Soylent
Green Remains Delicious
by
Kristin Battestella
In
2022, New York City is over populated with forty million people.
Unemployment, homelessness, heatwaves, and hunger are rampant –
leaving Detective Frank Thorn (Charlton Heston) on riot duty until
the murder of a wealthy board member for the Soylent Corporation.
Soylent's latest nutritional supplement is made from plankton and
called Soylent Green, but quantities are limited and Thorn's aging
research partner Solomon Roth (Edward G. Robinson) uncovers a secret,
disturbing ingredient. Thorn digs deeper into the case, but
politicians want Chief Hatcher (Brock Peters) to close the
investigation, placing Thorn's life in danger as he gets closer to
revealing the unsavory truth.
Vintage
tintype pictures open director Richard Fleischer (Fantastic Voyage) and writer Stanley Greenberg's (Skyjacked) 1973
Soylent Green adaptation of the Harry Harrison novel with
ye olde history before speeding slideshows of industry highs,
crisis lows, and superb instrumentals to match. Now it's all
community removal announcements, prohibited locales, and
advertisements for Soylent Red, Soylent Yellow, and the new Soylent
Green. Butter and paper are rare, light bulbs are dimming, and
hustling is the only way to obtain goods. Our tough men are both
delighted and ashamed of their looting while other people sleep in
stairwells or live in cars permanently parked in the streets.
Classical music accents meager meals we would take for granted as
adults delight over advantageous plastic spoons, never before tasted
stew, and a sample of strawberries that cost $150 a jar! Of course,
the wealthy live in luxury apartments – privileged with suave
ladies called “furniture,” fresh meat, and precious vegetables –
and authority figures who should have power are envious of lavishness
the affluent don't appreciate such as real beds, lengthy hot showers,
and air conditioning. Desperate poor are hired to kill those above
with surprising, blunt violence amid the beaded curtains, white furs,
and scotch. Bodies are taken to waste disposal centers, but old folks
remember when there used to be ceremonies for the dead. Orphans in
bunk beds fill the churches instead of pews, and truths told in
confession are too much for a priest to bear.
In Soylent Green, broken people are trying to survive the bleak dystopian atmosphere, numbers instead of names waiting in line for water, food coupons, or death benefits. Long lines of poor and hungry won't stand for short rations, and riots between the haves and have nots escalate alongside disturbingly nonchalant violence in sacred places. Assassination set ups and multi-layered mysteries – when there are one hundred and thirty-seven murders a day, why argue when the higher ups want a case closed? Investigation exposition provides how Soylent came to control frozen food manufacturing, law firms, governors, and sustenance for half the planet. Those in the know are followed and police hands are tied by cryptic conversations about silencing others. Viewers have seen similar Depression angst and more recent meaningless Black Friday mobs, but in Soylent Green, screaming crowds are hauled away, tossed into creepy forklifts, and hoisted into dumpsters. Scenes sans music echo with droning machinery as silencer gunshots narrow the seemingly broad point of view via process of elimination, supply and demand, and two birds with one stone control. There are few options beyond sad euthanasia opportunities – a pleasant twenty minutes with your favorite music, color, and theatrical presentations featuring long lost nature, flowers, animals, oceans, and sunsets. Soylent Green is emotional without saying a word in exceptional one man reveals unknown to the audience thanks to silent mouthings, headphones, and wide-eyed, shocked reactions. Viewers aren't spoon fed in another silent sequence of sanitation trucks, stowaways, and processing plants. We're beside the detective's need to know amid the mechanical hums, buzzing equipment, and disposal center tense as conveyor belts and assembly lines lead to goodbye phone calls, shootouts, and a now famous revelation.
In Soylent Green, broken people are trying to survive the bleak dystopian atmosphere, numbers instead of names waiting in line for water, food coupons, or death benefits. Long lines of poor and hungry won't stand for short rations, and riots between the haves and have nots escalate alongside disturbingly nonchalant violence in sacred places. Assassination set ups and multi-layered mysteries – when there are one hundred and thirty-seven murders a day, why argue when the higher ups want a case closed? Investigation exposition provides how Soylent came to control frozen food manufacturing, law firms, governors, and sustenance for half the planet. Those in the know are followed and police hands are tied by cryptic conversations about silencing others. Viewers have seen similar Depression angst and more recent meaningless Black Friday mobs, but in Soylent Green, screaming crowds are hauled away, tossed into creepy forklifts, and hoisted into dumpsters. Scenes sans music echo with droning machinery as silencer gunshots narrow the seemingly broad point of view via process of elimination, supply and demand, and two birds with one stone control. There are few options beyond sad euthanasia opportunities – a pleasant twenty minutes with your favorite music, color, and theatrical presentations featuring long lost nature, flowers, animals, oceans, and sunsets. Soylent Green is emotional without saying a word in exceptional one man reveals unknown to the audience thanks to silent mouthings, headphones, and wide-eyed, shocked reactions. Viewers aren't spoon fed in another silent sequence of sanitation trucks, stowaways, and processing plants. We're beside the detective's need to know amid the mechanical hums, buzzing equipment, and disposal center tense as conveyor belts and assembly lines lead to goodbye phone calls, shootouts, and a now famous revelation.
