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He is a 10-year veteran and his massive popularity is viewed
with growing concern by the corporate administrators of the
world.
These executives are unelected and their corporations have
taken over from nations and make life-or-death decisions without
having to resort to the polls. Still, the payoff for losing
your political freedom is that there is no hunger or sickness
to suffer. Mind you, most people seem to drift about the place
popping pills to stay calm.
A little bit about Rollerball itself. It is played in a circular,
sloping arena and requires players to place a cannonball-sized
metal ball in a small goal. Sound easy? Well, to start with
you either have rollerskates or a motorcycle to zoom around
on and there is a team of opponents who are ready to do anything
to stop you scoring.
They'll trip you, hit you, kick you, stomp you, run you down
or … if they're feeling peeved, just lay you in front
of the rollerball firer that sends the ball out at a whacking
great 120 miles an hour (200 or so km/h).
And that's at the start of the movie, as Johnny E's team
- the Houston Energy - gets closer to the big grand final
the bosses change the rules, to make sure the star player
finds it difficult to survive.
The costumes and themes from Rollerball look a bit daggy
nowadays - they are 1970s at their body shirt worst - but
the action scenes are terrific.
You have to pick up the rules by osmosis, but the imagery
has you getting rather in to it pretty quickly. Watch out
for the hilarious cameo role from Sir Ralph Richardson as
the world's librarian - and a sensationally gorgeous Maud
Adams.
The transfer is pretty good, considering the age of the original,
and while the sound is not as good as it could be is still
more than acceptable.
Rollerball is a classic and interesting movie that foretold
the rise of corporations running the world. Well worth thinking
about adding to the collection.
Conclusion: Movie 80%, Extras 95%
Continued:
DVD details at a glance >
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