the cars were moving a lot faster than they actually were. /// Along with David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone doing much of their own driving, the film's producer, Roger Corman, also did a lot of the driving in the scenes that were shot on streets. The custom cars built for the movie were not street legal and the stunt drivers didn't want to drive them for fear of being caught by the police, so Corman stepped in.
Oh and I almost forgot to mention the characters in the media who are brilliant, perfectly capturing the various archetypes you find there. There's the grizzled, stoic old-timer who takes things very seriously (Carle Bensen); the completely fake and disingenuous reporter played by Joyce Jameson who tries to make us believe every single person is “a dear friend” of hers and who goes by the none-too-subtle but brilliant name of Grace Pander. And then finally you've got Don Steele as the hilarious Junior Bruce, the main race commentator. Steele, a real life DJ, is so overzealous, excitable and downright smarmy; he really does act as the mouthpiece for the President.

I get the feeling this film probably came into existence as a rejected Wacky Races script. I can just picture it being written in the writer's room while they were all off their heads on acid. It really is immensely reminiscent of that classic Hanna Barbara cartoon, from its tricked out cars to its gimmicky contestants with names like Calamity Jane and Matilda the Hun. For goodness sake it even has the old 'fake tunnel leading over a cliff' gag! It just embraces the sheer stupidity and outlandish nature of its concept with such wild abandon. And it's a film which is unable to hide its low budget roots but is all the more charming for it. Though rather surprisingly given its budget the film does have some fine cinematography at times of the landscapes they drive through provided by Tak Fujimoto, a man who had already worked on Badlands and would go on to great success with films like The Silence of the Lambs and The Sixth Sense.

Though I am aware that with material like this there is a fine line between what some people will find to be titillating and devilishly entertaining, and what others will find to be excessive and distasteful. Roger Ebert for example actually gave this film 0 stars! and criticised it for its bloodshed and worried about what it would do to the children who saw it. However I just found the violence all too cartoonish, comic-book and obviously played for laughs to imagine how someone could get all that upset or turned off by it. The film's numerous deaths are all just so entertaining, and its humour so dark and mischievous. The absolute stand-out moment for me though would have to be the scene that takes place at a hospital on 'Euthanasia Day.' Every year when the race is taking place, doctors and nurses wheel out these old invalid patients and leave them like sitting ducks to be taken out by the drivers for points. I was already laughing at that perverse idea when the film put a twist on it; instead of going after the patients Frankenstein instead chooses to mow down the cruel doctors and nurses. A move that Junior Bruce sees as showing Frankenstein possesses “one hundred percent red-blooded American sense of humor.”

Conclusion - Cheap, trashy, camp, ridiculous.....and just a little bit brilliant! From its evocative, pulpy title to its pitch-black humour and pitch-perfect performances Death Race 2000 is an absolute joy. When honeykid placed this in his top 10 films I thought he may have been a little nuts. Now that I've seen the film however I no longer think this. It's a fantastically entertaining enterprise, one which I may actually have under-rated considering just how much I enjoyed it. My concern over rewatch value perhaps hampered its score, but if it holds up on repeat viewings then who knows, maybe I'll be joining honeykid I having it on my own list. I certainly found it to be a lot more entertaining than the Mad Max films which it apparently helped to inspire.



So glad to see you loved it so.

A great review, as always, and I agree with everything you say, with the exception that I'm pretty sure it's Carle Bensen who's says the line about Frankenstein's sense of humour. I can still hear his stilted chuckle after he says the line.

I just love everything about this film and I'll be quite surprised if subsequent viewings don't hold up for you. I've been watching this since I was about 9 and I'm yet to tire of it. In fact, I love it even more now than I did back then.
__________________
5-time MoFo Award winner.



