Rollerball [DVD]

There are so many reviewers who've already stated what this movie is about, I'd rather state the issues that made this movie a work of genius. In order to do that, I have to lay some insight. If you don't want to read it, skip it and go for another review. What I write here it to add validation and credence to this movie and why I think it should be shown in schools and universities - for its social-economical merit alone, not counting its great entertainment value.For those who did not live in the 60's and 70's, for those who grew up in Generation X or Y, they may not EVER understand the context or the insight to the social-economic concerns of the post war era that this movie brings to the screen. It is not filled with FX and foul language and a continuous bombardment of fast-paced sensory numbing violence and shock value like so many of the later movies we see today of which these later generations thrive on. No wonder so many people of the later generations cannot appreciate or understand what a great movie this is, ebbing with its soft and muted sequences and waves of unglorious violence which fills the sports world and society's lust for violence. However, there may be some from the later generations past the babyboomers who may really appreciate this movie and all it stood for and so I do not exclude those with that depth of insight.In order to support this movie's weight and value of its perspective, I write a bit to validate it. The movie implies that in the future, we border on a half capitalistic/half socialistic society where all people's needs are met but that some of the rights of individual freedom have disappeared at the cost of social equality. And to allow a relief valve for such social pressures and forced adaptations, violent sports are given as a mainstay for the daily diet to the world populations. Not far off from the truth in this century as we near social-capitalistic homogenation with a global economy, political correctness, socialized medicine, and the dark side of capitalism just short of thievery.Back in the 1940's boxing used to be called "modified murder". It was at one time the most popular sport in the world. We can see this advancement of modified murder in the "martial art" full contact competitions we see televised today with people getting their heads bashed in and their faces broken up while audiences watch on in a sort of sensory numbness. Society's lust for violence has not changed but rather increased over the last few decades. The movie addresses this beautifully in the rollergames where the games have become the only social outlet for violence, a relief valve for society.The movie addressed the power of corporate influences and control over society. This movie, "Rollerball" addressed these serious issues which would emerge in the future. Today, we have just that. We see corporate wars today, with corporations and their influence over government decisions, their brainwashing advertising influencing every walk of life and behavior of today's generations. And here in the new century, we see that the movie's major points of concern such as: corporations making decisions for society, limited access information, while feeding people on a diet of violent sports games in order to satisfy people's appetite for violence in order to maintain social order. Corporate wars, government bailouts using taxpayers money to reinforce corporate strength, while feeding people on a lust for shock and violence is exactly what we see today. What comes next in our own society is to put all books on computers and eventually do away with printed paper. In this way, all knowledge can be edited and controlled filtering down to the average citizen only what they need to know, not what they want to know. Rollerball forsees a day in the future where this control of all knowledge will be managed by corporations. And indeed, we see that on today's news, it is filled with local petty stories of actors and the latest gossip instead of showing us the world events that goes on outside our plastic bubble. Why is that? Because sponsors who buy airtime on television stations (corporations) do not want to sponsor anything that is less than tolerable for today's happy go lucky citizen. Who wants to buy products when they show up right next to a broadcast of people being shot in Iraq? So in some ways, we see that a filtration of information is of course a normal operation of our corporate society. Rollerball hit it right on the head again. Today's television is filled with superficial news in order to keep people buying and spending and supporting corporate interests.No longer do corporations pay people to wear their iconic logos (like in the 50's) but now people pay extra to buy and wear iconic logo name brands on their shirts and jackets and tennis shoes. Advertisers (owned by corporations) fill our minds daily on what to buy, eat, wear, drink, and invest, and what to watch. So as we can see, the insight of "Rollerball" was way before its time.About the criticism of the movie's "slow points". This movie has "normal" points of the heart where "think time" is given (unlike today's fast paced reactionary society which hardly know what think time is)the movie allows the audience to breath and reflect on the high cost of a near socialistic society where government decisions (corporate decisions which run the government) are made for people while giving them a life of comfort and safety. For Jonathan E. (James Caan's character), he faces life changing forces that he has no control over. About the movies lavish parties, filled with drugs and sex, well, is this any different from a Hollywood party where all the drugs and sex are upstairs and the drinks and coversation are downstairs? Not much different at all.The interesting thing, the slow grinding twist in the movie which tightens like a turnequet on a bleeding wound is that Jonathan E. becomes so popular as to stand out alone, breaking the bonds of corporate reinforcement that socialistic ideas of the team is more valuable than the individual. In Jonathan's refusal to retire and in his effort to understand why he has been asked to step down, he pushes beyond the boundaries of the deadly games and becomes a single hero of epic proportions. He brings back the calling of the individual, rather than the corporate team player.Rollerball is an incredible movie and is rich with the depths of human emotions and struggles on every level. This is a world class movie. Watching it with the director's commentary is very insightful as well.

