Silent Running | | Cast : | Bruce Dern | | Director : | Douglas Trumbull | | Studio : | Universal Studios Ho | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen | | Released Date : | March 10, 1972 | | DVD Released Date : | October 07, 2003 | | Language : | Spanish (Dubbed), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | G (General Audience) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | August 25, 2005 | | Summary | Was It All a Joke? Did It Go Over All Our Heads? | Content
 | Because Doug Trumbull -- a pioneering special-effects technoweenie -- was the guy who initiated "Silent Running" (to use some of the special effects techniques he developed for "2001," he said), I have sometimes toyed with the idea that the whole thing was an elephantine _parody_ of '70s environmentalism.
The presence of Bochco and Cimino as writers has made me -- reluctantly -- discard this delicious notion, though.
Cimino, so far as I can tell (read Steven Bach's "The Final Cut," about Cimino and the "Heaven's Gate" fiasco that was the final straw for United Artists) _has_ no sense of humor.
And Bochco was the writer for a "New Twilight Zone" episode that was, if anything, even more redolent of New Age moonbattery than was "Silent Running."
|
| Rating | | | Date | June 05, 2005 | | Summary | ZZZZZZZZZ~~~~ | Content
| They should remake this movie. And have Will Ferrel as Freeman Lowell. Then maybe....just maybe..the movie wouldn't suck so much. I fell asleep 30 minutes into it. From what I saw, this is just another clone of 2001. And I thought 2001 was bad enough. I only recommend this movie to monkeys. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 20, 2005 | | Summary | One of my personal top SF movie | Content
| I love Hard Science Fiction, I hate soft SF (like StarWars and other fantastic rubbish), but this movie was a different thing. I saw this movie when I was teenager, and I just can say that it's on my personal TOP5 movies of my life, those movies that enter deep and changes something inside. Dont watch it if you look for HSF, dont miss it if you have a bit of feelings. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 16, 2005 | | Summary | AN IMPORTANT LITTLE BIG MOVIE | Content
| I first saw this film with my Dad in its initial release, and, I admit, I was too young to fully understand what it was trying to say. Now that I have reached some small degree of age and experience, I can view SILENT RUNNING with a fresh eye. It still sends out its very strong message about treasuring what is good and beautiful in this world, as it too easily slips away. The little drones do indeed steal the show, and are still my Dad's favorite characters. But I now can appreciate the performance of Bruce Dern, who up until that time had spent his career playing heavies and psychopaths. Granted, there is more than a bit of the fanatic about the Freeman character; otherwise, he would not have been so motivated to save at any cost what remained of the Earth's forests. What I now appreciate more is the gentle touch of the character: I believe it is no accident that when we first encounter him, he is wearing a white, Christ-like robe. He establishes his rapport with all the beasts in his care in a very fatherly way. The way the film opens is very important to the viewer's understanding of what this movie wants to say, and it's underscored by one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever designed for film. It's notable that this is the only score ever written by Peter Schickele, nee P.D.Q. Bach. His opening theme, vocalised later in the first reel by Joan Baez, is heartbreaking.
I still believe that SILENT RUNNING is an important little movie, hiding inside a big Hollywood science fiction epic. Don't view this expecting space battles and alien invaders: this film is about what may happen if we ignore all that is most important around us in favor of everyday trivia.
Bruce, it's one of your very best. Be proud. |
| Rating | | | Date | December 18, 2004 | | Summary | Silent Running | Content
| I viewed the movie during it's initial release. It was about 4 years since 2001 and Douglas Trumbull handled FX for both. I believe Silent Running was Trumbull's first directorial job. Great visual detail, muscial score and a fine performance by Bruce Dern. I gave it only 3 stars because of the relative weakness of the script. |
|
