TotalTelly.co.uk

Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV

Silent Running [1972]


RRP: £9.99
Our Price: £4.93 (subject to change)

Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

After creating many of the innovative special effects for 2001: A Space Odyssey, Douglas Trumbull tried his hand at directing, and 1971's Silent Running marked an impressive debut. (In addition to creating the visual effects for Close Encounters of the Third Kind and directing 1983's Brainstorm, Trumbull later turned to the creation of high-tech cinematic amusement park rides.) One of the best science-fiction films of the 1970s, Silent Running stars Bruce Dern as Freeman Lowell, a nature-loving crewmember aboard the Valley Forge, a gigantic spaceship in a small fleet that carries the last surviving forests of the Earth, which has fallen victim to overpopulation and ecological neglect.

Freeman's name reflects his nonconformist philosophy, which runs counter to the prevailing recklessness of his three ill-fated crewmates, who are eager to jettison their precious payload and return to the bleakness of Earth. Before they can sabotage the forests, Freeman does what he must, and spends the remainder of his mission with three robotic "drones" as his only companions, struggling to maintain his sanity in the vastness of space. Dern is superb in this memorable role, representing the lost soul of humankind as well as the back-to-nature youth movement of the 1960s and the pre-Watergate era. (Appropriately, Joan Baez sings the film's theme song.) A rare science-fiction film that combines bold adventure with passionate social conscience, Silent Running will remain relevant as long as the Earth is threatened by the ravages of human carelessness. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com


A superb watch!
Review date: 2008-11-05 Rating: 10 out of 10

If you just want to know if this film is worth buying/watching or not, without enduring copious notes in the process, the answer is a resounding "YES!!!" I watched this film when it was first released and the reviewers (FOOLS!) were decidedly cool, but my husband and I (no, not THAT husband and I !!) both thought it was brilliant and knew it would become a classic.

Similar Products

Reviews


Really moving and Sad!!!
Review date: 2008-08-08 Rating: 8 out of 10

This is a lovely, sad and moving film. I cried at this film when I first saw it in the 70'and cried when I saw it again just recently. Completely timeless.

habit wearing bunny hugger does nothing
Review date: 2007-12-18 Rating: 4 out of 10

I read the reviews for "Silent Running" and could not understand why I had never seen such a classic. I have now seen it and it is short-listed for my waste bin. The concept is great, the scenery stunning in a way that we have all become accustomed to, but the plot, the acting and the lack of exploration of any of the issues raised by the concept make this film a missed opportunity and to me a great disappointment.

If you have an interest in the ecological question, then I would recommend "Soylent Green". If you like good effects, music, an interesting concept and some thoroughly thought out work, watch "forbidden Planet". These are films I really value, "silent running" is not. If you are just looking for old sci fi, then try "the day the earth stood still" or the original "Solaris", these films all have reasonably strong ideas and explore them.

"Silent Running" is probably worth watching as a museum piece to see a particular stage in the development of visual effects, but not for the story.

The critical question of the value of plant life was explored to the extent that the leading character's best argument for it over artificial manufactured food was its better "because I grew it". Gravity on the ships remains unexplained. The final sections of the film have all the plants failing because they have no light and the botanist cant work out why they are failing.

Enjoy the visual work.

Save the Forest
Review date: 2007-10-04 Rating: 10 out of 10

Set in the far future aboard the spaceship "Valley Forge", Bruce Dern and three fellow astronauts maintain the huge vessel and the forests that it contains with the help of three ingeniously rendered robots. The robots are so convincing that they steal the show, but they remain classic depictions that are on par with Robby from "Forbidden Planet" and the droids of "Star Wars".

This is a sad story with a strong ecological message, "Silent Running" is a visual treat with outstanding special effects and a very realistically-depicted "Valley Forge" spaceship. A production note: Trumbull had use of the decommissioned naval aircraft carrier "Valley Forge" before it was scrapped and he was able to modify many of it's vast interiors for use in the movie, all to good effect.


in space no one can hear you talk sense
Review date: 2007-08-06 Rating: 10 out of 10

Just read Bobby cooks review on this underated masterpiece.I wept aswell 30 od years ago and guess what? Nothings changed . Every viewing of this film grabs me by the gut and just dosent let go . Why ? . Because its one of the few films to show us how hidious and uncaring 'humankind' can really be . Dont believe me ? check it out . In my opinion only in a handfull of film works has this emotive level been reached(albeit a very big handfull)see what you think and enjoy:
'cookoos nest''scum''planet of the apes''made in britain''easy rider''repulsion''la haine''long weekend'.....You know the score . I could go on and on but Finally a word for an even more underated Work of Art . Geoff Murphys 'The Quiet Earth' Utterly stunning . See it to believe it and dont forget to show yerself before he shoots the kid . If only somebody had the imagination and the balls to make films like this now.........peace to y'all
Markac

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Jesse Vint
Cliff Potts
Bruce Dern
Ron Rifkin
Mark Persons

Creators:
Bruce Dern (Primary Contributor)
Cliff Potts (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Uca
Manufacturer: Uca
EAN: 3259190360990
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2008-11-03
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Universal, suitable for all
Region code: 2
Running time: 86 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1972-03-10
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitles For The Hearing Impaired)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: German (Subtitled)
Language: Dutch (Subtitled)
Language: Swedish (Subtitled)
Language: Norwegian (Subtitled)
Language: Danish (Subtitled)
Language: Finnish (Subtitled)

Add to Cart

© 2006 Darren Hester, DesignsByDarren.com, Some Rights Reserved.
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional