io9
Zero, the supercomputer from Rollerball, looks 10,000 times cooler than most scifi computers of the 1970s, with their giant tape spools. But it suffers from that typical 60s and 70s problem — the crazy monotone freakout — when Rollerball champion Jonathan E. wants to ask for information about the Corporate Wars. It turns out even the "waters of history" get dammed up when they try to address corporate secrets. Click through for a clip of the crazy sports stunts that are what most people remember Rollerball for.
Zero, the supercomputer from Rollerball, looks 10,000 times cooler than most scifi computers of the 1970s, with their giant tape spools. But it suffers from that typical 60s and 70s problem — the crazy monotone freakout — when Rollerball champion Jonathan E. wants to ask for information about the Corporate Wars. It turns out even the "waters of history" get dammed up when they try to address corporate secrets. Click through for a clip of the crazy sports stunts that are what most people remember Rollerball for."Game? This wasn't meant to be a game! Never!" Rollerball was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid, with its Death Race-y dystopian take on the sports movie. I didn't even bother to see the recent remake, so I have no idea if it was as awful as I'd feared. When we finally get around to doing our listing of the top 10 dystopian skate movies, Rollerball will definitely be in the top five.
"Game? This wasn't meant to be a game! Never!" Rollerball was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid, with its Death Race-y dystopian take on the sports movie. I didn't even bother to see the recent remake, so I have no idea if it was as awful as I'd feared. When we finally get around to doing our listing of the top 10 dystopian skate movies, Rollerball will definitely be in the top five.
Comments
The rollerball remake wasn't horrible but it definitely wasn't good.
JONATHAN...JONATHAN...JONATHAN...JONATHAN...
The computer reminds me of Cray supercomputers, many of which were water-cooled and had these beautiful, multicolored tubes of water running around their cores.
I know it's heavy-handed, but I freaking love this movie. The Japanese team was badass.
As kids, we tried to recreate the arena in a friends' bedroom using lots of mattresses and football equipment. The end result was not unlike the posted clip above.
I liked the way Albinoni's Adagio in G Minor was used in the original Rollerball. It was the first time I had heard that piece of music. What an interesting connection: that music and all that greed and power and violence. Like Amercia today.
the original was so excellent. the remake was so staggeringly mediocre on its own and so very pathetic in comparison with the original.
man, now i want to go see the original again.
Me too. I think I could just FF through some of it, but a lot of it was just shot really well. The scene where the party-crowd goes out and blows up a bunch of trees with a gun was such a great example of that culture. The rot of super-power is always a timely theme.
Haal wine rack. Ikea $29
Yea, I miss Moonpie and "the swoop." Time to watch again.
The remake was unwatchable for me. Complete trash. Blech.
The new Rollerball is shite. Utter shite. This movie was/is awesome. In fact, I'm going to go watch it right now. JONATHAN! JONATHAN!
I would recognize 98me anywhere.
What's all the commotion over here?
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