8mm Forum: Rollerball

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Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on February 19, 2009, 12:52 PM:

In the not too distant future, wars will no longer exist....

.....But there will be....

ROLLERBALL

This was the famous tagline that appears in the first few silent moments of the trailer. I saw this fantastic trailer over and over at my local cinema in the mid-70's (uh-oh, here comes another story...) I was 13 years old at the time, and this looked like the absolute COOLEST movie in the world. When the R-rated movie opened (No one under 17 admited without an adult), me and my friends skeemed our way in ("excuse me sir, if we give you the money, can you buy our tickets") [Cool]

.

While the movie did drag at times for boys our age, the game scenes were so incredible and over-the-top, it totally made up for the rest of the movie. We loved it so much, we would play our own version of Rollerball in Lincoln Park- with skates, bicylcles, and a "Nerf" (sponge-type) ball. It was great!

A few years later, I was happy to find out this was available as a super 8 digest in England. I quickly saved up my money and ordered it.....

.....and here's the REVIEW-

"Rollerball" , available from Derann Films (out-of-print). 2 x 400 foot digest.

Part 1-

Opens with the original animated "United Artists" movie logo, then, the classic theme begins (Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor), over the title. The first scene is a practice session on the track, with the main "Houston" team. Top player Jonothan E (James Caan) goes over some tactics for the players and explains some of the dangers of the game.

Then, we move right to the "Houston vs. Tokyo" game. The players line up and the Tokyo anthem is played (this scene builds up the tension, as the players are giving each other menacing looks). Then, the game begins. And, what a game it is. Lots of well-choriographed action, at a break-neck pace. Fights, ambushes, explosions, etc. At one point in the game, Jonothan E's good friend is beaten mercilessly and taken out of the game.

To end this reel, the Derann editors did a tricky edit- Near the end of the Tokyo/Houston game, after a motorcycle explodes, a Houston player catches on fire. Then- there is a quick jump to the very end of the movie (the Houston/NY game) where Jonothan E is skating around the track, amid fire and the bodies of dead players. Then, a freeze-frame of Jonothan E, and the Bach theme is played over the ending credits (this was how the actual movie ends).

I think the editor actually did a very good job. There is actually very little editing. In fact, the Tokyo game is almost 100 % complete (making it easy to re-record, which I did). This reel is actually more like a self-contained extract, than a digest.

The quality on this reel was a dissapointment. The picture was grainy, and the sound was not the best either. I actually got it replaced, by a print that was a little better, but acceptable.

Part 2:

This reel also begins with the UA logo, and the original opening title and Bach theme. Then, the opening game begins (this is the actual opening game scene to the movie, which allows viewers to get acquainted with the game). After a short game, we see the Houston players in the locker room, as team owner Bartholomew (John Housman) congradulates them on a victory. He then tells Jonothan that he wants to see him at his office.

As the players leave the colosium, the crowd goes wild, and we see the obsession the fans have with the game, and most notably, the top player, Jonathan E, as they chant his name over the night sky.

The next day, Jonothan arrives at Bartholomew's office (in a real cool futuristic-looking building). In this key scene, Bartholomew tells Jonothan to retire, as he's become too big for the game. Jonothan won't agree, and Bartholomew is not happy.

The next scene of the digest actually takes place near the end of the movie, after the Tokyo game in reel 1.-

Bartholomew has a board meeting, where everyone agrees that Jonothan E must be eliminated. Note- the scene is wierd, because in the meeting, only Bartholomew is present, and everyone is else is on an individual TV monitor.

Next scene- The Houston players are in the locker room, getting ready to play New York. All rules have been eliminated, and everyone realizes that the game is basically suicide. The game quickly begins, and people start getting killed right away. At one point, one coach says to the other, "I don't want another man on that track! No one's gonna win this game!". The opposing coach fires back- "Game!? This was NEVER meant to be a game!" Moments later, the tracks are full of fire, debris, and dead bodies. Only Jonothan and two players from the opposing team are left. Jonothan kills one, then knocks the other off of his bike. As he gets ready to kill him with the ball, he decides not to, and he throws the ball into the goal, winning the game.

As the only survivor, he bigins slowly skating around the track, as fans begin to stand and chant his name, louder and louder, as a furious Bartholomew storms out. Then, the same original freeze-frame ending, with the credits.

For some reason, the quality of reel 2 is completely different than reel 1. Its actually much better, and even seems to have come from a different source. The picture is sharper, with no grain. Even the sound is better.

As far as content, reel 2 falls short in the editing department. The purpose of reel 2 is to show the relationship of Jonothan E and Bartholomew, which it does, but it leaves too many questions for viewers that have not seen the full movie. I think it would have been better to just do another extract like reel 1, concentrating on the Houston vs. New York game.

Overall review of the digest as a complete 800 footer-

Like many, I couldn't wait to splice the two digests together, mixing the parts back to their proper order. But, the result was not perfect. One problem was, the lack of transition scenes. For instance, reel-1 ends the game with a jump to the end of the final game. So, in editing the two digests, the Tokyo game seems to just cut, with no closure at all. My viewing audience would always scratch there head and look at the projector, like, "what happened"?

Another problem is the quality difference. The focus has to be adjusted for the cuts, and, as previously mentioned, it looks like a completly different source altogether.

The sound difference was a big problem too, but I re-recorded the whole digest together, and that made a huge improvement on the flow of the digest.

Most lacking of all, is the atmosphere of the movie. Rollerball is a movie that thrives on atmosphere when a game is not in progress. One of isolation, and a cold society. There is no sign of Jonothan's love interests, beautiful Maud Adams (Bond girl) or Pamela Hendsly. I would have loved for this to be at least 3 x 400 foot, and kept in sequence. Even better, a full-length super 8 release. But, as they say, it is certainly better than nothing, and it got a lot of play on my projector, in spite of its flaws.

It also comes in nice clam-shell style boxes (one of Derann's first digests to use these).

Rollerball- the trailer

This trailer was first available on super 8 from Thunderbird Films, on a 200 foot reel with other sci-fi trailers. The source material was a little worn, and has faded now, but very sharp and still very watchable.

The second source for this trailer was from Steel Valley Films, a short-lived company in Pennsylvania. This is the same excellent trailer, but from a MUCH better source, and, most importantly, LOW-FADE stock! And, a bonus- its in STEREO! I don't think many of these were printed, so it will be harder to find.

The trailer is fantastic, and is the same one that played at my local cinema back in 1975! Its action packed, shows MANY different scenes, and actually maintains the atmosphere of the movie. It even plays a part of my favorite music piece- "Adagio", when Jonothan is breaking up with Ella (Maud Adams). I recommend this trailer, from either source, over the digest. But if your a big fan of the movie like I am, get them all!

P.S.- I understand that Marketing Films in Germany also released a digest to this. How about adding a review on this thread, or either a separate thread. Thanks!

James.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on February 19, 2009, 02:46 PM:

even better James, try tracking down that German digest! There might be a few scenes that you can edit into your 800ft, as the company who released it was completely different.

Great review, as you always provide!

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on February 19, 2009, 03:11 PM:

James,

Thanks for the terrific review. John Clancy reviewed the Marketing release and wrote about editing both versions here.

Doug

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on February 20, 2009, 12:13 PM:

Thanks guys, and thanks for the link too Doug.

I had always wanted to know about that Marketing digest, and that article explains it well. It sounds like the better of the two digests, and those boxes are cool too.

James.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on February 20, 2009, 08:03 PM:

Yoiks and away!

James is off in search for the Marketing edition!

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