Review of Silent Running (1972) by Mark P — 19 Jul 2009

A blast from the past. Got this from Netflix, mainly because I was incredibly fond of the film as a child, whenever I would catch it on a Late, Late Movie. I was curious as to if it would hold up.

I'm pleased to say that I think it does.

The American Airlines space-freighter Valley Forge is the home of botanist Freeman Lowell, and, with two other assigned craft, the last of Earths living ecology. Forests, jungles and deserts sustained within large geodesic domes on the craft. Lowell is presented as the last of his breed, a conservationist long past the day there was anything left to conserve. He tends to the plants and animals ion his care, eating fresh fruit and vegetables while the rest of the crew munches synthesized meals.

Lowell has been on the Valley Forge, tending the forests, for 8 years. Then word comes down...Eject and destroy the forests by nuclear blast, then return home. The three other members of Lowell's crew are overjoyed to return home. Lowell only sees the destruction of the precious last few bits of Earth, as it was, and the compultion to act...

Silent Running was an odd bird for me when I first saw it. My young mind equated anything with spaceships to Star Wars. Silent Running is NOT Star Wars, it owes more to 2001, I think. (Which director Douglas Trumbull was the special effects coordinator for).

Nothing much "happens" in Silent Running, yet, even at 6 or 7, I was drawn it. Bruce Dern's performance as Lowell is quite interesting, as he is asked to carry the film, essentially alone for most of the running time. (Years before Tom Hank's similar feat in Castaway) Also the team of bi-lateral amputees who do tremendous work as the ships 3 work drones, named Huey, Dewey and Louie by Lowell.

What is interesting, and remains so almost 40 years after it's initial release, despite the hairstyles and now-dodgy special effects, is the questions the film asks, from ecology to conservation, from isolation to responsibility to others. The film doesn't even feel the need to answer many of these questions, and feels far richer for it.

To be sure, there are dated elements. The songs, sung by Joan Baez, particularly mark the film as a product of the late 60's-early 70's. Push past that, and you're find a nice little sci-fi fable with a solid central performance and lots of things you will think about after.