Soylent Green (1973)

Written by Happywax    Aug 2011

Rating 8.5 out of 10

Director - Richard Fleischer

Cast

Charlton Heston - Det. Thorn

Edward G. Robinson - Sol Roth

Leigh Taylor-Young  -  Shirl

Joseph Cotten - William R. Simonson

Brock Peters - Chief Hatcher 

                                                                     

Hey guys , Happys here and its Apocolyptic August time, and I've got one question for all of you, Is this the future that awaits us? An overpopulated, unforgiving wasteland with a hellish, unwanted existence? This film brings to mind a problem that still plagues us, doubly so since the film was released  back in 1973. Let's hope that the world isn't going to end up like this...

Soylent Green is a wild movie that I enjoyed very much. It had likable characters, a semi-apocalyptic setting, a compelling and thought-provoking storyline, and the macho-est macho man out there: Charleton Heston!!!!   Richard Fleischer gave the movie a very unpleasant, dirty feel. You're almost choked by the stench from the city and its filthy inhabitants.

The characters are wonderful. Charleton Heston, who has become one of my favorite actors, IS Thorn. The man created this role of badass, yet likable tough-guy. I could definitely put myself in Thorn's shoes. He sees that something isn't right, but everyone around him either doesn't listen (more like paid not to listen) or wants him dead. Edward G. Robinson (in his last film, R.I.P.) plays the lovable old Sol, who has had enough of this nasty place. Everyone else is great, especially Leigh Taylor-Young as Shirl, a piece of "furniture" that comes with the apartment in which she resides.

The special effects are fantastic, even for 1973. The Soylent Green factory, the futuristic apartments, and especially the "scoops" (bulldozers that get rid of people) were excellent. The polluted air outside looks disgusting and very nasty. The empty city streets filled with the vile and putrid people are very unsettling.

One final note is the ending, which even now still shocks me. It is gruesome, but if you think about it, it's a pretty good idea of what might lie ahead for all of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Bottom Line:

An excellent 70's Science Fiction flick that makes you think and leaves you feeling very uneasy.