Silent Running Intro monolog

[the60sKid]

I saw this in the theater when I was 10 years old in 72. And even back then I asked myself HOW someone in their right mind could GIVE a order to DESTROY the LAST remaining forest life on earth? The answer then WAS "To return the ships to commercial service". Speed forward 39 years and WE now witness the VERY insane CORPORATE minds WHO are currently destroying the planet and poisoning everything around. GREED is the reason MADMEN who destroying such things if they could find NO profit in it.

[kroyka]

save the june bug!

[OldStag72]

Thanks for uploading this. Silent Running tore the heart right out of my chest as a small child but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Peace to all fans of this movie

[RickWolff]

Music score by Peter Schickele, of P.D.Q Bach fame.

[philipg52]

"Nobody cares!" Lowell!

[philipg52]

@artgoat At last somebody who aint spraying their fields with poison.In my part of the world,the farmers are killing everything.You are probably a young'un who will see what I mean when you get to 59.The red admirals,peacocks,tortoishells­,etc etc have gone forever.No black beatles, caterpillers, no flies,no spotted fly catcher,no nuthatch,no gloworms, no sticklebacks,no minnows,waterboatman,nymphs,wa­tercress,tadpoles,I could go on.We got fields an streams but there aint nothin in um.Sterile!

[sushischnitzel]

classic !

[lmac1970]

Here in the UK the government are trying to sell off our forests for commercial logging or building. We at 38degrees are trying to stop them. Looks as though science fiction is becoming fact. "Pitiful" as Lowell would have said.

[racookster]

My God, what incredible editing. It still takes my breath away.

[BENTLEYQUEMP]

i hope to god, this does`nt become the future.

[airbutz]

what a classic.. i guess i watched it a thousand times..

[cv6ady]

if they remake this film i still wont watch it, no matter how big the budget or how good the cgi.

hollywood makes dogshit films.

nothing can replace this classic

[hawkinsproductions]

Instead of yet another remake why not spread the word about the original? A remake would just ruin what is a great film. Can you imagine the Michael Bay version of Silent Running?

[ghostmanlostsoul]

How about a 70MM remake with Brad Dourif in the lead?

What do you guys thinK?

[ludocrat]

I think that is one of the best ideas for a movie I've heard in a long time :)

[CSXer]

Agreed. There's so many lame remakes of lame movies these days...

This is one truley deserving of a high dollar remake. Especially with all the green mentality these days.

Maybe Al Gore could fund it???

[TK42138]

Totally agree.

[TK42138]

What about Sam Rockwell?

Brad Dourif also good choice.

[walter0bz]

from a misanthroipic perspective, i love the final scene where technology and nature survive minus humans, agent smith would aprove

[philipg52]

I'm 57 and look back to my childhood.I remember walking through fields of grass in which every step would disturb 4 of 5 grasshoppers of all colours and sizes.Now those fields are totally sterile.Shame on you farmers for poisoning our planet!

[walter0bz]

farmers are only doing their job feeding humans, the problem is the number of humans, we need population control :)

chinese style one-child policy worldwide.

[mak1759]

@walter0bz Solent Green for everone BABY! woohoo!

[TK42138]

I'm forty. I first saw this film when BBC2 premiered it in mid to late70's. It still has an effect on me and the last scenes are still the most affecting ever put to film. Even more poignant today than when it was released in 1972. Starting to loose count of the sci-fi movies made 30-odd years ago that are starting to be prophetic....and not in a good way...

[walter0bz]

@TK42138 - too right. We're 1 decade into the "future" now and it is looking increasingly likely that some mix of mad-max, soylent-green, logans-run & silent-running's eco-destruction etc is exactly where we're heading

(for purposes of my post, "the future" is defined as year 2000 onward, i dont want any smart arse saying we're in "the present")

[artgoat]

@philipg52 You can have ours. This year every step disturbs at least fifty grasshoppers, and they're all big enough to leave a bruise when they hit you.

[ursuscal]

Thank you for sharing my favorite clip from one of my favorite movies. Now, if we could just force all the members of Congress and the world leaders to watch it... American Polar Bears are predicted to go extinct in 80 years...

[Pulsar205]

It was shown a few times in the late 70's/early 80's. Found it haunting, how there won't be even a blade of grass left.

I bet environmentalists know it though.

Remember the bit where the radio interferrance of Saturn is crowding out signals from earth and wondering at the magnificence of the depths of space.

[GordonMorrice]

"Found it haunting, how there won't be even a blade of grass left."

Are you aware of a British movie titled, "No Blade of Grass" from 1970 ? It's a real bummer but pretty good, also. Directed by Cornel Wilde who directed the amazing, "The Naked Prey".

[Pulsar205]

I'll check it out, thanks

[artgoat]

No kidding? I own the book (by John Christopher/Samuel Youd, who also did the excellent tripod trilogy), but I never knew they made a movie out of it.

[GordonMorrice]

Yeah, the movie adaptation was released in 1966. There's hardly any dialogue, as you'll know from the book, which is great, it just focuses on the chase and is beautifully filmed. Great music score too. Criterion put out a DVD last year in the USA.

[monsterwaxguy]

This is one of my favorite movie scenes of all time. The slow back up of the camera as we pull out and see the majesty of the giant ship and forests while the echo of the past explains how it all came to be... and the wonderful music really brings it home. A great mixture of sight, sound, music and narration. A must see film, too. I had intended on posting this scene myself-- but you beat me to it!

[acidm0nkey]

The scene where the droids were cheating at cards is one of my favourite movie scenes. A very phophetic movie but it's messgae is largely ignored. I've tried to introduce (unsuccessfully) this movie to my wife and some friends. Unfortunately, those who are used to today's action packed movies would find this slow and boring. Pity.

[the60sKid]

@acidm0nkey This movie is a SLOW burn while we witness Lowell's desperation to save the forest and turn into the very thing he hates. Bruce Dern pulls this off so beautifully. This film is a lost gem and because it's NOT flashy many people don't bother with it. It's great drama and has a very poignant message which everybody needs to listen to.

[straker2]

An amazing, haunting film which always gave me chills as a boy. The look of the ship was taken further as the design style of the Earthship Ark in the TV series The Starlost, too. Also an underrated Science Fiction production, well worth your time and patience. Bruce Dern...man, what a legend! :)

[ghostmanlostsoul]

How come more people haven't seen this movie? It is a great film!

[VitoPossilipo]

I´ve seen it and I like it. But I can imagine, that it is too boring for many people.

[rjkral]

So much heart in this. Great scene. Thanks for posting.

[boogerkitty123]

"Look on the wall behind you. Look at that little girl's face. I know you've seen it. But you know what she's never going to be able to see? She's never going to be able to see the simple wonder of a leaf in her hand. Because theres not going to be any trees. Now you think about that.", Freeman Lowell - Somwhere orbiting Saturn in 1972.