Silent Running, 1972
| Directed by | Douglas Trumbull |
|---|---|
| Produced by | Michael GruskoffMarty HornsteinDouglas Trumbull |
| Written by | Deric WashburnMichael CiminoSteven Bochco |
| Starring | Bruce Dern Cliff Potts Ron Rifkin Jesse Vint |
| Music by | Peter Schickele |
| Cinematography | Charles F. Wheeler |
Following yesterday’s gritty realism, today a far more gentle watch – though one with an ever-more important and relevant message.
Earth’s natural life teeters on the edge of existence. Specimen plants and some animals have been sent into space on ark ships intended to keep the specimens safe until conditions on Earth are suitable to restoring the biosphere. When the order is received to jettison the bio-domes that contain the plants, one man, unable to follow the order, goes rogue and hijacks his ship in order to maintain his specimens. He is ably assisted by three faithful robot companions, Huey, Dewey and Louie – probably the real stars of this film.
All does not progress well but I’m not posting any spoilers.
A bittersweet ending accompanied by the haunting tones of Joan Baez.
Silent Running is a very slow and thoughtful film. It would not do well if released today but I love it and so do many others. Highly recommended for watching if you are not familiar with it.
IMDB rates at a paltry 6.7. Pah, What do they know. Oi’ll give it 5 …. um… 8, at least. Have watched it many times and will watch again many times more.