Norman Jewison's dystopian Rollerball portrays a near-future in the aftermath of the Corporate Wars, in which nations have crumbled and conglomerates rule. In place of freedom the people are given bread and circuses: material comfort and rollerball itself. Played on a circular, slanted track by men on skates and motorbikes, this extreme sport is the ultimate extrapolation of the primitive blood lust implicit in many team sports. James Caan is outstanding as Jonathan E, star player with the Houston team. In the elegant detachment of Jewison's direction, emphasised... by the stark, alienating use of classical music, there are echoes of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Notwithstanding the brilliantly staged arena sequences, Rollerball is essentially about freedom versus conformity and the corruption of unfettered capitalism, with Caan leading an existential rebellion in the tradition of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 which leads to a chilling, apocalyptic finale. Certainly the most prophetic film of the 1970s, Rollerball has an intelligence and power overlooked by those who simply denounce its brutal violence. On the DVD: Rollerball arrives on DVD with clear three-channel Dolby Digital sound, although obviously it lacks the impact of a more modern 5.1 soundtrack. The 1.77:1 transfer is anamorphically enhanced and is generally very sharp and detailed with excellent colour. Some scenes show a lot of grain, but this is presumably a consequence of having to shoot with very fast lenses to capture the swift and dramatic action under indoor lighting conditions. "Return to the Arena--The Making of Rollerball" is a new 25-minute documentary (4:3 with letterboxed film clips) that features Jewison, Harrison and various other personnel reminiscing about the making of the film. The highlight of the extras are commentary tacks from the Jewison and Harrison, and while there is inevitably some overlap of information, and some quite lengthy gaps in Harrison's track, there is also much to interest the serious film buff. Also included is an original seven-minute promotional featurette "From Rome to Rollerball: The Full Circle", the chilling original trailer, the teaser trailer and a trailer for the remake.--Gary S Dalkin [show more]
We will publish your review of Rollerball [Blu-ray] on Blu Ray within a few days as long as it meets our guidelines.
None of your personal details will be passed on to any other third party.
Please note this is a region B Blu-ray and will require a region B or region free Blu-ray player in order to play. IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE, WARS WILL NO LONGER EXIST. BUT THERE WILL BE ROLLERBALL. In a corporate-controlled future, the world s nations have been disbanded and conflict is a thing of the past. But blood continues to be shed on the tracks of Rollerball a brutal contact sport which pits players in a battle of life and death. James Caan (The Godfather, Thief, Misery) plays Jonathan E., celebrated captain of the Houston Rollerball team whose prowess on the track has earned him renown across the globe. But this fame has also attracted the ire of the games corporate sponsors, who wish to suppress any displays of individual achievement fearing this could encourage the populace to revolt. With the powers-that-be pushing for his retirement, Jonathan is faced with a choice concede to the Corporation s will or take a stand, by continuing to compete in the increasingly deadly games. Shot in Munich to make use of the city s futuristic Olympic architecture, Rollerball is a classic slice of dystopian filmmaking, mixing high-octane action sequences with gripping (and thoroughly prescient) social commentary. The future is now the future is Rollerball!
In the year 2018, the world is ruled by corporate powers and one of the principle forms of entertainment is Rollerball, a fast paced sport played around a circular track. When the reigning champion (James Caan) becomes too popular, and refuses the corporation's request that he retire, the rules of the sport are changed in a deliberate attempt to get rid of him - the contestants now find themselves engaged in a game where the main objective is to kill your opponent.
This site uses cookies.
More details in our privacy policy