Good
Old Post Apocalyptic Chuck strikes again, as Charlton Heston's (The Omega Man) Detective Thorn goes
through the motions of his dog eat dog existence. He has a
badge, riot gear that's little more than a football helmet, and no
protocol – sweaty and unbothered as he pilfers booze and satin
pillowcases from his night shift crime scene. Frank turns on the tap
just to feel the running water on his face, sniffs the soap, wants a
glass filled with rare ice, and treats himself to the puff of a
cigarette. He flirts with the ladies as the interrogating man in
charge but insists he doesn't have the time to ask them for anything
nice. Thorn's envious of what rich men have, angry over how most
people aren't angry about their entire situation. He's not afraid to
rough up anyone attacking him man or woman but defends abused women
and understands when a hungry crowd won't disperse. Frank can't be
off work himself for more than two days, fearing for his job and his
very livelihood, yet he risks investigating this shelved case despite
threats against him. He refuses to see a police doctor, but Thorn's
hunched and distraught earnestness is firmly felt. He's wounded and
running, still trying to remain upright and take action because he
must. At last Thorn experiences all the things he never knew, which
lead him to what he doesn't want to know. Soylent Green is
the swansong for Edward G. Robinson (The Ten Commandments),
and his once revered professor
remembers when food was food, water wasn't poison, and soil
wasn't toxic. The world was beautiful; meat, eggs, and produce were
available everywhere – but people were still just as rotten. Sol's
crusty and tired, hanging on only because of Thorn. He's happy when
Thorn brings him paper, pencils, and soap – weeping when he sees
beef and wondering how men came to this. Sol studies the shocking
Soylent reports in a back door meeting with his former
contemporaries, emotionally showing both the audience as well as
Thorn what is at stake even if he doesn't want to live in such a
godless world where Soylent's secret solution makes frightening
sense.
Tab
Fielding can also read and write – unusual traits for his position
in the era of Soylent Green, but
Chuck Connors' (The Rifleman) bodyguard
only remains loyal so long as his contract is paid. Fielding escorts
the ladies to peruse the luxury inventory and has a decent apartment
himself – including his own “furniture,” the svelte and
strawberry eating Paula Kelly (Night Court). It
might have been interesting if Soylent Green had
focused more on this cool but ambiguous cucumber instead of other
anonymous henchmen, for it's always entertaining to see these two
Chucks go mano y mano. Unfortunately, police chief Brock
Peters (Deep Space Nine) owns a rare watch that doesn't run –
so much then for chastising his late officers. He dislikes when the
aptly named Thorn won't listen, but Chief Hatcher knows he's a good
cop. He tries to convince Thorn to walk away from this murder case
thanks to pressure from the top, however, in this world, his word and
trust in his men isn't good enough to assure their survival. Likewise
high up but risky and unreliable Joseph Cotten (Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte) goes along with the pain when his company says
it is necessary. He attends church and treats Leigh Taylor-Young's
(Picket Fences) Shirl with respect, letting her shop and not
abusing her despite his right to do so. Shirl comes with the
apartment, and she'll be there for the next tenant whether she likes
him or not, mere entertainment for his guests. While she does get
into bed when Chuck tells her to get into bed, their relationship
becomes one of freedom rather than force – a rare dalliance amid
Soylent Green's patriarchal control.
The
lavish apartments with sophisticated sliding doors and anonymous
white science fiction infrastructure contrast the overcrowded slums
and dark one room hovels cramped with simple cots, rare books, and
older technology. Matte paintings are somewhat obvious and certainly
the boob tubes are big because this is an old picture, however that
back dated design also provides a realistic touch to the futuristic
factories. The people at the bottom have no advances or access, and
must peddle a broken bicycle to keep a tired generator going.
Likewise, the police station looks as seedy and hazy as the
downtrodden streets its men patrol. Bodyguards and officers wear khaki clothing and plain hats – subtly hinting at the mass
produced, lookalike garments of a totalitarian regime. The classical
scoring is so sweet, but the occasional swanky sexy music is corny,
detracting from the bright luxuries versus homeless crowds that work
well enough on their own. Fortunately, more often Soylent
Green knows
when silence or diegetic sound is best amid choice blood reds and
well done violence be it congested strong men battles or round ups
and rioting. The Soylent
Green DVD
provides commentaries and vintage behind the scenes shorts with
Robinson tributes, but I want to have my cake and eat it too with
more retrospectives to match the crisp and refreshed 4K viewing
experience. Thanks to
its iconic ending, it's tough to truly catch a virgin viewer for
Soylent Green. However,
this bitter pièce
de résistance
remains disturbingly
relevant with its past parallels and eerie predictions providing
plenty
of food for thought.
Even knowing the big surprise here, Soylent Green holds up thanks to exceptional performances and well paced storytelling. This is not a horror movie yet has disturbing elements. It's science fiction but not a ninety minute action adventure and too fantastic to be a straight drama. Despite knowing the truth, those in control won't ruffle any feathers while the eating is good. They'll do anything to keep themselves cushy – especially at the expense of others. Soylent Green is a delicious parable blending all its genre elements to give us a taste of our own medicine.
Even knowing the big surprise here, Soylent Green holds up thanks to exceptional performances and well paced storytelling. This is not a horror movie yet has disturbing elements. It's science fiction but not a ninety minute action adventure and too fantastic to be a straight drama. Despite knowing the truth, those in control won't ruffle any feathers while the eating is good. They'll do anything to keep themselves cushy – especially at the expense of others. Soylent Green is a delicious parable blending all its genre elements to give us a taste of our own medicine.
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