- Actors: Bruce Dern, Cliff Potts, Ron Rifkin, Jesse Vint, Mark Persons
- Directors: Douglas Trumbull
- Writers: Deric Washburn, Michael Cimino, Steven Bochco
- Producers: Douglas Trumbull, Marty Hornstein, Michael Gruskoff
- Language English
- Classification: U
- Studio: 4 Front
- VHS Release Date: 6 Mar 2000
- Run Time: 89 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00004NKCQ
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 14,158 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
After creating many of the innovative special effects for 2001: A Space Odyssey, Douglas Trumbull tried his hand at directing, and 1971's Silent Running marked an impressive debut. (In addition to creating the visual effects for Close Encounters of the Third Kind and directing 1983's Brainstorm, Trumbull later turned to the creation of high-tech cinematic amusement park rides.) One of the best science-fiction films of the 1970s, Silent Running stars Bruce Dern as Freeman Lowell, a nature-loving crewmember aboard the Valley Forge, a gigantic spaceship in a small fleet that carries the last surviving forests of the Earth, which has fallen victim to overpopulation and ecological neglect.
Freeman's name reflects his nonconformist philosophy, which runs counter to the prevailing recklessness of his three ill-fated crewmates, who are eager to jettison their precious payload and return to the bleakness of Earth. Before they can sabotage the forests, Freeman does what he must, and spends the remainder of his mission with three robotic "drones" as his only companions, struggling to maintain his sanity in the vastness of space. Dern is superb in this memorable role, representing the lost soul of humankind as well as the back-to-nature youth movement of the 1960s and the pre-Watergate era. (Appropriately, Joan Baez sings the film's theme song.) A rare science-fiction film that combines bold adventure with passionate social conscience, Silent Running will remain relevant as long as the Earth is threatened by the ravages of human carelessness. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
76 of 78 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
These are just some of the words you can use to describe this wonderful film. Although it's now thirty years since original release it is anachronistic neither in terms of story nor special effects, and one could argue even more relevant three decades later with America's reluctance to sign the Kyoto Treaty.
For ME it has all the hallmarks of what great art SHOULD contain; a relevance to one's life and the abilty to challenge psychologically and philosophically on a number of levels. Indeed lasting eighty minutes and with only one speaking protagonist for eighty percent of it's duration, much is left implicit for the viewer to interpret. The plot of the film is simple. Cut forward to a time in the future when overpopulation and pollution of the environment has forced the last remaining forests to be moved into outer space on craft orbiting Saturn, until such time that earth is ready to replant. The craft are inhabited by four men, three of which exemplify the socially ordered and homogenous population back on earth, the other Freeman Lowell (played to perfection by Bruce Dern) being more cerebral and less bovine. After eight years they receive an order to destroy the forests and return the craft to commercial service. To save one of these forests Lowell has to murder the other three crewmembers and resign himself to a life of enforced exile without human company. Alone in space, save for two robots for company, Lowell has ample time to reflect on his actions in a way similar to Raskolnikov in "Crime and Punishment". It is also gives an insight into the psychology of isolation and alienation. The answer being for me that some HUMAN contact (even though the robots have more character and humanity than Lowell's previous crewmates), even of the lowest common denominator is necessary for mental 'health'. This is reflected in the sad ending. The DVD version of the film offers nothing more than the tape version other than a dodgy trailer for the film pre-release circa 1972 and language choice. As a footnote look out for an early example of brand/product placing! Enjoy!
For ME it has all the hallmarks of what great art SHOULD contain; a relevance to one's life and the abilty to challenge psychologically and philosophically on a number of levels. Indeed lasting eighty minutes and with only one speaking protagonist for eighty percent of it's duration, much is left implicit for the viewer to interpret. The plot of the film is simple. Cut forward to a time in the future when overpopulation and pollution of the environment has forced the last remaining forests to be moved into outer space on craft orbiting Saturn, until such time that earth is ready to replant. The craft are inhabited by four men, three of which exemplify the socially ordered and homogenous population back on earth, the other Freeman Lowell (played to perfection by Bruce Dern) being more cerebral and less bovine. After eight years they receive an order to destroy the forests and return the craft to commercial service. To save one of these forests Lowell has to murder the other three crewmembers and resign himself to a life of enforced exile without human company. Alone in space, save for two robots for company, Lowell has ample time to reflect on his actions in a way similar to Raskolnikov in "Crime and Punishment". It is also gives an insight into the psychology of isolation and alienation. The answer being for me that some HUMAN contact (even though the robots have more character and humanity than Lowell's previous crewmates), even of the lowest common denominator is necessary for mental 'health'. This is reflected in the sad ending. The DVD version of the film offers nothing more than the tape version other than a dodgy trailer for the film pre-release circa 1972 and language choice. As a footnote look out for an early example of brand/product placing! Enjoy!
