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Absolute cinema

This was the first movie that my Dad and I went. Just the guys. I was14. The movie previews before Rollerball started were frightening. By the the time this movie started I was shaking. My Dad who was a mid-level executive had a good time watching this, and he asked what I thought about corporate life. Later on on I managed to read the short story Rollerball Murder.

Nice set up!!

This was the first R rated movie I ever saw. It was on HBO (when HBO showed nothing but movies). I was so disappointed when Moonpie got taken out and the way that they did it. I was only about 11 when I saw it and I had to watch it several times to understand the themes and story of the movie. I would have loved to go skate some laps around that track to see what it was like! (A maybe stuff a ball in the goal!)

Two words: Mind Phazer

Haven't seen this Movie since the late 90's, I will need to re-watch it. Thanks with the Review.

Use to watch with friend back in the day from bootleg VHS tape got at a comic convention. Not great but at the time we loved it.

I'll be watching tonight. Thank you. Can you comment with more off the wall Titles?

Jewison's film is more impressionistic than realistic (ie: presenting a total socially explained world), filled with elliptical vagueries (the tracking shot of the woman crying at the corporate party, Ralph Richardson's eccentric computer programmer, the liquid brain super computer, Houseman's ginormous glass wind chime meditation space, Daphne's (Barbara Trentham) reliance on pharmaceuticals while intimating she is clearly a corporate surveillance plant, the ambiguous role of Cletus (Moses Gunn), Caan's extremely understated performance...all make for a film possessed of a mood all its own.

Thank you so much for honouring my friend Lee Gambin in such a meaningful way. It both breaks my heart and makes my heart swell with pride to see the focus here shared between him and Mr. Corman. Lee was a treasure to Melbourne audiences with his regular Cinemaniacs screenings and presentations, his recommendations on what to see and read, but most of all he was a devoted friend to those he loved. His life has left an indelible mark on those who loved him, and the silence of his absence is deafening. He gave us so much … Melbourne will never be the same again. Thank you again, sir, for honouring my dear friend Lee.

So David Greene started the decade with The People Next Door and ended it with Airport '79: The Concorde?

LIVE

Great advice at the end. I still have dozens of VHS cassettes and a 35mm trailer of one of my favorite films, Caligula. I know, I know... Some people have odd taste. 🎥

Fun movie but dated. I always think of 1970's Glen and Randa when someone brings up Gas. That or ZPG also from 1970 if I'm not wrong.

Sad news indeed. A true pioneer of film who launched so many careers and hugely influenced filmmaking and filmmakers to this day. While a lot of his films weren't "great" many are still better than most of the big-budget schlock churned out today. Studios could learn something from him. RIP Roger....

J. Lee Thompson was originally going to direct the first film as he bought the rights with producer Arthur P. Jacobs. He had to drop out due to Thompson directing Mackennas Gold.

Part of Corman's genius was that, no matter how silly a script or a premise might have been,. he always took it seriously and produced a film that far surpassed what might have been expected otherwise.

Thank YOU for making these! Brilliant

My set cost 5 pounds

Great video. Shocking there wasn't even a basic Blu-ray of The Razor's Edge. Christian Divine: the Debbie-Downer-with-a-Point of Cinema!

All these fantastic original movies of the 70s, what a great time for cinema it was

would you review "Coma" (1978) from Michael Crichton?

I was too young when the original GB came out. I would’ve loved to experienced that in the theater back then. Consequently, I’ve seen it in theaters since but it’s a digital version which takes away the experience of watching it in film. Hard to believe it’s been 40 years but it’s been a part of the American pop culture scene for that time! After watching the new film, it’s apparent even further it’s impossible to capture the lighting in a bottle the original had. 40 years ago, studios weren’t at least to our knowledge wasn’t making mandates on checking on all the diversity, and thinking a universe of films, and to make it kid friendly. GB, was made by a group of talented people and it wasn’t intended for just kids, but we gravitated towards it.

Man I feel old thinking about being born the same year that this film was released. The best thing about it was being the inspiration for the classic Amiga games Speedball and Speedball 2.

Great film. So misunderstood. People didn't "get it."

This movie has a feeling of dread all over it, or maybe its just me.

I remember as a lad seeing the trailer for 'Rollerball' in the theater prior to its original release, but never actually saw the film that way (my parents might have deemed me too young, if they were ever interested themselves). It was only years later that I picked up bits of the film on various cable-TV transmissions, but to this day have never watched it from beginning to end. The theme of corporate takeover of society seems quite prescient in retrospect, and the prospect of a revival of blood sports is always possible, given human nature, and is only suppressed due to current norms of civilization (which I hope are maintained). 'Rollerball' is sometimes unfavorably contrasted with Paul Bartel's futuristic satire 'Death Race 2000', which also came out in 1975 and focuses on a society obsessed with violent, lethal sport. That film, which I have seen in full on cable, is so over the top in its caustic humor however that it otherwise bears little resemblance to 'Rollerball', which is a serious, contemplative work.

