Rollerball (1975) original

I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did/do. The movie starts off by really showcasing the futuristic sport that it's about: Rollerball, which is like a combination of a roller derby, a chariot race and football. I'm not a sports guy, so the fact that the first 10-20 minutes of the film are nothing but coverage of the Rollerball game made me lose interest pretty quick. Don't get me wrong I enjoy the action of the game and those scenes later on in the film (they get more and more violent each time they play, and I read somewhere that this film contains some of the more violent stunts ever put to film), but those scenes are more enjoyable as we learn more about the main character (played by James Caan) and are emotionally invested in the character and what happens to him, the first scene is basically just designed to showcase what the game is and how it's played. Though the action is great and the visuals are dated something fierce, the true appeal of this film lies in the realm of the philosophical. Rollerball is set in a futuristic dystopian society where corporations rule the world and control the masses. The corporations designed the sport of rollerball to demonstrate the futility of the individual and thus keep people living, acting and thinking in herds because groups are much easier to control than individuals. So in other words one team might be better than another, but no individual  player should be idolized (example: The Broncos vs. Peyton Manning), problems occur however when one Jonathan E. of the Houston team starts setting and breaking all records in the game. The fans become

obsessed with Jonathan and the corporations consequently want him to retire, when Jonathan refuses however the corporations keep changing the rules of the game to decrease the likelihood of Jonathan's survival in the game, even if it means killing all the other players in the process as well. In a world where the super bowl is as big of an event as it is (and considering that it is also controlled by the corporations who sponsor it), it's very easy to see some of the dangers of Rollerball paralleled in real life. One thing that is also illustrated in the film is "the man" trying to keep the people "down" and under control by taking away their education and ability to learn (all books have been processed into computers and nobody has access to them, or cares about them anymore) because sport is valued above knowledge. Some of the issues hit very close to home with current problems in society. Rollerball can also be taken deeper too in the sense that Jonathan goes on a sort of moral/spiritual/personal quest to find meaning in his life and "what's it all about?" by asking one of the future's super computers (think Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy). Another interesting way to look at Rollerball is that it is a futuristic commentary on communism/socialism. Ultimately though Rollerball is about the triumph of the human spirit/will in adverse circumstances. A surprisingly intellectual film under the guise of an action movie, and enjoyable as both, it is interesting that Rollerball has become the cult classic that it is. The acting is top notch from supporting actors John Houseman (in one of his best known roles) and knighted English actor Sir Ralph Richardson, not to mention James Caan giving one of the best performances of his career. As I mentioned before though, the visuals have dated, and the film does drag a little at times, but it is relatively easy to follow, and though it is deep it is not verbose. It is also worth mentioning this is one of the many sci-fi stories that influenced the ever so popular Hunger Games series, and that the film was remade in 2002.  I give this one a 4.5/5, you can view the trailer below: