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Rollerball [1975] - Special Edition


RRP: £19.99
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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Norman Jewison's dystopian Rollerball portrays a near-future in the aftermath of the Corporate Wars, in which nations have crumbled and conglomerates rule. In place of freedom the people are given bread and circuses: material comfort and rollerball itself. Played on a circular, slanted track by men on skates and motorbikes, this extreme sport is the ultimate extrapolation of the primitive blood lust implicit in many team sports. James Caan is outstanding as Jonathan E, star player with the Houston team.

In the elegant detachment of Jewison's direction, emphasised by the stark, alienating use of classical music, there are echoes of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Notwithstanding the brilliantly staged arena sequences, Rollerball is essentially about freedom versus conformity and the corruption of unfettered capitalism, with Caan leading an existential rebellion in the tradition of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 which leads to a chilling, apocalyptic finale. Certainly the most prophetic film of the 1970s, Rollerball has an intelligence and power overlooked by those who simply denounce its brutal violence.

On the DVD: Rollerball arrives on DVD with clear three-channel Dolby Digital sound, although obviously it lacks the impact of a more modern 5.1 soundtrack. The 1.77:1 transfer is anamorphically enhanced and is generally very sharp and detailed with excellent colour. Some scenes show a lot of grain, but this is presumably a consequence of having to shoot with very fast lenses to capture the swift and dramatic action under indoor lighting conditions.

"Return to the Arena--The Making of Rollerball" is a new 25-minute documentary (4:3 with letterboxed film clips) that features Jewison, Harrison and various other personnel reminiscing about the making of the film. The highlight of the extras are commentary tacks from the Jewison and Harrison, and while there is inevitably some overlap of information, and some quite lengthy gaps in Harrison's track, there is also much to interest the serious film buff. Also included is an original seven-minute promotional featurette "From Rome to Rollerball: The Full Circle", the chilling original trailer, the teaser trailer and a trailer for the remake.--Gary S Dalkin


Keeping Free Will
Review date: 2004-05-15 Rating: 10 out of 10

"Rollerball" is a superb film, possibly one of the best I have ever seen. Not only does it portray a futuristic dystopia where tyrannical global corporations have replaced nation-states as the sources of economic and political power(a 1970's vision which is now a reality), but it is also a compelling action movie and a poignant parable about tyranny versus free will; the collective versus the individual.

James Caan puts in a memorable performance as Jonathan E , the ageing Rollerball champion, whose cult of personality eventually becomes too much of a threat to the shadowy corporate directors' social engineering schemes. Rollerball, a vicious indoor combination of Speedway, Gridiron and Ice Hockey ,is supposed not only to distract and brutalise the masses , but to highlight the importance of the collective and the insignificance of individual effort. It is whenever Jonathan E starts to defy the Corporation that he begins to face serious danger.

"Rollerball" has a similar theme to the films "Network" and "Soylent Green" and of course Orwell's novel "1984" . In all of them ,an heroic ,messianic male individual fights an impersonal, omnipotent corporate tyranny in the name of free will and humanity. "Rollerball"'s triumph is its combination of this morality theme with as much visceral ,dramatic action as you could hope for, as rule changes make Rollerball progressively more violent. The action scenes as Jonathan E's Houston team play Tokyo and New York are right up there with the best in cinema and the ending is both emotional and uplifting.

I have never watched the remake of "Rollerball", nor do I intend to. How could they possibly improve on this original ?

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Reviews


FANTASTICLY DARK FUTURE
Review date: 2002-09-05 Rating: 8 out of 10

This is a fantastic dvd of a fantastic movie. it is a very realistic image of what our modern society might become if we allow it. the games are intense and realistic, the dialogue is realistic rather than over dramatic but at times lacking slightly in emotion. this dark vision is well executed with excelent sets and backdrops that make it all the more believable despite looking dated with the moulded plastic chairs in dayglow coluors. the only thing i would say against it is that it can drag, its not the kind of movie you watch casually. i would recomend this to anyone who enjoys an intense movie experience.

Violent portrayal of a dystopian future
Review date: 2000-12-13 Rating: 8 out of 10

It is not often that one can look back at a film considered violent when it first came out and still agree with that opinion. Today we are so desensitivised by the constant violence in film and television that most old, 'controversial' films seem laughable. Rollerball, however, still packs a considerable punch.

The film is visually stunning. Although many 70s views of the future now seem tawdry, Rollerball still manages to convey a good sense of the future by keeping it simple and, therefore, believable. The acting is superb, with an especially strong performance from John Beck as Jonathan's anarchic colleague Moonpie. The moral dilemma of Jonathan is intruiging, and is contrasted with the society's moral decline by a series of unnerving visual sequences.

My one problem with the film is that it sometimes does not go far enough. Certainly the implications of a society controlled by a few 'executives' could have been explored more fully. But this is a small quibble. The film is all about Rollerball, and as a film about Rollerball it works fantastically well. The game sequences are relentlessley edited, even by todays standards, and by the end of the final game you really feel that you have been watching something truly special. A real gem, and even today, one woth looking at.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
James Caan
John Beck (II)
Moses Gunn
Maud Adams
John Houseman

Creators:
James Caan (Primary Contributor)
John Houseman (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: MGM Entertainment
Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
EAN: 5050070006599
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, PAL, Special Edition, Widescreen,
Release date: 2002-06-24
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 120 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1975-06-25
Language: Czech (Subtitled)
Language: Danish (Subtitled)
Language: Dutch (Subtitled)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: Finnish (Subtitled)
Language: Greek (Subtitled)
Language: Hebrew (Subtitled)
Language: Hungarian (Subtitled)
Language: Norwegian (Subtitled)
Language: Polish (Subtitled)
Language: Portuguese (Subtitled)
Language: Swedish (Subtitled)
Language: Turkish (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)

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