| |
 |
 |
|
 |
Chicago bars, nightclubs, and restaurants ..
Check out this guide to
Chicago
Planning a trip to Tokyo?
Check out this guide to
Tokyo, Japan
|
|
|
|
Science Fiction
»
»
»
|
|
Silent Running
1972 Bruce Dern
Silent Running is a story of man's relationship with machines, with nature, and with himself in the face of total isolation. Freeman Lowell (BRUCE DERN), a botanist, has spent eight years aboard the space freighter, "Valley Forge," participating in a program to preserve the only botanical specimens extant from Earth, where all vegetation has died. His hope is that the forests, protected under huge geodesic domes, will survive until Earth's environment can support refoliation.
The apathy of the three younger astronauts (CLIFF POTTS, RON RIFKIN and JESSE VINT) who are assigned to help him, reflects the prevalent attitude on Earth toward the program. When orders are received that the project has been terminated, the forests are to be exploded and the men returned to Earth, Lowell tries to save the forests by pirating the "Valley Forge." His action kills his three companions and plummets the freighter into the gaseous Rings of Saturn. Lowell is injured but survives with two robots to continue his mission.
In his struggle with loneliness, Lowell names the
|
robots Huey and Dewey, and re-programs them to respond directly to him. They play poker with him, help him maintain the ship and forest, and operate on his injured leg. But despite their touching relationship, Lowell deteriorates. He finds the forest dying and is unable to determine the cause.
Against all expectations, a radio voice reaches him. He knows that his mutiny will be discovered, but his feeling of doom is offset by the realization that the forest can be saved --- it is suffering only from the lack of sunlight.
Lowell puts his affairs in final order, setting up lamps all over the freighter to supply artificial sunlight. Filled with hope for the forest to the end, he jettisons it into the darkness, with Dewey aboard as caretaker.
|
|
CAST of Silent Running
Lowell .......................... BRUCE DERN
Wolf .......................... CLIFF POTTS
Barker .......................... RON RIFKIN
Keenan .......................... JESSE VINT
Introducing as the Drones
MARK PERSONS
STEVEN BROWN
CHERYL SPARKS
LARRY WHISENHUNT
CREDITS for Silent Running
Produced by .......................... MICHAEL GRUSKOFF
Directed by .......................... DOUGLAS TRUMBULL
Written by .......................... DERIC WASHBURN, MIKE CIMINO, STEVE BOCHCO
Associate Producer .......................... MARTIN HORNSTEIN
Director of Photography .................... CHARLES F.WHEELER, A. S. C.
Color by ............ TECHNICOLOR
Film Editor .......................... AARON STELL
Set Decorator .......................... FRANCISCO LOMBARDO
Sound .......................... CHARLES KNIGHT
Wardrobe Advisor .......................... ANN VIDOR
Makeup .......................... DICK DAWSON
Assistant Director .......................... BRAD ARONSON
Music Composed and Conducted by .......................... PETER SCHICKELE
Songs Silent Running and "Rejoice in the Sun": Lyrics by DIANE LAMPERT
Music by .......................... PETER SCHICKELE
Sung by .......................... JOAN BAEZ
A MICHAEL GRUSKOFF/DOUGLAS TRUMBULL PRODUCTION
A UNIVERSAL RELEASE
|
|
|
|
