F-0149

Title:

Rollerball

Category:

S

Produced:

1975

Country:

USA

Released:

Jun 1975 (film, USA); May 1992 (Soundtrack, CD); Mar 1998 (DVD); Sep 1999 (VHS)

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writer:

William Harrison (short story Roller Ball Murder, screenplay)

Actors:

James Caan (Jonathan E.); John Houseman (Bartholomew); Maud Adams (Ella); John Beck (Moonpie); Moses Gunn (Cletus); Pamela Hensley (Mackie); Barbara Trentham (Daphne); John Normington; Shane Rimmer (Rusty, Team Executive); Burt Kwouk (Japanese Doctor); Nancy Bleier (Girl in Library); Richard LeParmentier (Bartholomew's Aide); Robert Ito (Strategy Coach for Houston Team); Ralph Richardson (Librarian)

Description:

In a futuristic society where corporations have replaced countries, the violent game of Rollerball is used to control the populace by demonstrating the futility of individuality. However, one player, Jonathan E., rises to the top, and fights for his personal freedom and threatens the corporate control. (Jeff Hansen)

The year is 2018. There is no crime and there are no more wars. Corporations are now the leaders of the world, as well as the controllers of the people. A violent futuristic game known as Rollerball is now the recreational sport of the world, with teams representing various areas competing for the title of champion. The defending championship team, the Houston team led by the determined ten-year veteran Johnathan E., are looking to repeat as champions. However, Bartholomew, the sinister corporate head, wants Johnathan to retire, even though he is the most respected athlete of his time. Johnathan's rebellious quest will not come out with complications, both for him and his teammates, after he decides to continue playing despite Bartholomew's threats. (David Landers)

In the year 2018, violence and crime have been totally eliminated from society and given outlet in the brutal blood sport of rollerball, a high-velocity blend of football, hockey, and motor-cross racing sponsored by the multinational corporations that now control the world following the collapse of traditional politics. James Caan plays Jonathan E., the reigning superstar of rollerball, whose corporate controllers fear that Jonathan's popularity has endowed him with too much power. They begin to pressure him according to their own ruthless set of rules, but Jonathan has rules of his own--the rules of a man determined to retain his soul in a world gone mad. As directed by Norman Jewison (who was enjoying a peak of success during the early and mid-1970s), Rollerball creates a believable society that's been rendered passive and compliant by the homogenization of corporate dictatorships, where the control and flow of information is the only currency of any importance. It's a world in which natural human aggressions have been sublimated and vented through the religious fervor toward rollerball and its players. Rollerball now looks like one of those 1970s science fiction films (another example being Logan's Run) that seems a bit dated and quaint, but its ideas are still provocative and fascinating, and the production is visually impressive. The DVD includes full-screen and widescreen versions of the film, audio commentary by director Norman Jewison, a behind-the-scenes featurette, an interactive "rollergame," trivia, and production notes. (Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com)

Language:

German / English

Bach's Music:

Toccata & Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565

Film Company:

Algonquin more

Format:

Color (Technicolor) film | CD (Soundtrack) | DVD (Closed-captioned, Color, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC) | DVD (PAL) | VHS (Closed-captioned, Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC) | VHS (PAL)

VHS/DVD Label:

Varese Sarabande [CD] | MGM (Video & DVD) [DVD, VHS] | Algonquin [VHS]

TT:

129 min (film) / 125 (DVD, VHS)

Comments:

Watch selections:

Buy movie at:

Amazon.com [CD] | Amazon.com [DVD] | Amazon.com [DVD-PAL] | Amazon.com [DVD-PAL] | Amazon.com [DVD-PAL] | Amazon.com [DVD-PAL] | Amazon.com [VHS] | Amazon.com [VHS-PAL] | Amazon.com [VHS-PAL] | Amazon.com [VHS]

Source/Links: IMDB
Contributor: Aryeh Oron (November 2007)