Charlton Heston's police uniform, and no it's not the fashion police just the regular police. The cop from the Village People was TOTALLY jealous. Keep in mind, the environment in Soylent green is constantly hot, so he is really dedicated to that scarf.Since watching the Omega Man, I had been thinking about this movie, so I figured I might as well make a Charlton Heston comparison out of Omega Man in addition to my I am Legend Triple feature. I had never even seen a single frame of this movie, yet I knew the notorious ending because people insisted on saying the last line that gives it away.
This movie has the most currently relevant plot setup that I've seen for any movie that made before the last five years. The planet is overpopulated and heating up, they no longer have winters, most people are eating insta-junk made by the people at Soylent (get it?) instead of real food, which is now a rare luxury, and water is pumped out of the ground by hand. Buildings are guarded with heavy weapons. Video games serve as the latest and greatest distraction from it all. So people are destroying the environment and eating fast food, subsidized by the government? Yep, sounds about right. Not to mention every time I'm in Chinatown, Times Square, or a crowded 6 train, I'll think of this movie.
At least here in New York, the movie isn't exaggerating much from reality by having visible machine guns everywhere.Everything in this movie is filthy. The color pallet offers a mix of drab green and brown so bland and ugly that is evocative of something left in the fridge...since the Reagan administration. This of course leads you up to the great colors we see Sol Roth experience during euthanasia.
This is what the majority of the movie looks like in terms of color (actual frame blurred for effect). Reminds me of my old hometown of Dirtwater.
I have a theory that every political poster in a sci-fi will be for re-election. It's presumptuous, but I like to think that Santini has been elected continuously with no term limitations.I feel like this movie is underrated, possibly because there have been so many great dystopian flicks. But this one is one is worthwhile and memorable to me. There are a couple sequences that are really well done. Particularly the opening sequence of industry taking over the world, and the euthanasia sequence. And of course that damned famous line that gives the ending away.
4 comments:
You make me want to watch this again. Is there a Soylent Green Ceral?
If there is, it would have to be gross looking and tasting (but protein filled!) in order to fit with this movie.
With the death of Charlton Heston does this mean you will stop writing blogs about him?
Shame on you Adam, shame. This movie S-U-C-K-E-D, it can't be defended. It should be relegated to those movies that people get shot for even mentioning. I'm pretty sure the book may have been good read and I know that the time period also has to be taken into account, but other than the fact that Charlton Heston screams "Soylent Green is people", there was nothing noteworthy.
If it wasn't for Heston, no one would even be talking about this movie today. When it comes to political or contemporary relevance, you make an interesting analysis, but it's nothing that would make this movie stand out over and above similar flicks.
It's a dud !
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