by Robbie Jones
One of the great things about films is how it can take certain things and open them up to other audiences. Not every film fan is a big sports fan (In fact, stereotypes would have you believe that most film fans don’t know what sport is), but that doesn’t matter; you don’t need to enjoy sports to enjoy films about sports. You can love Moneyball having never seen a baseball game in your life, or enjoy the Rocky franchise having never thrown a punch. Films about sports appeal to everyone, not just the fans, and that’s great, but isn’t it just more fun when films make up sports?
It’s always nice to see imagination in cinema, and wacky, ridiculous sports tournaments are a part of that. From Quidditch to Pod Racing, The Hunger Games to BASEketball (Come on, you wish that was real and don’t you dare deny it), these sports often become the subject of interesting films. 1975’s Rollerball, which sees its first Blu-Ray release from Arrow Video, one of the most renowned Blu-Ray producers in the country, is an interesting film. But is it a good one?
One of the great things about films is how it can take certain things and open them up to other audiences. Not every film fan is a big sports fan (In fact, stereotypes would have you believe that most film fans don’t know what sport is), but that doesn’t matter; you don’t need to enjoy sports to enjoy films about sports. You can love Moneyball having never seen a baseball game in your life, or enjoy the Rocky franchise having never thrown a punch. Films about sports appeal to everyone, not just the fans, and that’s great, but isn’t it just more fun when films make up sports?
It’s always nice to see imagination in cinema, and wacky, ridiculous sports tournaments are a part of that. From Quidditch to Pod Racing, The Hunger Games to BASEketball (Come on, you wish that was real and don’t you dare deny it), these sports often become the subject of interesting films. 1975’s Rollerball, which sees its first Blu-Ray release from Arrow Video, one of the most renowned Blu-Ray producers in the country, is an interesting film. But is it a good one?
In a futuristic society where countries are replaced by corporations, the violent game of Rollerball, which sees players getting injured constantly and sometimes even killed, is used to control the populous by demonstrating the futility of individuality. However, Jonathan E (James Caan), the greatest player the game has ever seen, rises to the top when executives want him out of the game. He fights for his personal freedom, and threatens corporate control.
First of all, the Blu-Ray quality is fantastic. The picture quality isn’t quite free of grain. It certainly looks a lot clearer than that of a DVD, which makes the film a lot easier to watch, and the sound quality is great too. It’s a knock out product, but unfortunately, the film itself is a bit shaky.
It has its merits; for one, it’s incredibly well shot. The actual Rollerball sequences are fast paced and exciting, which made for an excellent opening scene, on that grips the audience from the get go and immediately sparks intrigue. It’s very reminiscent of Roman Coliseum fights, which tend to be some of the most exciting film scenes of all time, and that translates well here. The music in the film is great, spiking fear when it needs to, but warning: It will likely get stuck in your head so pray that you like it. The film certainly doesn’t hold back on its brutality, which adds to the emotional impact, and finally the film is an excellent social commentary, and definitely encourages individualism and standing up for your rights.
First of all, the Blu-Ray quality is fantastic. The picture quality isn’t quite free of grain. It certainly looks a lot clearer than that of a DVD, which makes the film a lot easier to watch, and the sound quality is great too. It’s a knock out product, but unfortunately, the film itself is a bit shaky.
It has its merits; for one, it’s incredibly well shot. The actual Rollerball sequences are fast paced and exciting, which made for an excellent opening scene, on that grips the audience from the get go and immediately sparks intrigue. It’s very reminiscent of Roman Coliseum fights, which tend to be some of the most exciting film scenes of all time, and that translates well here. The music in the film is great, spiking fear when it needs to, but warning: It will likely get stuck in your head so pray that you like it. The film certainly doesn’t hold back on its brutality, which adds to the emotional impact, and finally the film is an excellent social commentary, and definitely encourages individualism and standing up for your rights.
Unfortunately, if those messages aren’t obvious to you, then Rollerball is a very dull experience. Between the actual game scenes, the film slows down to a very boring pace. Sure, thinking about the film’s messages post-watching certainly improves it and makes it easier to appreciate, but watching the film can be a bit of a task, with the game scenes being the only thing keeping you around. On top of that, the performances aren’t fantastic, but James Caan does a fairly good job of playing the main character, bringing a stern, rebellious nature that is absolutely essential, and makes the character the inspirational figure that he is.
During the course of the film, I thought to myself “I wonder what a modern adaptation of this would be like” then I saw the trailer for the 2002 remake, starring Chris Klein and Jean Reno, and all of those interests went completely out the window. Stick to the original, even if it may have its flaws.
Rollerball is definitely worth watching and has some fine elements to it, even if they’re not always obvious,
During the course of the film, I thought to myself “I wonder what a modern adaptation of this would be like” then I saw the trailer for the 2002 remake, starring Chris Klein and Jean Reno, and all of those interests went completely out the window. Stick to the original, even if it may have its flaws.
Rollerball is definitely worth watching and has some fine elements to it, even if they’re not always obvious,
What Do You Think?
Is Rollerball a Hit Play?
Or do you say Hit Stop?
Let us know in the comments below!
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