We've gone on holiday by mistake
It almost feels like Tarantino however couldn't bring himself to just make a dumb film, he had to try and make it 'cool' by dumping a s*it-load of his self conscious dialogue onto it. And while it works in some of his work, most notably Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs, I just found it so indulgent and narcissistic here. I found Inglourious Basterds to have a similar problem and films like this just make me wish a strong producer, or editor, or script editor or whatever would come in and really reign in such tendencies. After such a stunning start to his career I just feel that too often he is doing stuff just because he wants to, rather than it actually lending anything to the films themselves. But that's just me, and I'm aware it's not a opinion shared by all that many people.
Great Comment!

That is an opinion shared and championed by myself for a long time. It's why you wont find Tarantino's work so highly rated by me or reaching the top of my lists.



"Hey Look it's Masterman"
I loved Death Proof, I thought it was cool, fun, and great entertainment. This really is Tarantino's love or hate it movie, but I actually prefer it over Inglorious Basterds and Jackie Brown.



Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
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Year of release
1968

Directed by
Peter Bogdanovich

Written by
Peter Bogdanovich

Starring
Boris Karloff
Tim O'Kelly
Arthur Peterson
Nancy Hsueh
Peter Bogdanovich


Targets


Plot - Byron Orlok (Karloff) is an elderly and legendary horror movie star who feels his career coming to an end and decides to retire. He feels that his once scary films can no longer compete with the real-life horrors to be found on the streets. Bobby Thompson (O'Kelly) meanwhile is a young Vietnam veteran with a seemingly normal life who one day snaps, killing his mother and his wife before embarking on a killing spree. The two men seem to have nothing in common until their lives intersect at a drive-in movie theatre showing one of Orlok's old pictures. Orlok is there to make a personal appearance, while Thompson has chosen this as the location for his last stand.

Quite a unique and intriguing film this one, detailing the shifting face of horror both in the movies and in society at large. For a large amount of the time this film actually plays like two completely separate entities, which are only brought crashing together in the closing moments. Legendary horror actor Boris Karloff plays Byron Orlok, a thinly veiled version of himself. He is a rather morose individual who believes his time has come and gone. His films which once struck terror into the hearts of audiences are now considered high camp. He cannot compete with the real horrors that have seeped into our everyday lives. As an example of this is Bobby Thompson, played to understated chilling effect by Tim O'Kelly. It is clear right from the start that he is a troubled young man. His life seems fairly normal and pleasant but you can just sense a hollowness and an emptiness about it. He is disturbed by the thoughts which are rattling around his mind but is unable to communicate this to those who love him. The film teases his descent into homicidal madness a few times before eventually he snaps and goes on a killing spree.

And those moments where Bobby loses it and begins killing really are exceptionally disturbing scenes, largely as it doesn't feel like we are really watching a film in these instances. The music drops out, meaning they play in complete silence except for the repeated sound of gunshots. Combined with some stark imagery from Bogdanovich and cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs they don't feel all that excessive, with O'Kelly's emotionless reactions there's something disturbingly run of the mill about them. It all seems just so easy and casual an exercise for Bobby, no more taxing than any simple household chore. It's very disturbing whenever the film places us in the character's shoes, giving us his point of view, having us look through the same crosshairs as the character, viewing his innocent and oblivious potential victims. With some impressive direction, cinematography and sound design they are startlingly effective sequences.

Indeed the film is impressively directed throughout by the debuting Peter Bogdanovich, delivering a series of striking scenes and compositions. This is never more true than when it comes to Target's conclusion. Set at a drive-in theatre which is reopening with an Orlok picture, and featuring a personal appearance by him, it sees Bobby climb high up behind the screen to pick off members of the audience. Bobby uses a hole in the large screen to aim his rifle barrel through and fire his shots at the unsuspecting audience. It's a very symbolic image; the fiction has been punctured and the horrors have seeped out into real life. The monsters are no longer to be found up on the big screen, but out on the same streets that we walk every day.