I admit I have not seen the film in some time (saw it in the theaters when it came out, BTW - I think my mom got tickets for me and a friend on my 11th birthday that year). My sense though is that it was Jonathan's hero-status, star power that the Corporation found threatening. And they were shown to be justified in their nervousness by the end of the film.

Johnathan E is a prisoner that's why he is #6.

Hi Christian. Do you remember the film on the life and career of Jonathan E ? There was a game sequence with "the purple team" - possibly Paris. I wonder if a fourth match was filmed, then edited out for pacing concerns. At least some of the footage was used. I would be interested to know what you think. Cheers, Derek.

One of my favorite films of all time. I would tend to disagree that Jonathan E. isn't very bright. I actually think he's highly intelligent. But he has only had the level of education that the corporate masters wanted him to have. And when he tries to get more, he's is stonewalled. James Caan's brilliant portrayal of this soft-spoken action hero is incredible. So many movie "heroes" since the 1970's have been loud, bombastic, snide, casually brutal, effortlessly cool, and offering witty comebacks for every line of dialogue. Jonathan E. is a much-more engaging hero for being none of those things. You mentioned the corporate hymns. I think whoever came up with the music should be commended. They could have just stuck some boring library tracks in there, but someone took the time to embed the music into the social fabric of the film. Houston's corporate anthem combines a sort of Catholic religiosity with an American sports stadium organ aesthetic perfect for that city's image. Tokyo's corporate hymn is slow, serene, and bearing features of Japanese folk music, and can easily be imagined played on the koto and/or the shamisen. Great movie. Vastly underrated.

Great review on a movie I’ve always enjoyed. Just discovered your channel, subscribed!

The film also used classical music for its soundtrack, beginning with the Toccata and Fugue by Bach, followed by Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, and a few others. This was 5 years before cd's started to appear in record stores. You would go see the movie and if you liked the soundtrack you would go to the nearest record store and buy the album. Special shout-out to the actor Shane Rimmer who passed recently. He played the team executive as well as the sub commander in "The Spy Who Loved Me."

It's a reflection on our world (circa 1970's) where if you look at hockey fights at the time it was medieval in being over the top but craved by some fans. Based on a short story. RIP Norman. Thanks for posting!

Also my favorite Slasher film along with Madman, great review!

NVFXNR

What a great retrospective of one of my favourite films. I've only just discovered your channel; but you seem to cover a lot of the same stuff I'm into so thank you algorithm I guess. As for Rollerball itself, one of the many things I like is that it has that 'villain has a point' sort of thing. I like when films are brave enough to allow the antagonists to argue their viewpoint properly without just giving them straw man cliches. You can argue Jonathon is being unreasonable. There is a justification for the game; and he's done very well out of it. And all the bosses are initially threatening him with is well funded retirement from a dangerous sport. And people like Moonpie and the party goers, and the rollerball crowds themselves, show at least some people are pretty happy with the corporate deal. May I make one comment on your video. It might be better if the framing was slightly wider, or you just panned up a bit. This is just a. matter of subjective taste of course, but it just seems the headshot is a bit tight to me, your chin sometimes drops out of frame. I'm no Kubrick though so feel free to ignore! But everything else is perfect. Great editing and your audio is spot on.

Secret juice 😂😂

I'm crazy about this movie but the blackouts are superfluous, almost a flaunting of Hitch's minor innovation. There's at least one normal cut :)

Let’s Go 49ers!!!!

Classic

They took that stuff and had them high.

this movie is so good

Great video but I must correct one thing you repeat. The meter on the budget began when it was going to be a very different B movie, then another TV show and then finally a rush to finish this. All the production, sets, scripts and staff costs etc. All rolled into this budget. It was probably only half of what has been said.

One of the most goofy ahh movies in the series

Colossus! A favorite!

The voyager reveal is pure genius.

The best trek movie, period. Actors, camera, music, effects, story, everything is so top notch. Its the best one by some margin, the others even 2, is so cheap in comparison.

I always loved the name - STAR TREK : The Motion Picture. Coming from television, I think making that distinction in the title of the film was genius. Hey you liked us when we were a low budget TV show, come check us out now! And the film went so far beyond anything the TV show should could have done. This will always be my favorite Star Trek film. It's the only Pure Science fiction STAR TREK movie, and I think it was the best acting from the Original Series cast. After this, the needle bounced around, but never reached this point on the meter again.

Thank you from one of the last fans of physical media.