Rollerball (1975)

[Dave]

I knew Just Visiting was a remake, but I didn't know Vanilla Sky was too. Planet of the Apes, Matrix 2, Star Wars, Star Trek X, Time Machine, Farenheit 451. . . . can't they think of anything original then?

 

[tokyogirl]

no. i mean, when you think about it, almost every movie you see takes from another one. mission impossible 2 was basically a remake of the 1946 Hitchcock film Notorious, except with better special effects. i mean take this plot: two people meet. one is naratically planned, sensible and strait. the other is carefree, reckless, and kind of on the crooked side. they resent each other at first, but end up needing each other in the end. can you guess which movie it is?

 

[Chilly]

lol

phew dave cam bak!!!!!!!!!!!!

vin rules!!!!!!!

this movie was sorta bad.........oh wait ,...........i havent seen it! lol

 

[rde]

C'mon. That's every buddy movie ever made. I've no idea which one you're talking about, but whatever it is, it's a terrible movie.

 

[tokyogirl]

it's the basic plot for every buddy movie, or every 'cute meet' movie ever made. a 'cute meet' movie is one where the 2 main characters meet, are complete opposites and hate each other, but end up falling in love. the one i was talking about was french kiss with meg ryan and kevin kline, but it's really the basic plot to literally thousands of movies.

 

[Dave]

This was on TV again last week, and I watched half of it, before I fell asleep. I have to say that there was much more of the social commentary than had I remembered.

But there was just references to 'The Corporate Wars' without any explanation.

The Library scene I had forgotten, and that is pretty poignant.

 

[Starbeast]

Pretty good film still

 

[Dave]

I just watched it again, and funny how I find things I never saw before:-

First off, for a film set in 2018 the computers with magnetic tape storage and punched cards just don't do it any more, but then most of the technology looks off - they have tried to make the TVs look like flat screens but you can see the edges of the cathode ray tubes. And why do they all have three smaller screens along the top? An attempt to simulate 3D?

Secondly, why are there no women executives or Rollerball players? Even back in 1973 women were not as sidelined as they are portrayed here. They are completely disposable. They have no value except as sexual objects to hang on the arm of an executive or player. I don't know what the Corporate Wars were, but they were not good for women.

Lastly, the end is rubbish. What happens next? Does the Global Conspiracy now fall apart. Is there a popular revolution against the Corporations. Rollerball cannot continue, or can it? Why don't (didn't) they just quietly assassinate Jonathan E? What could possibly be worse that him being the only player left?