Film Trivia SnippetsTargets had a rather unique origin. It came about as a result of Boris Karloff owing Roger Corman two days of filming. So Corman told Bogdanovich that he could make any film he wanted, but with two conditions. He had to hire Karloff for two of the days, and he had to use stock footage from The Terror; a film Corman and Karloff had made together 5 years previously. Karloff was so impressed with Bogdanovich's efforts that he actually worked a total of five days and refused any pay for his participation. /// At the time of the film being made Karloff was in very poor health; he was suffering from emphysema and rheumatoid arthritis, had only half of one lung remaining and spent the time between takes in a wheelchair with an oxygen mask. He had braces on both legs, and had difficulty standing or walking without the aid of his cane.
Targets was a film tapping into the societal shift and troubled times of America during the 60s, both abroad and at home on its own streets. You had the Vietnam War raging overseas, while America had been rocked throughout the decade by numerous high-profile assassinations, race riots and race-related hate crimes. People all over America were feeling powerless and disenfranchised with their government and their country. The film also took specific inspiration from several real-life tragedies, most notably the story of Charles Whitman who killed his wife and mother before going on a shooting spree from the bell tower of the University of Texas; eventually resulting in a death toll of 17 people. While another of the film's sequences mirrors the Highway 101 Sniper Attack, where Michael Andrew Clark started firing at passing cars, killing 3 people. And sadly the film feels just as relevant as ever, and indeed prescient in the wake of such American tragedies as the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary and Virgina Tech, and the Boston Marathon bombing to name just a few. And now of course there is the immensely disturbing and dark parallel between Target's conclusion and what happened at the cinema in Aurora during the showing of The Dark Knight Rises.

There's no doubt that the film does have its flaws. Working from an absolutely minuscule budget, some of the acting is a tad amateurish and the film as a whole can feel rather slow burning. While many of the characters are never really developed beyond very basic one-dimensional portraits. Oh and also the fate of Bobby's father is left rather unresolved and unreferenced. Are we to assume that Bobby was unable to stand up to his father and challenge him, so waited until he was out of the way and Bobby wouldn't have to deal with him. I suppose there was that scene where the two men are out doing some target practice and Bobby actually traps his father in the sights of his gun but doesn't pull the trigger. Perhaps that shows us his inability to confront his father. Sorry just having a conversation with myself. Back to the review.

Targets was one of Boris Karloff's last ever films prior to his passing; indeed it was Karloff's final appearance in a major Hollywood production. And the film acts as a truly suitable tribute to the man, and a fitting farewell. Karloff gives a terrific performance as Orlok, delivering a real sense of weary tiredness and despair at his situation while at the same time still proving to be dryly humorous. It's really quite a sensitive and indeed a moving performance. And the man who was best known for portraying Frankenstein's Monster proves that even at the stage of his career, and in failing health, he still had a real presence to him. The closing scene where Orlok marches purposely towards the shooter, disregarding his own safety and with a grim determination on his face is quite a moment. At this point Bobby has so completely lost touch with reality that he is unable to differentiate between the Orlok on screen, and the Orlok in real life who is coming right at him; with Bobby shooting at both of them. With a conclusion that denounces Bobby as the coward that he is as Orlok asks “Is that what I was afraid of?”

Conclusion - Targets may be a touch dated now; a little bit slow and rough around the edges, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is a very captivating and effective film, one that is well handled throughout by Bogdanovich and features a poignant, effective showing from acting legend, Boris Karloff. This could be a film that grows on me over time.



Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
Dude you have me very interested to see this movie! Sounds like something I would enjoy. Another informative review indeed.
An "informative review"? Well that sounds sexy! What happened to my customary "excellent review dude!"? I miss that.



A great review, as always, and I agree with everything you say, with the exception that I'm pretty sure it's Carle Bensen who's says the line about Frankenstein's sense of humour. I can still hear his stilted chuckle after he says the line.
Ah-ha! You've revealed your true feelings. If they are always great, that means whenever you say they're merely good you're just messing with my mind! And thanks for that. I'll rectify that little error

This has been in my to-see pile for a while now and, along with UF's review of it, you both have me convinced that I'm really going to like it.
Oh no the pressure! I don't want to be in the bad books if you hate it! Especially as you're not just interested to see it, you're convinced you will like it. Well if you don't like it blame UF, he reviewed it first and gave it a higher rating.



Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
I've actually got a few reviews on the conveyer belt which I've been saving to dole out in regulation for you all, but one review has jumped ahead of all of them. When I came across the sad news yesterday that Jim Kelly had passed away it felt like the right occasion to revisit the classic Enter the Dragon, in which Kelly starred as Williams. It's perhaps a little different than my norm; it's kind of half Enter the Dragon review - half Bruce Lee retrospective/tribute


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Year of release
1973

Directed by
Robert Clouse

Written by
Michael Allin

Starring
Bruce Lee
Shih Kien
John Saxon
Jim Kelly



Enter the Dragon


Plot - A martial artist at the Shaolin temple named Lee (Lee) is recruited by an investigative agency to look into the activities of a suspected crime boss named Han (Kien). His way in will be a martial arts tournament that Han holds on his private island every three years. And Lee has plenty of motivation. Not only was Han a former student at the temple who has now brought shame to it, but Lee discovers that Han's men were responsible for the death of his sister. Other participants invited to take part include Roper (Saxon) and Williams (Kelly), old friends and former army buddies. Both men are on the run and use the tournament as a way of hiding out. Roper is running from the Mafia whom he owes large debts to, while Williams assaulted two police officers who were racially harassing him.

Out off all the B-movies, exploitation flicks and grindhouse films that have ever been produced you would be hard pressed to come up with another film which has had such an impact on cinema and popular culture as Enter the Dragon. Even today, 40 years after its release, the film is still revered by fans all over the world and continues to have a lasting impact and legacy both on cinema and in the land of merchandising. And when you really examine it, perhaps it may seem a bit surprising. After all what is Enter the Dragon but a cheap Hong Kong pastiche of the James Bond film series, with Dr. No seeming to be of particular inspiration. While it may very well be an “AWESOME film, man!”, is it really that great a film? No, not especially. Its standing in the history of film is a lot higher than its actual quality would merit. However Enter the Dragon has the ultimate ace up its sleeve; it has the considerable presence of one Bruce Lee.

It is Lee's exceptional screen presence which lifts this film to truly iconic levels. The moments where Lee is allowed to cut loose and engage in combat are impossible to take your eyes off. With his lightning speed, unusual yelps and the sheer intensity on his face there has been little that has ever been able to match the scenes in terms of their electricity. The fight sequences, which Lee choreographed himself, are all a thrill to behold. From his brutal dispatching of O'Hara to his stunning battle with dozens of Han's henchmen in the underground caverns, from the massive battle royale in the courtyard to the hall of mirrors sequence which closes the film they are wonderful spectacles to behold. It's one of the great “what ifs” in all of film history that has been discussed by fans and critics alike; how big a star would Bruce Lee have been were it not for his tragic death at such a young age? What other movies would he have made which are now lost for all time? I don't think it's too far of a stretch to posit that he could have joined the likes of Clint Eastwood, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Charles Bronson etc in becoming one of the biggest film stars of the 70s and 80s. Like those men he may not have been the most gifted of actors, but he had an immense and unmistakable screen presence which has rarely been matched.

And while it's Bruce Lee that has made the film so enduring, and which continues to bring people to it, when you actually get to the film there is a lot more to enjoy here than just that. At one point in the film Williams remarks to Han that “man, you come right out of a comic book.” It's an apt description for Han, and is also true for just about every other character and the film as a whole. The whole thing is a very colourful experience with vivid character and lurid moments. Han is a striking and bold villain, created through a combination of Shih Kien's grandiose showing and the violent accessories he can add to his person. His claw hands are absolutely classic! They are amongst the film's most outlandish additions and help to create some truly memorable moments. Indeed there can be very few images in all of cinema as indelible or iconic as the sight of a shirtless Lee with cuts across his face and torso. And while it may have become a cliché over the years, the hall of mirrors sequence is still fantastic and rightly remains one of the most famous fight scenes in film history.