Very good

See above.

Loved this movie scince I saw when I was a kid.

Not gonna lie ... This movie holds a very special place in my heart as it was the first "adult" movie I snuck into as a little kid at old Ranch Mart Theater in Mission, Kansas back in '75. I was 12-years old sneaking into an "R" and it changed my life ... Lol. Too bad I messed up by going home and chanting "Jonathan ... Jonathan ... Jonathan!" in front of my mom and dad, who, unbeknownst to me,had already seen the movie and wanted to know how I knew what that was from an "R" rated movie. Oops ... the jig was up and I got extra chores for a couple weeks. Totally worth it!!!Anyway, this is a truly terrific take on society made 40 years ago that almost predicted perfectly what's really going on today where corporations have literally been declared to be people but real people have had their rights stripped away. And don't even get me started on the complete lack of women's rights in the story. They're just there for the amusement of men. Ironically, the movie is supposed to be set in the year, 2018 annnnnnnnd well, I'll just leave it there.This is just perfect 1970s cinema done right, and you absolutely SHOULD watch this movie and skip that loathsome remake they did in the 2000s. I love this film!!! Jonathan ... Jonathan ... Jonathan!

I first saw Rollerball forty years ago and I still love it today. The plot, of course, is absolutely terrible. Like most dystopian fiction, it is naive quasi-intellectual dribblige of the worst sort which spends two hours vainly wandering around in search of a relevant point to make. But you can't really expect much from a movie that was adapted from a short story which was originally published in a "men's magazine," so I won't knock off any stars for that. It is what it is.The reasons to watch this movie today all boil down to production values. The lengths to which the producers went in order to make the titular sport look real are still astonishing to me. It helps a great deal that James Caan insisted on doing all of his own stunts. Even after dozens of viewings over the years, watching the arena scenes can still get my 50-something blood pumping. Also of note are the sets and ambiance. As with most 1970s science fiction movies, the shooting locations are showcases of New Brutalism and the decor is littered with Italian futurist design.The way in which the cinematography seamlessly weaves the actors and extras into these elements in order to create a believable future is quite astonishing. Just as one example, the background extras all cast furtive glances at Caan (playing famous athlete Johnathon E) as he walks around in public. It is pervasive but not obtrusive, coming across as completely natural and believable. It's as if Peyton Manning had strolled into the local library and you watch as people begin to recognize him. Small directorial touches like that add an air of realism that no amount of computer graphics can create. Much as with Gattaca two decades later, the director and principle cinematographer took great pains to make their made-up world seem real to the audience rather than relying on special effects. We could do with a lot more of that today and a lot less CGI.TLDR: Laugh at the ridiculous plot, but love the movie as a piece of art.

This is a great classic movies from the 70s I remember getting this on DVD back in 2001 it has great picture & sound from the VHS version that I’ve had many years ago but when this 4K version of Rollerball came out I had to check it out, after finishing watching it on a 4K TV the picture & sound is so much better than a 2001 DVD version that I’ve owned and it has new features. I like the artwork and it’s a great movie highly recommend it.

