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| Soylent Green | 
 enlarge | Director: Richard Fleischer
Actors: Charlton Heston, Edward G. Robinson, Leigh Taylor-young, Chuck Connors, Joseph Cotten
Studio: MGM (Warner)
Category: Video
Buy New: $17.70
New (1) Used (10) Collectible (1) from $6.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  186 reviews
Sales Rank: 10531
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Hifi Sound, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: VHS Tape
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 97
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 4.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 0792840909
UPC: 027616734235
EAN: 9780792840909
ASIN: 0792840909
Theatrical Release Date: May 9, 1973
Release Date: May 4, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new -- sealed in factory shrinkwrap
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| Customer Reviews:
You Are What You Eat April 10, 2008
For me this movie was a mixed bag of goodies and stinkers. If you've managed to avoid all of the pop culture references to it then I'll not spoil it for you. The setup is that it's 2022. Charleton Heston is Detective Thorn, a sweaty cop of ambiguous character in a burned out civilization. He lives in an overpopulated New York city, but the place is representative of an overcrowded, polluted to death world. People are hungry and depend upon the monopolistic Soylent Corporation for their food. Soylent "Green" a popular new entry in the corporations suite of wretched foodstuffs. And something's rotten in Soylentville.
The good stuff: First, this is just a cool old movie from 1973. This was an age during which Western culture was wondering how much longer we human animals would be able to make it. This movie reflects the broad cultural angst about our poor stewardship of Planet Earth. It's part of history now, so it bears viewing in spite of the film's considerable warts.
Then there's Thorn's sidekick, an old Jewish character named Sol played by the legendary Edward G. Robinson. (Robinson died from cancer two weeks after filming was completed.) Thorn and Sol's expressions of mutual affection were some of the high points of the film for me. While Thorn is out running around thumping on folks trying to suss out the suspicious death of a Soylent bigwig, Sol is running his own, more efficient investigation.
Thorn's commanding officer, Simonson, was well-played by Joseph Cotten. Simonson was the steady but somewhat removed steady point for Thorn.
The bad stuff: I kept being grateful that (1) no one ever locked anything up and (2) most facilities were poorly staffed. Without out those unbelievable conditions we, the viewers, wouldn't have been treated to all the nifty visual expository stuff the film needed to show us.
Then there's the whole problem of Det. Thorn. Aside from the times he was being nice to old Sol, he wasn't particularly likeable. He was sort of an anti-hero. He'd lift stuff from folks on the one hand, then he'd get righteous about being called off on the investigation. He at times seemed lazy or abusive, and poorly motivated, then at other times ready to die for the principle of pursuit of the truth.
Still, this is a must-see movie for anyone interested in the popular Western culture and the history of environmental awareness in cinema.
Very scary March 21, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Set in the year 2022 in New York. Manhattan is very over-crowded and the majority of people live in poverty, literally living for their next meal. Charlton Heston plays Thorn, a policeman who at least has his own small apartment, which he shares with Sol, who's played by Edward G Robinson. Soylent Green is the latest food being produced for the masses to eat (essentially it looks like squares of green cardboard).
Whilst investigating the murder of the head of the Soylent company Thorn discovers that there is a sinister side behind the production of Soylent Green. The film develops at quite a pace, and is pretty short, so it keeps you hooked. Its portrayal of the future is intriging (and scary). For example the human race seems to have gone backwards in its treatment of women. In this vision of the future they have become 2nd class citizens again, who can be used (and abused) by men as they see fit.
Charlton Heston gives, what I would describe as his default performance. Its fine, but he was never a great actor. The film will stick in your memory for other reasons: Firstly because of Edward G Robinson. It was his 101st film role and he died two weeks after the film was completed. Secondly its a scary prediction of how we can mess this planet up. But its our children and their children who will pay the price...
 Soylent Green is all about the people! March 7, 2008
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
That Title will make sense when you watch this movie. Charlton Heston is a fine actor. This movie, even made this long ago, projects quite well I think the future of a world out of control. Materialism, capitalism, environmental and social depraved indifference and breeding. The human animal community represent ourselves as predisposed to the condition of greed. We simply can't get enough. The producers and studio's responsible for this movie knew that 35 years ago.
What do you do when supplies for human survival can not meet demand of over population?!
In every level of organized society; law, commerce and social-politics, this movie answers the question. Is it too far afield?! Given the predisposition to extremism real life societies embrace because of the fear programming that's ensued in the last 8 years in the U.S especially, we'll see. Our society is bi-polarized in so many ways. One side says; life is sacred. The other says war is peace.
Given that, anythings possible. Even as represented through a simple matter of scripted fiction and Hollywood B movie budget.
Don't eat the March 3, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
One of the great scifi movies of all time. An earth leached of its resources, resorting to alternative means of survival and sustenance. A portend of our future? Quite possibly if our population continues it growth unabated and our resources remain fixed in ultimate quantity. The best scene for me was Edward G. Robinson's final moments. All that we have and stand to loose viewed one more time before he goes. And while his spirit may go to what ever final rest or reward you may beleive in, its where his physical remains ends up at that forms the core to this movie. Remember, don't eat the green, soylent green is people.
 Timely movie for being so old... January 14, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I had seen this movie years ago, and originally thought it a great 'gag gift' for the other cook in the household for Christmas. But after watching it again I remember being impressed that it was better than I remember it.
With global warming and fears of what might happen I have to say that it's relevant to what's going on in the world today. The story line is OK, but one thing that stood out for me was that while the movie is set in the future, the absence of hi-tech in this movie is definitely noticeable. No security cameras (if you watch this you will marvel at this error) as well as other imagined technological advances are conspicuously absent from the film. I can only surmise that the director wanted to highlight the human plight more, and not focus on what (else) the future had to offer.
I gave it 3 stars because if you are at home, and it's cold and uninviting outside, then this movie is definitely good enough to spark some debate (or at least thought) among your audience.
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