Film Trivia Snippets - In the film's famous Hall of Mirrors finale over 8000 mirrors were used to set it up. /// At one point during filming, Lee accidentally struck Jackie Chan in the face with one of his fighting sticks. Lee immediately apologised profusely, and told Chan that he could work on all of his movies after that. This of course proved to be Lee's final film, but imagine the possibilities had these two made a movie together when Chan became a star. /// Warner Brothers considered calling the film “Han's Island” as they thought international audiences may be confused by an action film called Enter the Dragon. Other alternative titles put forward where “Blood and Steel” and “The Deadly Three.” /// During filming, Lee was frequently challenged on set by extras and triad punks looking to make a name for themselves. He would normally ignore them but did fight one time, beating the hell out of two men, one after another. They weren't the only ones to suffer at his hands. During his battle with O'Hara he delivered a running thrust kick to Bob Wall which broke his sternum, and broke the arms of two extras in the crowd who attempted to catch Wall as he was sent flying backwards.
Enter the Dragon isn't just your classic single hero v villain set-up, with Jim Kelly and John Saxon joining Lee to form a heroic trio, even if neither of the characters appear to be especially noble. Jim Kelly is great as Williams. With his considerable height and large afro he cuts quite the imposing figure and has charisma to burn. Seemingly plucked straight out of a blaxploitation flick his Williams is so self-assured and arrogant; just one really cool cat. I love the moment where he explains why he doesn't even consider the possibility of losing, and that when it comes he won't even notice. He'll be to “busy looking gooood.” While John Saxon is also a lot of fun as Roper, a womaniser and compulsive gambler who probably has never met someone he didn't think he could outsmart or con. On the run from the mob the man is a real playboy. And even when it comes to background performers who don't even speak, you've got colourful participants. As Han's main henchman, Bolo Yeung is an intimidating figure with a face that would make you cross the road if you saw him on your side of the street. He's a foreboding presence who would later be put to great use opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme in 1988's Bloodsport.

While Enter the Dragon may still be a little rough and shonky in places, its production values are certainly higher than the standard for a film like this. Yes it's plot may be minimal to the point of it barely being worth mentioning, but it accomplishes its goal; namely to get us from one showdown to the next. And alongside those superbly staged fight scenes the film is also nicely photographed and featured some rich visuals from Clouse and cinematographer Gil Hubbs. Before the characters arrive on Han's island we get a few sequences which depict Hong Kong and add a bit of flavour to proceedings, moments such as Williams walking through its crowded city streets and the main trio arriving by boat in the bustling harbour. And then you've got the highly expressive set design in Han's compound, most notable in the large party room which is garishly and colourfully decorated and complete with two sumo wrestlers in the middle of the room. Enter the Dragon also features a thumping score from Lalo Schifrin which mixes jazz and funk beats with more traditional Chinese music, resulting in an entertaining fusion of cultures.

Enter the Dragon was the film which introduced martial arts cinema to the masses outside of Asia. It made Bruce Lee a worldwide star, even if it was posthumously, and paved the way for the likes of Jackie Chan and Jet Li to achieve success around the world and become stars in Hollywood. Indeed the film even features two young men in minor roles who would carry on Lee's legacy; Sammo Hung as Lee's sparring partner at the film's beginning and Jackie Chan as one of Han's henchmen who has his neck broken. More than any of his other work, it is this film that has ensured Lee has remained an icon and one of the most recognisable stars in the world despite the small fact that he died 40 years ago. He is arguably still the biggest star to emerge from the world of martial arts; so much so that even to this day anytime a new star arrives on the scene, be it Tony Jaa or Iko Uwais, it isn't long before they are invariably cited as his possible successor; as the 'new Bruce Lee.' But I think that fruitless search will continue for many years to come. There will never be another Bruce Lee.

Conclusion - Enter the Dragon is the absolute epitome of Bruce Lee's tragically short career and life. With its minimal plot, prominent focus on the visuals, those tremendous fight sequences and Lee's charisma I find it an exceptionally easy watch everytime. Throw in its fun, diverse cast and its real mishmash of styles and cultures (chop socky, blaxploitation, Bond-style espionage, revenge flick) and you've got one of the most purely entertaining action flicks you're ever likely to come across.



