JohnDoe
Bryn
Brenton
Rollerball (1975) – Trailer Included
Sports Mania - The Roller Boogie Death Machine
Special Edition DVD available in Australia
Director:Norman Jewison
Starring:James Caan, John Houseman, Maud Adams
“The game was created to demonstrate the futility of individual effort.”-Bartholomew
In the not to distant future the corporate and political wars have ended, globalisation has reached its inevitable conclusion with a single corrupt company and its small board controlling all earths utilities.
“Ladies and gentlemen, will you stand please for the playing of our Corporate Hymn.” – Commentator
The wealthy are kept in opulent luxury world wide, the poor are forgotten as the population is subdued with heavy medication and televised entertainment.
“But comfort is freedom. The entire history of civilization is a struggle against poverty and need.”–Ella
In this deluded reality of unprecedented peace and potential tranquility the most popular past time is watching an ultra violent death sport savage enough to test the most hardened Gladiator. Warriors on roller skates, dressed in spiked leather defended by reinforced motor X bikes spew blood and smash heads in the battle for Rollerball.
Chaotic with ever changing rules, as the body count increases the fans blood lust is fed by their champion Jonathon E (James Caan), a ferocious combatant who is becoming bigger than the game itself.
“Jonathan, there's one thing you ought to know, and nobody's said it, but I'm sure of it. They're afraid of you, Jonathan. All the way to the top, they are.”-Cletus
Violating its corporately designed purpose, soon Jonathon will see the true nature of the world he lives in and fight for more than privilege and glory.
“Jonathon, Jonathon, Jonathon” - The Mob
Jimmy brings the Corleone style to the game
John Doe says:
Throughout history rulers have used sports propaganda to control the plebs and the filmmakers are committed to making the most of the material. Rollerball comments on the nature of how the media and big business satisfying society’s craving for violent conflict. Culminating in an end game too rival Oliver Stone’s supreme sporting indictment Any Given Sunday.
Director Norman Jewison (The Thomas Crown Affair, In The heat of the Night, Agnes of God, A Soldiers Story, The Cincinnati Kid, Fiddler on the Roof, The Hurricane) brings weight by insisting that there is substance supporting the potentially brain dead premise. Unlike the recent lazy remake, the bleak screenplay makes sure to question its audience.
Deliberately inserting classical music and cold urban architecture to echo Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange, the sombre tone is broken by the camera that lets us see torso mangling stunts in detail and the deeper purpose of the plot is more prophetic today. There is some real pain onscreen due to the lack of CGI technology and the risk takers kept JD hovering over the pause button.
Jimmy Caan’s (Thief, The Godfather, the Killer Elite, Way of The Gun, Bottlerocket, City of Ghosts, The Yards, Freebie and Bean) athletic ability and competitive nature make his performance stronger and he carries the picture. His macho swagger and punch drunk delivery are easy to buy and as the head of the team makes the cast of unknowns do their best work on camera.
John Houseman (The Paperchase, Bright Lights Big City, The Fog, 3 Days of The Condor)as the human face of the conglomerate is pompous and threatening with his diplomatic airs. Bringing with him a sense of class his appearances add another level of conviction.
John Doe still marvels at the staging of the graphic blood sport and the efforts to make sure there is a purpose that emerges from the mayhem. As someone who never really understood the fascination with watching sports, (playing them I get) the way this film examines the cultural role arena sports play is part of the attraction.
The DVD: Australian Special Edition
Transfer: 16:9 Widescreen
Extras: Audio Commentary by Director Norman Jewison and the Writer William Harrison plus Return to the Arena “The Making of Rollerball”, Trailers, TV Spots and a Rollerball featurette
Watch the retro trailer
Here is a Making of Rollerball documentary.
Pop Culturist
Pop Rock Factory
You know this one of those movies which you promise yourself you must watch - but never ever got around to doing it. In the words of Andrew O'Keefe - It's (now officially) On The List of this weekend's viewing.
MNG
Deep, ironic and funny.
Very much a James Cann film when he was at his peek.
I like the subtlty of the film and even the way his ex-wife used against him. Very corperate Brave New Worldish.
As film it works so much better than the trashy remake where only the ugly Russians are evil.
Yet the problem the film suffers from is the way it glorifies violence as a solution to non violent oppression.
Or to put it another way it is anti violence film that glorifies violence.
Yet over all a good entertaining film.
Film & TV on DVD
Please come back once youve seen it, I look forward to reading your verdict..
Film & TV on DVD
One of many quality pre Star Wars sci fi's (Day the earth Stood Still, the Time Machine, Planet of the Apes etc)...
The remake was a shallow travesty with dull action...
The film glorifies the violence to shine a mirror at the audience so they are aware of their own bloodlust and nature. Without the more extreme carnage that hurts it would make it fun (read: stupid) like The Running Man. Instead it amplifies the impact of the anti violence message by showing the games brutality.
Just my thoughts, there is nothing I hate more than toned down fantasy violence that makes bullets bloodless or fist fights akin to pillow fights.
Thanks for your input, always worth pondering.
kinda liked it when I first saw it, but when you go back and take a second look, ah, no!
LOL
Great review though, even though I didn't like the movie!
Take care,
Nick
The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.
Film & TV on DVD
I guess for me the FX may have dated a little but the content seems even more on the money now. Plus its so refreshing to se real hardcore stunts instead of CGI...oh well cant agree on everything because that would be boring
Thank for taking the time to give feedback, i always love reading other peoples verdicts of the films I review.