This is a Blu-ray specific review, for the Arrow release of Rollerball. I don't typically write film reviews as many talented reviewers have already reviewed this wonderful film. On to the Blu-ray....In Arrow's release of one of the strangest and most wonderful sports-centered films, which also happens to be one of the greastest, most wonderful science fiction films ever made, the artistic team really outdid themselves with a package of features and goodies that wowed even me, a person who has collected only the best releases and has become terribly spoiled when it comes to great features on Blu-rays. I was really surprised to see just how much they had packed into this release. The film, of course, looks spectacular and is the best transfer available for the film, anywhere, on any Blu-ray, in any region. On top of the beautiful transfer, they provided a really nice retrospective film documentary with the key participants in the making of the film, the original interviews and on-set footage from back in the day (everyone was very young and handsome), isolated music/effect track, Director commentary, Writer commentary, a great new interview with James Cann, an interview on the incredible motorcycle stunts in the film, and, one of my favorite kinds of special features, an original locations tour with one of the film participants, this one with unit manager Meyer and, then, of course, the standard Arrow features including reversible artwork and trailers and tv spots and a booklet and basically everything you have come to expect from one of the best Blu-ray distributors in the world.I can't recommend this release highly enough and I thoroughly enjoyed everything about it. If you are a fan of the original Rollerball (yes, there is a remake), this is the release for you. The Arrow team put in the time and effort necessary to craft a truly packed and entertaining collection of special features to augment their superior film transfer. The sound is wonderful. The picture is the best we are likely to see. The movie is great. The features are numerous and entertaining. Overall, this is one fantastic Blu-ray.Good luck finding the film that make you happy. This one certainly made my week. I've watched it twice since it arrived. Enjoy.

This is not a review of the movie as I haven’t watched the blu ray yet, last time I saw this movie was in the cinema back in the 70’s. I will leave a review after watching the blu ray. I only give 2 stars for the reasons that there was no booklet included with the blu ray. Arrow releases are pretty good that includes booklets, it’s a nice extra, especially for collectors. The other reason is that there was over a space of a week there was an increase in price by £6. As a collector I would like to have the booklet included.

This film still holds up in dramatic tension. Yes, the art direction is the weakest link in the film revealing the love of chrome and funky fonts in the early to mid 1970’s that everyone agreed was a future look.The Rollerball game sequences are gripping and action filled with awesome camerawork considering it was the time before the Steadycam was invented. This film really shows off the use of zoom lens work that was pretty clunky/crude/overused most of the time in the late 60’s but in this film is used to perfect use in creating a weird alternate universe in found locations with the spare use of created sets.Houseman is a great corporate villain and Ralph Richardson steals the movie with his small cameo scene. Cann’s performance as the calm and almost robotic and sedate Jonathan E. while “off” the track and commanding and fierce while “on” the track, gives the film the weird flow that adds to the alternate future place the film lives in.I’m a great fan of John McTiernan and excitedly awaited for his remake in 2002. OMG!!!!! Why on earth he agreed to direct that hollow script is beyond comprehension since that version had “NOT-A-SHRED” of the original story that raises this film from just a cool/violent exploitation drive-in flick to a superb sci-fi film with visceral action and a unique and chilling story of corporate America that is more relevant today than it was in the blood soaked cinema of the 1970’s.It also has 2 very good commentary tracks well worth the effort to listen to....which is rare.

Both the action and the vision of the future have stood the test of time very well in this film. What hits the spot here is that this future isn’t a simplistic dystopia (ruled by an ‘evil’ government or ‘evil’ computers) but one in which true power has ended up resting in the hands of overgrown public companies with board members who have no genuine concern for anyone other than their overpaid ‘pet’ executives. Ring any bells? It’s set in 2018, and this film is much nearer the mark with it’s predictions than George Orwell was with 1984!It features some lovely, typical design tropes from the 70’s which I loved, but the drama and the questions it raises easily transcend the period for those who don’t.

This is a very good film, however its a little dated now, they did an updated vision of this, but they did not do it justice it was awful.. This is one of james Caan's best films.. Its set in the future where their is no violence apart from the game Rollerball, where the aim is to get the metal ball in the net, however you can kill your opposition... Its about teamwork, revenge and going against the rules... i enjoyed this movie and bought it...