Awesome review to an awesome movie! Enter the Dragon is a movie that inspired thousands to start taking up the martial arts! And you are right when you say there will never be another Bruce Lee. And yes Jim Kelly's death is sad as he was a big star in a lot of Blaxploitation films. May he rest in peace.



Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
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Year of release
1975

Directed by
Norman Jewison

Written by
William Harrison

Starring
James Caan
John Houseman
John Beck
Moses Gunn
Maud Adams


Rollerball

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Plot - In a future where countries have crumbled and large corporations now control every aspect of our lives, the people are given an outlet in the form of rollerball; an ultra violent sport which pits corporate-run teams from around the world against each other. One man, Jonathan E (Caan) of the Houston rollerball team, has played the game with such distinction and longevity that he has become the face of the sport, and a hero to people all over the world. This defeats the true purpose of the sport in the eyes of the corporations; to demonstrate to the people that individuality is futile. Led by the chairman of Houston's corporation, Mr Bartholomew (Houseman), Energy Corporation attempts to convince Jonathan to retire. Jonathan however does not feel ready to retire, with his reluctance proving a problem for the corporation.

This one is an old childhood favourite, but one I don't think I've watched for a good 15+ years. The first thing that struck me however was a sense of surprise about the fact that I actually liked it as a kid. Aside from the rollerball matches themselves it's actually quite a dry, slow-moving film. I assume that back in the day I either fazed out during those bits or maybe even fast-forwarded through them. And while the sequences depicting the matches remain by far the best bit about the film, I did actually enjoy the stretches in between. While it may not tackle them in the most compelling of ways, it does address quite a very interesting ideas. And the other thing that struck was just how incredibly similar the film is to Death Race 2000, with both films actually being released in the same year. Both films deal with a violent sport which is orchestrated and run by higher officials as a way to control the public. In this case, rollerball was created not merely to quench the public's bloodlust but as a way to demonstrate the pointless nature of individualism. But when Jonathan becomes a legend in the sport, and arguably bigger than the sport itself, he begins to disprove this notion. By becoming a hero to people all over the world the corporations fear he may become some kind of leader or martyr.

It tackles many similar themes to Death Race 2000; about how the individual can't succeed against the corporation, how sport is used to control the masses, about the public's bloodlust etc. It also asks some questions about what it means to be free, and about the control of information. The people who make up this society have accepted being ruled by the corporations in return for being provided for and taken care of. It may be a more 'pleasant' form of imprisonment, but surely it's still a prison. The way that the corporations control information also keeps the people uninformed and in check. Books have been done away with, and libraries are now large, impenetrable computer centres which only provide 'summaries' of literary works and records of history. And they're not exactly the most reliable of databases as I will detail later. In reality, the corporations 'own' history if such a thing is possible, and by doing so plan to control the future. Rollerball also details a world where in the eyes of the corporations everyone is replaceable; for example James Caan's character is given a new woman every six months. And these corporations do everything they can to stop one man from becoming bigger than the game, and in turn bigger than these corporations. It captures the addiction of powerful people who seem to become obsessed with controlling the lives of anyone they can. And there's a great scene where a bunch of executives, drunk on alcohol and on power, leave a party and head outside into nature where they use a gun to shots at a series of trees; resulting in huge explosions. Along with the party it just shows the ridiculous excesses of these individuals and how they feel entitled to do whatever they care to.

