(Review originally written at 25 March 2009)

This is a classic movie that is made by its story. It has a great deep murder-plot, with normal characters being put in not so normal circumstances. Within its genre this is simply one fine movie, that with all of its ingredients embodies the crime/film-noir genre of the '40's.

Like all of these movies it begins all rather simple, with a good thought out murder-plot but of course soon things start to go from bad to worse. This is what I like mostly about this type of movies. Characterers change throughout the movie and the plot thickens fast. It's really a movie that gets better by the minute and besides also features plenty of nice twists and developments. A real fine constructed movie.

It's of course also being made great by it's atmosphere, that I don't consider typically film-noir like, cinematography and directing by Billy Wilder, who handled a lot of different genres successfully throughout his career, film-noir being just one of them. He also helped to write the screenplay for this movie. His directing and writing both earned him an Oscar nomination for this movie. The movie got nominated for a total of 7 Oscar's, including best picture but it won none however. Nevertheless the movie has grown out to be more of a classic than the movies that did won an Oscar over "Double Indemnity" that year.

Fred MacMurray isn't really the best known actor but he suits his role in this movie just fine. He really fits in well within the genre. I wasn't too happy about Barbara Stanwyck though, who has played far better roles throughout her career. She also looked quite ridicules with her blond wig. Ironically enough she still got nominated for an Oscar for her role in this movie. It was great to see Edward G. Robinson in this. It was the first time ever he appeared in a film-noir and prior to this he was mostly known for his tough roles in gangster-movies.

A must-see for the fans of the genre.

9/10

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(Review originally written at 21 July 2008)

"Soylent Green" is science-fiction but it's the more realistic type of science-fiction. So it's a movie set on Earth, rather than in space and it's set in the future but not a further of high tech gadgets but a future in which the whole world has basically gone to hell.


"Soylent Green" might very well feature one of the most depressing portrayals of the near future. Earth is being overpopulated and there is a serious food shortage. On top of the the greenhouse effect has kicked in and the worlds temperature has risen some degrees. Electricity and running water are rare, so in other words, there's a shortage in basically everything we are so accustomed to. Life goes on but just not as it used to.


"Soylent Green" is not just a science-fiction movie but perhaps even more a cop movie, in which New York cop Robert Thorn, played by Charlton Heston, starts to investigate a murder on an corporate official of the Soylent company, the company that provides the world with it's mysterious new green food.


As for the 'big twist' of the movie, without spoiling anything...The entire movie builds up to it and it becomes apparent from basically the first minute that this movie is going to have a twist in its story. Personally, the wasn't the powerful or shocking twist I had hoped for. Perhaps in a subconscious way it even was a bit predictable. Even though the twist is not weak and is definitely still good enough, it's just not the stuff featured in an early M. Night Shyamalan, to give an example.


This movie made me realize that Charlton Heston was actually one of the earliest kings of science-fiction. In the late '60's and '70's science-fiction really wasn't a popular much watched genre. It certainly always wasn't the most respected genre to star in as an actor. Nevertheless Charlton Heston did this, despite getting more than enough movie offers to star in different movies, in more popular and higher respected genres. I guess he must had had some love for the genre, or perhaps it was because of the success and experience of working on "Planet of the Apes". He starred in some real great and significant genre movies in the '60's and '70's, of which this movie is also really one of them.

Even though this movie is not as well known- it still can be called the "Blade Runner" of the '70's. It's clever and realistic enough and not afraid to show a depressing near future, with rotten and corrupt characters in it. I's a movie that's great in its details and little things, rather than really with its main plot-line or such.


Of course the movie is also made great by it's performances. Charlton Heston got really great cast in his role and he's obviously in his element. It was also really great to see Edward G. Robinson in this. He was one of the greatest actors of the '40's and '30's, mostly playing tough gangster roles. He had to star in lots of crap after that in order to remain active in the business but it was great that he could end his career with a movie such as this one. He died days after he finished shooting on this movie. He was already seriously ill at the time of production and it was apparent that he had not long to life. Having never received even an Academy Award or even nomination for any of his great roles, he received posthumously an honorary award for his entire career in 1973. This movie was a role worthy last role for him and the movie features some great sequences, involving his character.


Despite not being a special effects laden science-fiction movie, it's still a great looking one, with its costume design, sets and overall atmosphere. Some of the things still look futuristic, while others look as time hadn't stopped since the '70's. So it's an overall really great and original look that the movie has over it. It's a futuristic movie with an '70's atmosphere over it, what is there not to like?


Great '70's science-fiction!


8/10


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(Review originally written at 7 February 2007)

This is an incredibly simple movie with almost no-story present in it. The movie really feels like a lame excuse to show off with all of the stars that are present in the movie.

Most of the stars play themselves in this movie. Some of them are in it for about 5 seconds. It's ridicules! Yet in a way it also makes the movie irresistible to watch for the movie nut, like myself.

The movie really features some great big stars of its period but also lots of one-day-fly's. no one now would had ever heard of. Big stars in this movie are Joan Crawford, Edward G. Robinson, Laurel & Hardy, 'Our Gang', Buster Keaton, Irene Dunne, Gary Cooper, Douglas Fairbanks Jr and Fay Wray, among others. Amazing the amount of celebrities present in this movie, yet only the comical actors feel really at place in it.

The story is far from entertaining and the movie really relies on the purely the performances of the actors to make the movie work out entertaining. It has a couple of laughs and good one-liners as a result.

The movie succeeds in some parts but also fails at others. It makes the movie an unbalanced one, though it still remains a perfect treat to watch to those who are familiar with most of the celebrity names attached to this movie.

6/10

(Review originally written at 22 September 2006)

This movie is a fun and good enough little movie, that has a weak plot and some poor acting but amuses nevertheless.

This is a pretty weak little comedy that never manages to become really funny. The characters were fun in their potential but somehow it doesn't work out on screen. The movie has perhaps too many characters on which it focuses far too little. It makes the characters as well as the story feel pretty empty and distant. Still thank goodness there is Raquel Welch, who still puts some life and spirit into the movie. Even though her character really isn't that significant it still spices up things. And watching her dance in a bikini is also of course never a bad thing.

The story is too simple and predictable from start till finish, although the premise itself is certainly amusing. Having a bunch of amateur criminals planning a major heist sounds like pretty good comical material but yet the movie in the end does very little with its fine potential and premise. The movie falls flat as a fun comedy but thanks to its characters, which are obviously not to take very serious and a couple of good sequences, the movie still remains an amusing one that might not entertaining constantly but also certainly does not bore.

The acting is really below par, even though the movie has some 'big' names in it. Robert Wagner is terrible as the tough talking guy and wannabe leader of the group. The movie also feature Edward G. Robinson, who was quite a big name in the business in the '40's. He's good enough in his role but his role is too restrained and limited to make a big impression.

Sort of only worth watching when you really have nothing else to do- or watch.

6/10