8mm Forum: Soylent Green (Scope)

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Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on January 08, 2008, 12:49 PM:

Soylent Green 1973
4X600ft reels Colour Scope.

Its 2022 and the world is in a real state, a bit like today actually and to top it all no sign of a Super 8 projector other than the one showing this superb feature.

Soylent Green is not a film which brings that feel good factor but will make you sit up and take note, that’s if you are awake. It stars good old Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor Young, but more importantly Edward G. Robinson in his final feature film sadly passing away only two weeks after completing filming Soylent Green.

This feature is beautifully crafted by director Richard Fleischer and he paints a dark picture of New York in the future as people depend on manufactured food stuffs Soylent Red, Yellow and Green. Fresh produce is impossible to buy unless you are one of the elite and a cup of Strawberries will set you back about £75.00. Charlton is a detective and with his friend Edward G he set about to uncover a murder case but Edward finds something altogether more sinister going on and uncovers the shocking truth about Soylent Green.

Upon release the film secured a number of awards although sadly Leigh Taylor Young (the babe) did not. She looks superb in this film and in real SCOPE you get the full picture if you get my drift. For years I have been a fan of this movie but my viewing has been limited to TV screenings and hardly the full Scope image. Thankfully this super 8 issue is in Scope and the landscape really lends itself to the screen here, or is that the other way round?

Although my print is second hand and well used it’s clear to see this is a first class print and outshines just about all my other Scope features. Good colours, crisp images and a film which draws you into the drama of its subject especially with this vast projected image. Sound quality is excellent if a little over recorded at times, but I would recommend this superb Scope feature to all for the sheer quality alone.

Supplied of 4 600ft reels and running something in the line of 97 minutes it is a sensible running time and comes highly recommended.

Print A+ Sound A

Posted by Mal Brake (Member # 14) on January 08, 2008, 01:21 PM:

Lee,
perhaps you should lend your copy to TCM because the last time they played it, the print looked the worse for wear, and that's being generous!
Mal

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on January 08, 2008, 01:34 PM:

quote:
Soylent Green is not a film which brings that feel good factor

-kind of a shame. I was looking forward to a musical adaptation: excellent for dinner theater!

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on January 08, 2008, 02:28 PM:

I love this film as well, and now it's in the theaters in it's third incarnation ... (I Am Legend).

The only drawback to me is the 70's rock sountrack, which obviously dates the film.

That whole first section when he is completely alone, (and especially watching "Woodstock" in a theater) is great.

Posted by Robert Wales (Member # 502) on January 08, 2008, 05:10 PM:

Osi, it's "The Omega Man' which has been remade as "I Am Legend', not 'Soylent Green'.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on January 08, 2008, 10:48 PM:

Robert,

I stand corrected. Now that I'm set on remembering correctly, i was always touched by the scene when old Eddie G.
breaks down and cries when he sees the fresh foods Charlton Heston brings home.

That, and the scene when he's dying, with all the images of an unpolluted world. Quite touching.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on January 09, 2008, 05:17 AM:

You are quite right Osi & Mal. One of the fantastic things about 8mm is that if a superb print such as this comes along and was produced a good few years ago it often turns out to be far better than recent TV screenings, and thats on the small screen. One day they will do a remaster of it I am sure but I agree the TV version often shown is very poor.

See it on 8mm for the best experience.
One day I must come to your hotel.

Posted by Mark Williams (Member # 794) on January 09, 2008, 06:17 AM:

Yes this is a good movie adapted from Harry Harrison's book MAKE ROOM!,MAKE ROOM! how prophetic eh??

I remember sneaking into this one when I was a youngster as it was rated AA when it was first released,think it was on a double bill with BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES.

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on January 09, 2008, 08:19 PM:

Those were the days sneaking in etc, only our local small cinema seemed to work on the principle that if you could pay then you were OK to go in to whatever, so sneaking in was more in our fevered imaginations really.
Best Mark.
PS I remember "sneaking" !!!!! in to Friday the 13th 1+2 double bill then quite literally really sneaking out in shame in the dark as part 2 got underway as I couldn`t take any more !!!!

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on January 18, 2008, 03:01 PM:

I was just reading on the internet about Orson Welles, and it is rumored that Orson Welles directed some sequences of this film. After "Touch of Evil (1958), Charlton Heston had talked with Orson Welles about doing another project, and Orson was always in favor of the idea. Orson turned on Charlton to "I Am legend" in the first place in the early 60's.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on January 22, 2008, 07:58 AM:

If you can get a loan of the DVD it has the vintage documentary on it “A look at the world of Soylent Green”. This I had seen many years ago which is how I came to get into the flick and have liked it ever since. But the Super 8 print looks great in Scope, and if you can make do with a DVD then this is also excellent quality but obviously not full Scope.

As has been said, the film gets shown on the TV from time to time but the print or transfer of it used has never been good. The DVD is very good and worth a look if you can’t find a Super 8 print, also on the DVD is a nice tribute to Ed Robinson as he completes his 101st flick which was very nice to see.

The sound track is mono so I am going to record the audio commentary onto the balance super 8 track which is entertaining and also expands on the options for viewing the 8mm print. My own favourite bit has to be Edward viewing the projected images of how beautiful the world used to be which is quite moving.

All in all then a quite stunning super 8 scope release, and although my second hand print does have some user marks on it, this Scope feature shows off 8mm at its very best.

Video Clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edQNjJZFdLU&feature=related

Posted by Mark Williams (Member # 794) on January 22, 2008, 08:52 AM:

It's a lovely scene Lee,very touching,I probably got my first taste of classical music when I originally viewed this scene.

Cheers Mark

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on January 25, 2008, 01:08 PM:

I always find this film depressing to watch. The reason being that I suspect that it is in fact a fairly realistic representation of where civilization is headed. [Frown]

So no matter how good Lee's print is, count me out for a viewing. Give me 'Singin in the Rain'! [Wink]

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