Hacker Cinema
Rollerball
1975 · Film · 125 min
Directed by Norman Jewison
In a corporate-controlled future, an ultra-violent sport known as Rollerball represents the world, and one of its powerful athletes is out to defy those who want him out of the game.
3 positive1 negative1 mixed8 neutralfrom 13 commenters
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16 comments on Hacker News
Yeah, Star Wars more or less killed sci-fi as we had known it. I liked the weird Logan's Run, the depiction of class stratification in "Soylent Green", the banality of corporate control of "Rollerball".
The idea of a computer virus in the film "Westworld" was, to me at the time, something out of left field. (And speaking of Michael Crichton, "The Andromeda Strain" was "intelligent" sci-fi and we enjoyed it.)
"Mad Max", though it came after "Star Wars", drew inspiration from "A Boy and His Dog", "Deathrace 2000"…
A Golden Age for sure.
_Rollerball_ a movie from 1975 (not the 2002 remake) is an interesting take on this. A futuristic society that promotes an increasingly violent game to entertain and misdirect the masses.
24 Hour Party People
Dogtown and Z Boys (Documentary)
Godzilla
Rollerball
Monty Python and The Holy Grail
Star Wars
The Hunger
Caddy Shack
Fear of a Black Hat
Straight Out of Compton
Rollerball (at least without the Jon-a-than "american ending" of the movie) is a little like life in general: you can't win, you can't break even, you can't even quit the game.
1975 film: https://archive.org/download/rollerball-1975/Rollerball%20%281975%29.mp4
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollerball_(1975_film)
I can't wait to sing my region's corporate anthem before sporting events just like Rollerball[1] foretold.
[1] Rollerball is kind of a hidden dystopian film. More people should watch it.
Edit: Movies, unsorted, from the top of my mind:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Limits_of_Control https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Origins https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_East_(2013_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter%27s_Bone https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contagion_(2011_film) , seen before Covid, deemed to be realistic, and therefore better than stuff like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Andromeda_Strain with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warning_Sign_(film) somewhere in between. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_IV_(1974_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizards_(film) The remakes of the Planet of the Apes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/28_Days_Later , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/28_Weeks_Later a little less so, though it had some great scenes of flying into London City Airport and the modern parts around that. Bladerunner in the original versions, the remake not so much. 2001: A Space Odyssey, the intro and first parts, spaceflight to the moon and such, the rest not. Too boring. I liked the sequel 2010: Odyssey Two better, actually. Avatar. Part one only. All of this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_(franchise) with the exception of the crossover stuff. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elysium_(film) for the almost cyberpunkish fuckedupness of it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracula_Untold https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beach_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Bergeron_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiocracy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WALL-E https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Island_(2005_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/THX_1138 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan%27s_Run_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropia_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollerball_(1975_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_Dealer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southland_Tales https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Live https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcendence_(2014_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_for_Vendetta_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Puppet_Masters_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Survivalist_(2015_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernova_(2000_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_(2007_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hidden_(1987_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patient_Zero_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capricorn_One https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangar_18_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_One_(2001_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timecop Ron Silverman Badass! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_(2014_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_Blonde https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Are_the_Night_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_(1997_American_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Truman_Show https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombiana https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowing_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dead_Zone_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphere_(1998_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adjustment_Bureau https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrival_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifeforce_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fourth_Protocol_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Machine_(2013_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_(2009_film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Final_Countdown_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefox_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paycheck_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypher_(film) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigger_Point https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echelon_Conspiracy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Anderson_Tapes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Parallax_View https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Seduction
TV-Series: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivors_(1975_TV_series) and the remake linked from there. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Train_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho_(2006_TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Strain_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayward_Pines https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silo_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_All_Mankind_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_(American_TV_series) and its prequel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1883_(TV_series)
WESTWORLD!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_100_(TV_series) Praimfaya! Yeehaa! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterpart_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ark_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altered_Carbon_(TV_series) All of Black Mirror! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_Experiments_Lain https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travelers_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falling_Skies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devs_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Peripheral_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Expanse_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helix_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incorporated_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raised_by_Wolves_(American_TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/See_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_the_Loop https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutschland_83 and sequels. ÄXZÄLLÄNNT! JAWOLLJA! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humans_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Into_the_Night_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Worlds_(2019_TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_Nova_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Gods_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozark_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_in_the_High_Castle_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascension_(miniseries) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_of_Interest_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Event https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_One https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolution_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_(American_TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvation_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under_the_Dome_(TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_(2009_TV_series) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caprica
This all began about 2006 with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlestar_Galactica_(2004_TV_series) after having abstained from possessing a TV, or watching that by other means (with some exceptions for news and documentaries) since 1996, and mostly no cinema either.
