by Jon Partridge
In this day and age, people are very familiar with the idea of a future dystopic society and competitive death sports. They’re a riff off of the games of old Rome where the dissatisfied populace were distracted from the real social issues by bloodsoaked violence. Younger movie goers are familiar with the concept thanks to fare such as The Hunger Games and the Divergent series. Those of us who creak a little more when getting out of bed in the mornings will have a hallowed place in our memories for The Running Man, Battle Royale, and most pertinently, Rollerball!
Set in a far flung future (2018), Rollerball has captured the public’s imagination. The sport is designed to entertain and subdue the world’s population and replace the need for war. The game itself is the tool of the Energy Corporation, one of many entities that has come to replace elected governments. The ascent of Rollerball player Jonathan E (James Caan) to super-stardom brings with it a problem, rallying the public around an individual in a game that was designed to emphasize teamwork and acquiescence to the will of the corporations. After bribery fails, Electric CEO Bartholomew (John Houseman) begins to alter the rules of the game to remove Jonathan from it.
Corporations manipulating the public for their own interest, exerting influence over politics, is a very real thing in our day and age. Rollerball obviously takes it a step further, and by having them in control, cuts out the middlemen, aka the elected officials. The idea of corporations taking control isn’t probably too far fetched to most of us. Neither is the idea of them falling back on such tried and tested techniques to quell unrest in the population. Their ethos is wonderfully surmised by the Electric Corporation CEO Bartholomew, “The game was created to demonstrate the futility of individual effort.” Rollerball is a sport that requires teamwork and self sacrifice, an idea the corporations are very keen to push. An individual in such a society is a dangerous thing indeed. Someone to stand out, someone to rally around. The typical sneaky tactics of bribery fail, requiring more inventive and dangerous schemes to curb Jonathan E’s ever growing influence.
William Harrison wrote “Roller Ball Murder” in the ’70s, a time when violence in sports was reaching unprecedented levels. His book proved the inspiration for Norman Jewison, who wrote the screenplay and directed the film. It’s something of a timeless idea, at least until our society evolves beyond baying for blood. The result is enjoyable as a brutal piece of action cinema, but the social message permeates the film in a similar way to Robocop. The emphasis in the film is more on the entertainment than the social commentary, meaning some aspects of the world presented could have been better fleshed out. Similarly, some of the characters and acting are a little stiff. A dose of levity would have made for a more palatable film, but James Caan’s performance is one of captivating gusto, showing how one man can make a change by standing up for himself and others.
What helps the film is that Rollerball itself is an intriguing sport rather than some mild twist on something that already exists. A mashup of hockey, football, and roller derby, there’s a interesting tribal quality to it, and the depicted games are a highlight. The action sequences within the arena are pulsating, bloodsoaked scenes with intense choreography. It’s ironic that a film showing how people can be distracted by scenes of violence is at its most engrossing during these scenes.
THE PACKAGETwilight Time releases usually deliver when it comes to image quality, and Rollerball is no exception. Image quality is good, with impressive detail and textures. Color is natural and not overly adjusted, and a mild grain remains. There are a few scenes where the image quality does dip a little, probably due to the source film stock. Overall it’s a great looking release that maintains the look of the original film. This is the Encore Edition (3000 units) of Rollerball, essentially a second pressing after the initial release proved so popular. So take advantage if you’ve been seeing those on the aftermarket at crazy resale prices.
The release comes on a single disc, the inlay featuring the original poster artwork and containing the now traditional Twilight Time booklet. Penned by film historian Julie Kirgo, it touches on the film’s story, themes, inspirations, and impact. These booklets are always a nice addition. Special features include an Isolated Score Track and a revealing audio commentary with the film’s director Norman Jewison, as well as a second with author of the original novel William Harrison. While a little stilted in parts, he does convey some interesting stuff about his writing as well as some on-set information and how the message he crafted in the novel was translated into the film and misinterpreted by some. Return to the Arena: The Making of Rollerball is mostly made up of interviews and covers the general approach to the production and how the book was adapted, with a big focus on the stunt work as well as its reception after release. From Rome to Rollerball: The Full Circle is a a short (less than 10 minutes) look at other competitive sports that have inspired the game featured in the film, their place in society throughout history, and how prescient Rollerball would be. There are also several TV Spots and Original Theatrical Trailers included,
THE BOTTOM LINEWhile Rollerball is imperfect, it remains one of the key films in crafting the legacy of dystopic cinema. High energy, arena based sequences centered around Caan’s great work are the main hook. Twilight Time delivers once again with a release that not only looks great but is well stuffed with some quality extras.
*Note: there is a remake of this film. Avoid…as if your life depended on it.
Rollerball (Encore Edition) can be purchased from Twilight Time as a Limited Edition release of 3,000 units now.
