November 15, 2008
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Former Futuristic Films
A few years ago, my teen son, L, was taken by Kubrick’s 2001: Space Odyssey—a film released in 1968 at the height of the space race. It requires an acquired taste. The first word spoken is a half hour into the movie—and even then, there is very little dialogue. One older friend of mine told me that the film was designed for acid-droppers. But the film was intriguing to my 21st century son because of its questions of exploration and space and, most importantly, the role of computers. L is a poet and in some ways 2001 is a visual poem. The score for the movie is a symphony and the images are profound—nevermind that the plot is slower than molasses.
Because L liked 2001, we decided to rent Soylent Green a couple years later. This movie is poetic in different ways. It is about an overpopulated earth, where the people survive in a controlled community on “soylent green” food. Yum. Not. If you want to see a classic film (1973) with Charlton Heston, I recommend this wild science fiction proposition. Could we, as a society, get to this place?
Beyond Soylent Green is Logan’s Run, made three years later, but also focused on a futuristic controlled community. The setting is the 23rd century, and everyone is encouraged to live a hedonistic lifestyle until they turn 30. At this point, their life clocks blink and they are encouraged to seek “renewal.” No one really knows what happens at renewal, but everyone thinks it must be wonderful. The population crams into a Greco-Roman type amphitheater to watch the renewal process. One scene that struck me as prophetic was one where people could go to have facial and other plastic surgery. A computer monitor shows clients how they will look with “laser” surgery—a scene that is not so uncommon now.
The interesting thing is that Logan’s Run is based on a novel from 1967, in which the society supports recreational drugs, but sends in the police for cigarette smoking. How could the author have foreseen the climate of the 21st century?
Logan’s Run is being remade, supposedly for a 2010 release. I hope they base it more on the book than the 1976 movie.
All these movies make great conversation starters regarding life origins and the issues of right and wrong. You must be discerning in watching them, though. Logan’s Run, which I saw first on TV actually has significant nudity during the snow/ice scene. Parents of teens would want to edit. Did I mention that Farrah Fawcett is in this flick in a supporting role?
Are there other science fiction flicks that you found profound?
|||||| lynard
Comments (4)
Can’ believe that Dave didnt comment on this one!! These are probably the three movies that consumed his thoughts,drawings,writings and play during those years. I never saw soylent green but still am disturbed just thinking about the whole thing!!
@onRway3 -
That’s funny. I never knew that about Dave. So he and L have some stuff in common.
For me it was definitely the Planet of the Apes series of films. (Not so much the TV series from the ’70s, though.) Although I had a huge crush on Roddy McDowall back then, so that might have had something to do with it….
Loved Logan’s Run, too … although so much of its looks didn’t age well. I never cared for 2001. Felt overly pretentious to me (that was my way of explaining that I didn’t get it). Then again, HAL is still creepy.
@Austruck1 -
I don’t know why I couldn’t watch Planet of the Apes, but it bothered me somehow. Maybe I felt it was some nod to macro evolution. Someday, I shall have to go back and fill in that lack of education.
Yeh, 2001 is slow-w-w-w-w-w.