Silent Running

Overview

"If they gave awards at the Oscars for digital film restorations, Silent Running would certainly have its name called out on the big night. The film looks marvelous, much better than it did in theaters and on VHS, and the image is so crisp and precise and the mono Dolby 2.0 sound so clear that its difficult to believe the movie is from the early '70s. The outer space exterior shots are particularly impressive, with the space stations gliding across a black expanse of space that's actually cardboard dotted with speckles of white paint. That tidbit of info comes from director Douglas Trumbull's 30-minute interview ""Silent Running,"" exclusive for this edition. Trumbull goes into minute detail about the production, casting, and set design. He nearly steals his own thunder as he repeats himself many times during the ""feature commentary"" that accompanies the movie, but he's got Bruce Dern sitting with him, who enlivens the conversation by bringing his own memories to the program. There's also a separate interview with Dern that's of interest, as is a separate bit about Trumbull's other accomplishments, such as developing a large-format projection system and his development of cinematic techniques for 3-D theme park rides. A dated documentary called ""The Making of Silent Running"" is only worthwhile for die-hard cultist, but they've probably seen it elsewhere by now. The main attraction here is the superb restoration; first-time viewers will think they're watching a new movie."

Product Details

Release Date:	05/21/2002
UPC:	0025192124327
Original Release:	1972
Rating:	G
Source:	STUDIO DISTRIBUTION SERVS LLC
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:30:00
Sales rank:	577

Special Features

The making of "Silent Running"; Feature commentary with director Douglas Trumbull and cast member Bruce Dern; "Silent Running" by Douglas Trumbull; A conversation with Bruce Dern; "Douglas Trumbull: Then and Now"; Theatrical trailer; Production notes; Cast and filmmakers

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Bruce Dern	Lowell
Jesse Vint	Keenan
Cliff Potts	Wolf
Ron Rifkin	Barker
Mark Persons	Drone
Cheryl Sparks	Actor
Larry Whisenhunt	un drone
Joseph Campanella	Neal - Berkshire' Captain
Roy Engel	Anderson
Steve Brown	Drone
The Drones	Actor
Peter Schickele	Conductor,Composer
Joan Baez	Performer,Composer

Technical Credits

Deric Washburn

Michael Cimino

Steven Bochco

Douglas Trumbull	Director,Producer,Special Effects
Deric Washburn	Screenwriter
Michael Cimino	Screenwriter
Steven Bochco	Screenwriter
Michael Gruskoff	Producer
Richard Portman	Sound Effects,Sound/Sound Designer
Richard Yuricich	Special Effects
Richard Helmer	Special Effects
R.L. Helmer	Special Effects
James Rugg	Special Effects
Marlin Jones	Special Effects
Vernon Archer	Special Effects
John Dykstra	Special Effects
Charles D. Knight	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Blending science fiction with hippiedom, Silent Running (1971) is very much of its early '70s moment, even as its cautions about the environment remain timely. In his directorial debut, Douglas Trumbull skillfully integrates his premier special effects into a story about the glory, beauty, and fragility of nature, as Bruce Dern's long-haired, robe-clad ecologist stakes his life and space station on defending the last remaining ecosystem from a corporate edict to destroy it and use the ship for commerce. Bonding with anthropomorphized androids and tending his space-bound Eden to the strains of Joan Baez songs, Dern's Lowell is a testament to the need for free thought, green living, and firm convictions, no matter the cost. Trumbull's juxtaposition of adorable animals and lush plants with the soulless ship and astronauts carrying them speaks to the devastating effects of complacency. One of a cluster of early '70s dystopian science fiction films that began with Trumbull and with Stanley Kubrick's masterwork 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), Silent Running's vistas and message still attract fans.