A police officer in an overcrowded, climate change-ravaged New York investigates a rich man’s death that might connect to the new foodstuff SOYLENT GREEN. The dystopian sci-fi police procedural hits 4k UHD& Blu-ray from Arrow this month.
Despite its pop culture status, mainly for its quite famous final line, I’ve not seen Soylent Green and knew little about it coming in. I’m very glad with Arrow’s new edition to finally catch the 1973 police procedural with a dystopian overall flick from Richard Fleischer, recently covered by Arrow for Red Sonja, but also has given us 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Fantastic Voyage (semi-remade as Innerspace, also recently put out by Arrow), and the wonderfully craptacular Amityville 3-D. Because it’s pretty darned good, compelling mystery (even if we’re saying “uh.. Still why?” at the end) all the way up to Charlton Heston screaming the iconic line, one that I won’t repeat because spoilers are spoilers even for a fifty-year-old film in review. I make no assumptions about what anyone has seen or heard. It’s honestly not a great film, a bit of a nothing mystery, and wanders around its plot. Still, it has a certain something in production design and world-building that holds on, making it worthy of a watch, thus coming out to pretty darned good (and a TV-repeat nostalgia hit for many).
Anyway, Soylent Green, written by Stanley R. Greenberg from the book “Make Room! Make Room!” by Harry Harrison (I’ve read his Stainless Steel Rat series but not this… added to virtual to read shelf now!), is the story of a police man played by Charlton Heston trying to solve the murder of a rich man played by Citizen Kane’s Joseph Cotton. The whys and hows bring him across his climate-change-ravaged 2022 New York, always in a heatwave, with nary enough food and space for everyone, now ballooned to 40 million people. He moves through the haves, with their fancy apartment building where women come with the rooms as “furniture” to the have-nots in overcrowded churches and slums, chasing whatever little bits he can. It doesn’t help his department, run by Brock Peters from To Kill a Mockingbird and Star Trek VI, is compromised as part of the cover-up, which seems to include details about a set of foodstuffs delivered to the poor called Soylent (and its new Green flavor), and a murderous Chuck Conners (Tourist Trap!! Man, I love that movie) is on this tale.
Ultimately, the “mystery” is a little undefined, the particulars of why are light, making a little bit of a drag on the plot following department. But that doesn’t stop the film from engaging across the board with spectacular world-building. There’s a lot to explore in this fascinating, broken world. The apartments and their “furniture” sell a world unkind to women, cutting down to mere objects, showing a world of luxury for the rich and stocked fridges while the poor fight over scraps (nothing has changed, huh). The overgrown fighting among those in need, with the bulldozers to get them out of he way. The overwhelming heat of it all, in a world of climate disaster. The production design is on a weird tack, where it is a future sci-fi but doesn’t go bigger with it, perhaps even a little cheap or half-assed. But it mostly works.
But where it does work best is with Heston’s Thom and his best friend forever, the old man Sol Roth, played by noir actor Edward G. Robinson. Robinson, in his final and 101st film role, is especially radiant. He died just after filming, and seemed to know he was on his way out, and gave it everything with a soulful performance as an old man who remembers with the world before it moved on. The sad glint in his eyes tells it all. He and a group of other older folks define themselves as keepers of the past, and a true sadness comes through in their scenes. The film absolutely shines when he’s around, bantering with Heston, reminiscing, showing his love of what is lost, and his climactic sequence. Heston himself is solid; he’s not an actor with much range, but he does what he does well, pulling our eyes and interest along with him.
Soylent Green, directed by Richard Fleischer, despite some story inconsistencies, is a solid flick, although not particularly special even when distilled down to the famous closing line. It has an interesting world build, a fantastic performance by Edward G robinson, and an undercooked mystery to move all those pieces together.
The Packaging
Arrow offers Soylent Green in 4k UHD and Blu-Ray (it’s an either/or, your choice; disc contents are the same) on a single disc, featuring a close-up of the new art by Nathanael Marsh: Heston with the book in front of a people scooper. The case also includes the booklet on the inside and a reversible sleeve with the new art on one side and original art on the reverse. The cardboard O-sleeve is the new art.
The Presentation
Arrow gives Soylent Green a new 4k restoration from the 35mm camera negative. Another in my series of sweaty, gritty movies that revel in the details of such. It’s also one where the sets become more set-like with the enhanced resolution, but that’s also part of the time and type, so take it as you will. But it does look good, especially when working around the continual pea soup smog level on outdoor scenes (on purpose, for the film). The crowded scenes keep the detail and distinction. The audio is original lossless mono. In English, with English subtitles.
The Features
Arrow’s features for Soylent Green are mostly archival. The only new extra is the 2nd commentary, technically, but they add 2 “new” archival interviews that were not on the previous Blu-rays. As Arrow specializes in interviews as new features, and most subjects of the film have passed, they step in quite well and encompass the production and careers.
Commentaries
1 – Director Richard Fleisher & star Leigh Taylor-Young (archival, seems to be early 2000s)
A very solid commentary, covering all aspects within in design and creation. Detailed and comprehensive.
2- Film historian Michael Brooke & author Johnny Mains (new)
Another good commentary, doing the wider view of the film, the world around it, and the reception. A lot of focus on the adaptation element from the Harrison novel. As often said, the two commentators work well in tandem.
A Look at the World of Soylent Green (1973/archival)
Contemporary from release, serving as a TV look at the film. This was so slow and lethargic. My literal note while watching “SLLLLLOOOOOWWW” 10m
Edward Robinson (archival/1973)
MGM’s tribute to Robinson for his 101st picture. A loving talk by Heston and others over an amazing career. (5m)
Charlton Heston (new/1985)
Presented over the film as an alternate commentary if you will. An audio interview with Heston at the BFI. Quite detailed, going through highlights of his massive career, from Ben-Hur (stories of Wyler), The Ten Commandments, and this film as a focus. He’s quite open and interesting to listen to. (71m)
Richard Fleisher (new/1985)
Like Heston, this is an audio interview at the BFI, but not as a commentary, just a still image. Fleisher works through his career (with some notes on the string of not-so-good 80s films) in a candid and fascinating discussion, with plenty of talk of Soylent Green (71m)
Image Gallery
12 Promotion images
286 in black and white, with half being a film-sponsored park cleanup
156 in color.
Final Thoughts
Soylent Green is an interesting piece of 70s sci-fi drama. It remains notable for its final line and the uneasy sense a possible future. There’s a capability present that pushes past some of the undersold story, thanks to Fleisher’s direction and Robinson’s acting. On 4k, it looks great and the features are good, with the commentaries doing the work of the film and the other interviews keeping a wider scope.