That stuff rehooked me in a binge-watching session. Shit happens :-)
Do yoo vanna häff fries wiff thät?
/nerdsnipe off
Hrm. All the mentions of movies with a similar* theme before, and no mention of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphaville_(film) and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollerball_(1975_film) ?
*As in AI/some supercomp ruling everything(maybe in a hidden way)
Some great movies on this list, I own most of them on physical media. Rollerball was just released in 4k and it looks glorious. I disagree with the commentary though, I think Rollerball still stands up and is quite prophetic in some ways esp with the sports celebrity worship and the AI. Yes, by modern standards it’s fairly slow but all of these films are.
Zardoz is gloriously weird and desperately needs a 4k restoration as well.
Someone should sent Sam Altman a copy of Colossus: The Forbin Project before too long.
Maybe I’m just getting old but I find I far prefer to sit down and enjoy a well restored classic movie from decades ago than the great majority of movies made in the last twenty years.
I'm usually pretty grumpy about these lists of "underrated" movies, because they're almost always movies that any moderately well versed fan of a genre has seen.
Happily, there are actually some films on this list I haven't seen.
In particular, I recently watched Invasion of the Body Snatchers after putting it off for years. Think it was on Amazon Prime. Takes place in SF. It's really good.
The style of title is a bit schlocky compared to current tastes, but it's a thoroughly competent modern style of film.
I've seen at least half or more of the movies on that list and can recommend them. Maybe not Rollerball or the one with Woody Allen, but the others are worth a watch.
Was born in 1991 and really had to go out of my way to pirate digital versions of these when I was in college. I was trying to think about why I sought these films out. I think the answer is that they are actually science fiction, as opposed to most “sci-fi” films now that are just based in escapism rather than speculation. The thing is that it’s pretty inexplicable because I can clearly see the flaws of these movies, they look corny, a lot bad dialogue written by nerds. But I have a real emotional attachment with these movies. I cried during Soylent Green and even Rollerball. There’s something about the corniness of these movies that’s very claustrophobic and tense, they are exciting because the movies have a thesis that’s like reading a serial killer’s manifesto, dark. The casting was crazy back then to male lead actors like Charlton Heston look haggard and old, and talk a lot, they sometimes just flip out, actresses are on the other hand usually just sexy young starlets who can’t act. It’s just such a different situation then like Adam Driver, or Chris Pratt stumbling through being Mr.Likable with a female lead who’s can act but only there because it would be weird if the script didn’t have a romantic arc.
Honestly I just love all movies but I do think Star Wars ruined it. It’s a good movie, certainly it shaped my childhood, but aside from the more “meta” mythopoetic elements of deconstructing the hero’s journey, it’s pure escapism and obviously was a huge hit and set the tone for the future.
This is reminding me so much of the movie Rollerball (with James Caan). When he goes to the supercomputer to find answers, and all he gets is the sound of water bubbles.
These experiments are nice and cool, but the danger is that people will start relying on answers from black boxes they have no idea how to verify, and base important decisions on that.
There was a moment where the concept of "managerialism" was revealed to the public. It was embedded in the popular 1975 movie, Rollerball,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmTWhvWgST0&t=5m25s
While it post-dates BNW my friends and I often joked that Rollerball was the first (film) reference to MDMA. Mind you the party scene wasn't a rave but the dancing and the touch sure make a good case for ecstasy.
Sounds like the 70's film classic "Rollerball."
Speedball 2 was absolutely classic. It was clearly influenced by this great seventies movie, in case you need a shot of nostalgia: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073631/