28 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
30 years on, this movie is still powerful and poignant. The environmental message is just as important today as it was in the 70's.
You won't see aliens zooming around and firing lasers at each other, and the only explosions are disturbing images as the very last forests are destroyed forever. This is an emotional film, which goes far deeper than most SF either before or since. The story is about people, not flashy special effects, and must surely be considered a classic.
I cannot imagine any sensible viewer coming away from this movie without pausing to consider its deeper message, which is still highly relevant today.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Set in the far future aboard the spaceship "Valley Forge", Bruce Dern and three fellow astronauts maintain the huge vessel and the forests that it contains with the help of three ingeniously rendered robots. The robots are so convincing that they steal the show, but they remain classic depictions that are on par with Robby from "Forbidden Planet" and the droids of "Star Wars".
This is a sad story with a strong ecological message, "Silent Running" is a visual treat with outstanding special effects and a very realistically-depicted "Valley Forge" spaceship. A production note: Trumbull had use of the decommissioned naval aircraft carrier "Valley Forge" before it was scrapped and he was able to modify many of it's vast interiors for use in the movie, all to good effect.
This is a sad story with a strong ecological message, "Silent Running" is a visual treat with outstanding special effects and a very realistically-depicted "Valley Forge" spaceship. A production note: Trumbull had use of the decommissioned naval aircraft carrier "Valley Forge" before it was scrapped and he was able to modify many of it's vast interiors for use in the movie, all to good effect.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
silent running
great film brought back alot of memorys when i was a kid when i first saw this film in the 1980's even thou its a dark film from the 70's but still great to watch
Published 4 months ago by startrek79
One Star for the awful DVD - 5 for the film itself
Avoid this DVD at all costs.
The film is wonderful; magical even; and has real heart. The effects are great and the storyline is poignant.
So why one star? Read more
The film is wonderful; magical even; and has real heart. The effects are great and the storyline is poignant.
So why one star? Read more
Published 5 months ago by M. Hevingham
Must have been good when it first came out back in the 1970's
Not the most entertaining film. Some valid points made in the film regarding it's content. (This is my opinion of course). Read more
Published 5 months ago by HAMMER
Prophetic Movie
Living in the UK with the way things are going some of the lines that Bruce Dern speaks in this movie are prophetic indeed. Read more
Published 5 months ago by T. M. bowkett
Like marmite - you love it, you hate it
This is one of my favourite films. I remember watching this with an old partner, i had waxed lyrical about it for months. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Jenno66
Silent Running - Cult Masterpiece
My third all time favourite film; Withnail & I, Dark Star then comes this delightful rather sad and thought provoking Sci-Fi cult classic. Read more
Published 7 months ago by David G Parr
A Non-Nostalgic perspective
I get the feeling, from reading all the positive reviews (mainly nostalgic ones) that I'll get slaughtered for not enjoying this film, and the reasons are numerous. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Denton
Bruce Dern - Silent Running
This is one of those films that have stayed in my memory since watching it as a kid. It's lost a little bit of magic now that i've supposedly grown up but is still one of my... Read more
Published 12 months ago by tiswas
Poor Louie
This film seems a bit dated now but is still a bit of a classic. It consistently comes up in lists of top sci fi movies so any followers of the genre really should see it. Read more
Published 13 months ago by R. Hughes
An Environmental Science Fiction.
A slow paced film about a man on a spaceship who looks after the last plant species from a barren Earth in numerous bio-domes. Read more
Published 15 months ago by S. Swingler
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