Zardoz an Under Appreciated Science Fiction Classic

[HareBrain]

I fail to understand why you all feel the costume in Zardoz was unusual

If that's because it's what you're going to start wearing when you decide joggers are too much effort, we don't want to know.

and his unforgettable role

Yeah, I never could remember the name of that guy he played with the dinner jacket and the Aston Martin.

 

[Dave]

Did Ramírez have an Aston Martin?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I'd say any costume that even Sean Connery couldn't carry off is highly unusual.

 

[BAYLOR]

I think that, there is a bit more to this film than meets the eye.

 

[BAYLOR]

The rifle cartridges in his "bandolier" and "belt" would not fit into that handgun.

Nice boots, though.

It looks like a Webley pistol , a 19th century design gun . Interestingly, in time passage sequence where , you see Zed and Consuella age and die to music of Beethoven , you see on the back wall Zed's gun rusting away in that sequence . It's the last thing seen at the end of the film. In his life with Consuella , he never used it again.

The problem with this ending is we never get any sense of what happened to the world beyond. With the flying head grounded and no longer a operating and providing weapons and propaganda , did Zed's people continue in what they were doing in culling the Brutals or, did they simply stop and become the new ruling class of the world?

 

[J-WO]

The 1970's to mid seventies produced a a number strange dystopian type science fiction films , like THX1138 , Soylent Green and Logans Run . Quintet

Absolutely agree. One draw back of Star Wars was how it ushered out eccentric, intelligent sf movies. That was the paradigm before '77.

 

[BAYLOR]

Absolutely agree. One draw back of Star Wars was how it ushered out eccentric, intelligent sf movies. That was the paradigm before '77.

Science fiction become Summer entertainment.

 

[BAYLOR]

This film with a little reconfiguration , could easily become the basis of a tv series .

 

[paeng]

Fascinating, especially the ending.

 

[BAYLOR]

Fascinating, especially the ending.

Fascinating Yes, but also lacking. I think they did what of because they didn't have time to do any kind long sequence of their life after the fall of Zardoz, at least that's my take.

 

[Danny McG]

I've just remembered that it also featured him off Please Sir

 

[BAYLOR]

I've just remembered that it also featured him off Please Sir

Danny maybe im reading too much into Zardoz but to me, its and interesting film.

You have the the Eternals who though Tabernacle have achieve everything that mankind has decides eternal life, eternal you nd access to all human knowledge a seeming utopia which for them turn monotonous and hellish existence which they can't get out of because they've become trapped by their own creation , The Tabernacle.

You Zed a believer , who loses his beliefs and has to find a new truth , whose pup use is become a savior not only for the Eternal but the world he live in.

 

[DrStrangelove]

I believe Zardoz may be hard to swallow because of the way camp aesthetics and arthouse work. The movie is strong on both sides, and these are both off-putting for people that do not already know how to deal with them.

After showing someone movies from directors such as Carpenter or Argento I would risk approaching them with Zardoz, but not before establishing the bare minimum recquired to stomach such an outlandish vision. Definitely not for everyone, but an important piece of cinema history regardless.

 

[BAYLOR]

I believe Zardoz may be hard to swallow because of the way camp aesthetics and arthouse work. The movie is strong on both sides, and these are both off-putting for people that do not already know how to deal with them.

After showing someone movies from directors such as Carpenter or Argento I would risk approaching them with Zardoz, but not before establishing the bare minimum recquired to stomach such an outlandish vision. Definitely not for everyone, but an important piece of cinema history regardless.

I thought the concept of the machine entity known as the Tabernacle was brilliant.

 

[asp3]

Zardoz is my number one favorite movie of all time. I love everything about it but can agree that sometimes the acting falls flat and it seems hokey at times, but I still love it. Interestingly my top three favorite movies are:

1. Zardoz
2. Mary Poppins
3. A Clockwork Orange

 

[BAYLOR]

In some ways you can compare this film the Logan's Run

 

[Toby Frost]

I've never seen Zardoz, but it did yield a joke about a group of anti-literacy cultists who believe that "the gun is good, the pen is evil".

 

[BAYLOR]

I've never seen Zardoz, but it did yield a joke about a group of anti-literacy cultists who believe that "the gun is good, the pen is evil".

If you can get past the campiness, It's an interesting film. It's also one Sean Connery's most usual films . It's quite change from James Bond.

 

[Robert Zwilling]

Logan's run seems much more remote, in terms of how close I feel I am getting to the issues and the players. They both explore issues that impact the future of humanity, but Zardoz seems to be much more personal and in your face. That might be because of the content, scenery and props. For me, Zardoz is like watching a play while Logans Run is a cinematic experience. At times it felt like your were in someone's back yard when watching Zardoz. I could think of Zardoz as a medium budget gladiator movie with really exotic locations and sci-fi themes while Logans Run would be a "hollywood" production.

 

[BAYLOR]

Logan's run seems much more remote, in terms of how close I feel I am getting to the issues and the players. They both explore issues that impact the future of humanity, but Zardoz seems to be much more personal and in your face. That might be because of the content, scenery and props. For me, Zardoz is like watching a play while Logans Run is a cinematic experience. At times it felt like your were in someone's back yard when watching Zardoz. I could think of Zardoz as a medium budget gladiator movie with really exotic locations and sci-fi themes while Logans Run would be a "hollywood" production.

Zardoz like a play ? Interesting notion .