Film Trivia Snippets - The game of rollerball was so realistic and proved to be such fun, that in between takes the cast, extras and stunt performers actually played it for real. /// When someone inquired of him what the movie was about, James Caan reportedly answered, “It's about 90 minutes.” /// Much to the horror of the director Norman Jewison, there was actually some talk of forming real-life rollerball leagues following the film's release. The games had been filmed in the Olympic Basketball Arena in Munich with citizens invited to serve as spectators during filming. The action proved so entertaining to those audiences and audiences around the world in cinemas that it really was considered, completely ignoring the film's anti-violence message of such escapades.
The one major difference between Rollerball and Death Race 2000 however certainly comes in its tone. Whereas Death Race played it purely for silly laughs, Rollerball takes itself very, very seriously. Meaning that it does have a tendency to come across as rather stuffy and pretentious at times, bogging the film down with a heavy dose of dialogue and exposition and feeling quite heavy-handed with its messages. I really do feel that they could have accomplished the same goals but in a more streamlined manner. However even if it is not tackled in the most dynamic of fashion it still does have some interesting ideas at its core. Perhaps for a first time viewer it might be a bit of a slog; I certainly think my childhood fondness helped out. However I suppose that you could put forward an argument that these scenes act as being symbolic of the apathetic, passive existence that is now the accepted norm for the public. And that by contrasting it with the wild, chaotic matches it highlights why they are so passionate about the sport, and why Jonathan is so reluctant to leave such a violent exploit; it's the only time he feels alive.

But enough about all these issues and messages, onto the real reason for watching this film - the rollerball! The games themselves really are brutal, gladiatorial affairs. The action is spread across three matches, with each one escalating both in terms of the stakes and the violent carnage. They fly along at a great pace, with some breakneck editing, and quickly descend into bloodbaths. There doesn't seem to be anything fake or choreographed about them, they look and sound intensely realistic and painful. In amongst the chaotic scenes the blood flows and bones crack. There's no CGI or wire-work on show here, this is just good old-fashioned stuntwork. And I imagine that many an injury was racked up on the set. Indeed it was once rumoured that a stuntman had actually died on the set as a result of the 'game', but that has since been debunked. Whatever the physical cost to those involved it was well worth it as they are thrilling affairs. In fact the film's director, Norman Jewison, was so impressed by the monumental effort that the stunt performers put forward he insisted on having each of them given an individual credit. This was the first time that had ever been done, up to this point their work would have gone uncredited.

In the lead role, James Caan gives a very decent performance as the strong, silent Jonathan E; giving a naïve innocence to the conflicted character who only wants to play the sport he loves, but finds himself caught up in a larger conspiracy. Though he does perhaps play it a little too reserved and passive at points, meaning he has a tendency to be outshone in his confrontations with John Houseman, who plays the part of the villainous Mr. Bartholomew with an apparent glee. There is also some effective work done by the rest of the supporting cast. John Beck is a colourful addition as Jonathan's team-mate and friend, the wild madman Moonpie. While in a minor role, Ralph Richardson delivers a scene-stealing turn as The Librarian, a rather eccentric fellow in charge of handling the transcribing of information. I love his frustration at 'losing the 13th century.'

Conclusion - As much as I still enjoy this film I'm not sure is one I would readily go about recommending to other people. I can see a number of reasons for not liking it but for some reason it still works for me, perhaps largely down to the nostalgic fondness I have for it from childhood. The fantastic rollerball matches themselves are enough to ensure that I will likely continue to enjoy it.



Good review. Have never seen this movie but the way you talk about it reminds me of the way I felt about Running Man. I have never revisited it. Perhaps I shouldn't.
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We've gone on holiday by mistake
Love Rollerball and Enter the Dragon. 40 years later "Enter the Dragon" is still widely considered the greatest martial arts movie.

Rollerball is about 40 years old too and it isn't far away from the Corporate mess we find ourselves in today.



The 2002 remake is pants... one of McTiernan's weakest...

The '75 version was a bit of a 50/50 for me... I liked some of it, but didn't like other parts... been years since I saw it though so really need to give it another go.



The remake is horrible. Truly horrible. Even as a stand alone film, not connected to this in any way, shape or form, it's horrible. This version, however, is on my 100 and I love it. Like JD, this is a childhood favourite. It also introduced me to one of my favourite pieces of music.



BTW, this might be the best page of your entire thread, JD. Three of my all-time favourites and two in my top 100.




Interesting last couple of entries, JD. Will give Targets and Rollerball a try once I find the time for it. Like that you're going a bit more off the grid.