Soylent Green

Soylent Green, starring Charlton Heston, paints a dystopian society where overpopulation and a greenhouse effect has taken a toll on Human Society, taking place in New York City, population 40 million. As the film takes place in the year 2022, and this year is 2022, I thought it was an appropriate choice to do a film review, plus it has some outstanding performances by many of the cast members, including, and especially Edward G. Robinson in his last film. So I popped it into the DVD player last night for a good evening of entertainment.

Soylent Green Trailer

Heston plays Thorn, a New York cop investigating the murder of a wealthy lawyer, Simonson. Thorn concludes that Simonson was assassinated, reasons unknown, as nothing was stolen from his apartment, and a meat hook was used to make it look like an amateur job; plus building security had been out of commission for the first time in several years, and Simonson’s body guard and live-in concubine, frequently referred to as furniture, a rather derogatory term, Shirl, played by Leigh Taylor-young, who appeared in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “Prodigal Daughter”, were conveniently out shopping. Thorn, takes a few liberties with the late Simonson’s possessions, filling a pillowcase full of items considered luxuries, and way out of reach of normal people like himself. Apparently police stealing from crime scenes is considered a norm in this society. Also, tapping into other funds here and there as seen in Thorn’s dealings with Captain Hatcher.

Hatcher, by the way, is played by Brock Peters, who appeared in two of the Star Trek movies as Admiral Cartwright, and later on appeared on Deep Space Nine as Sisko’s father, a chef and restaurant ant owner back on Earth.

Thorn, returning to the apartment he shares with his Book, Sol, played by Edward G. Robinson, shows Sol, the items h picked up from Simonson’s apartment, including two books that did not officially exist. Oh, and the food, which gets an emotional reaction from Sol. When the beef is laid out on the table, Sol sheds tears and says, “How did we come to this?” This is in reference to Sol frequently reminding Thorn that people used to eat real food, not this Soylent garbage and other such stuff. It is a fairly emotional scene that Robinson pulls off with high marks. One can since the poverty that most of humanity has to suffer through while the rich and powerful have the best things in life.

The bit about the food gets better when we see Sol and Thorn enjoying the meal Sol prepared using the fresh produce and the beef. Sol is especially visibly enjoying the meal, savoring each and every bite as though it was a rare delicacy, which for most of humanity, it is a rare delicacy. To cap it off, Thorn presents Sol with a spoon with some strawberry preserves coated on it. Sol quips “$150 a jar strawberries.” which is a clue to Tab Fielding’s involvement with Simonson’s murder. By the way, Tab was played by Chuck Connors, best known for his role in the television series The Rifleman.

Thorn learns that a few days before his murder, Simonson visited a priest and gave his confession. The priest, played by Lincoln Kilpatrick, who appeared in The Omega Man with Charlton Heston in 1971, as well as, will, NOT Star Trek, but Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Close enough. His performance is really outstanding as he displays a man whose mind is shattered by the confession he received from Simonson, and knowing the truth of what is happening, but unable to speak it. When asked by Thorn “What did he confess?”, the priest ends the conversation with “Sweet Jesus,”, and wanders off in a state of shock.

Sol learns the truth also, and decides to “go home”, which is a reference to leaving this world for the next; dying; going to Heaven; etc. Thorn learns much from the death scene, and again, Robinson’s performance dominates.

As Thorn continues to unravel the mystery surrounding the murder of Simonson, we also learn that the Governor, Santini, played by Whit Bissell, may be involved. Bissell is probably best known for his roles in The Creature from the Black Lagoon, and as Lurry in, if you guessed Star Trek, you would be right, the episode “The Trouble with Tribbles”.

Soylent Green is very loosely based on the novel Make Room! Make Room! by Harry Harrison, a novel I read several years ago, so you don’t have to. I found it to be an example where the movie is better than the book. The movie is excellent, with so many outstanding performances by many great actors, and directed by Richard Fleischer with the screenplay by Stanley Greenberg.

One final note on the cast – Celia Lovsky, who plays the head of The Exchange, the place where Books go to research cases, as well as review and exchange information, also appeared in Star Trek, playing T’Pau in the episode “Amok Time”. She is mainly recognizable due to her distinctive voice and accent.

And before I forget, Roy Jensen played Donovan, Sanitini’s Security Chief, who arranges the assassination of Simonson, also showed up in the Star Trek episode “The Omega Glory” as Cloud William. I never would have figured it out if it weren’t for looking him up on IMDB.

The Year 2022...

Something to think about...

Tonight, I was sitting here thinking I knew my wife had heard the line from the movie, "Soylent Green," you know, the classic, "Soylent Green is PEOPLE!!!" but she had never actually watched the movie, so in keeping with my tin foil personality, but being sick of the normal, I decided to put on an old classic, and she is currently playing a game and half watching it, so I asked, "Why not write a review, from a modern perspective?" And here ya go.

Tenements...

Overpopulation...

One of the first things I notice when re-watching this movie so many years later, is the stark way the producers make the population look in this, the coming year. Right away, you can see the main character, Detective Thorn, living in a tenement building. Then when he leaves, you see another character accepting a job to murder one of the Soylent Corporation executives in basically, a parking lot where people are living, as you can see here...

Detecting!

Detective Thorn gets the assignment for the Soylent executives murder, and this is what to leads to the famous discovery. The producers make it clear that food is scarce, especially beef. For instance, you can see some beef being "revealed," in this scene with "Shirl" played by Leigh Taylor-Young...

Beef!!!

Smart Cities...

Another thing I noticed when re-watching this movie, was the way the "elite" are living compared to the regular people, so to speak. As you can see, they are living in futuristic-looking apartment buildings...

Death Star Going Up...

Investigation!

As Thorn and his friend, Sol Roth, played by Edward G. Robinson investigate the death of the Soylent Executive, you learn that he was a freeze-drying expert before beginning work at Soylent. According to Wikipedia, you see that the Soylent Corporation

The Soylent Corporation produces the communal food supply of half of the world, and distributes the homonymous brand of wafers, including "Soylent Red" and "Soylent Yellow"

"If I had the money, I would smoke two, three of these every day..."

As we continue the investigation, we get to see more of the futuristic apartment buildings the rich get to live in, in this scene, you get to see Detective Thorn learning about the Governor and his involvement in what is going on while crashing a party and getting to experience "ice" and even bourbon, before having sex with the female lead...

Party Time... Gratuitous sex scene...

Sorry...

I will spare you running commentary on how hot water is great and Detective Thorn is tempted by the female lead to stay and experience air-conditioning, like winter used to be cold, and all of the amenities that we take for granted on a daily basis, but only if he can get one hundred and fifty dollars a jar strawberries. Over and over you are bombarded with overpopulation, death, and scarcity in scene after scene, interspersed with typical Charlton Heston type acting. Here you see, as he is entering some kind of community kitchen, as he picks up a child tied to her dead sister, unties her, and carries her callously into the place...

Corruption!

As Thorn tries to investigate, his Captian takes heat from the governor to close the case. I hope you read that in a cheesy seventies style of voice, but really, this is a fun movie to watch. You get to see "Tree Sanctuaries" and all the neat things the year 2022 was expected to bring. There is also an overarching religious theme, as confession plays into the storyline as Thorn finds out the executive has confessed to the community kitchen priest...

Meanwhile...

We see lines form for the weekly distribution of "Soylent Green." As one woman complains, a riot starts and the "Scoops" come in because the football helmet cops couldn't just take anymore. Here let the screenshots guide you...

Mad Soylent Green Lady... Football Helmet Cops... Literally Bulldozers...

All Caught Up?

Ok so, Thorn goes back to the future apartment to see his new girlfriend, after fighting off some guy that he accuses of working for Soylent. There is a super cheesy fight scene, and he tells them he will kill them if he is followed again. When he gets to his girl's space fort, she is conveniently getting out of the shower and runs to the door naked. Thorn apparently is getting hip to the fact that Soylent is bad, and is somehow connecting the dots without really telling you why. He tells his girl she is a "Hell of a piece of furniture," and she tells him, "Don't talk to me like that, please." To which he says "Ok" and walks out, and yes, that really happens in the movie...

Sol Roth...

Really, Thorn sucks at being a Detective, and his friend, Sol Roth is the one that figures everything out. He takes the books that Thorn got from the murder scene to his friends, that are somehow in connection with the "Global Council" or some such nonsense, and after giving them the books proving the oceans are dying and that soylent green must be being made some other way, Sol Roth decides to commit assisted suicide, while of course, Thorn makes it in time to give a heartfelt "I Love You" to classical music-themed death. After the intercom gives out, and we have to switch to a headphone mic in the death chamber, Sol gives up his last, finally, and Thorn leaves the room.

But wait!

On his way out, he creeps around the building and finds bodies being loaded into literal garbage trucks! He climbs onto the top of one and rides it to its destination...

The Plant...

When Detective Thorn gets to the end of the line, he discovers how Soylent Green is made. At the factory, he kills several guards, pretty needlessly, as he makes his way through the factory, before leaving to call into his precinct, on a phone conveniently placed on the wall. When he cannot get ahold of his Lieutenant, he calls his girlfriend, because, well, he loves her...

Swimming! Crackers!

Cheesy Fights and Shootouts...

One thing in abundance in this movie is cheesy fight scenes, and unnecessary shootings. Seriously, Charlton Heston just shoots people and even gets shot at the end. While laying dying at the end, Heston tells the priest who took the confession from the executive that Soylent Green is people! Heston makes sure to get the message across that "We have to stop them, Somehow, we have to stop them!" in the very final scene...

So You Tell Me...

Do you hear any Agenda 21 messaging in this movie that was made over forty-seven years ago? I do. You tell me, have they been telling us what was coming from the beginning?

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