Rollerball (1975)

Directed by

Norman Jewison

Genre

action film, science fiction film, dystopian film

Country

Australia, United Kingdom, United States

Runtime

2h 03m

Rated

R

Rating

6.3 of 10 from 620 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

In a future where corporations control society, a popular athlete plays a violent sport used to pacify the masses. His fame makes him a threat to the ruling powers who want him to retire.

bleakbrutalfuturistictensecoldslow-burnvisceralcerebralgrim

What happens

Rollerball is a 1975 American dystopian science-fiction sports film directed and produced by Norman Jewison, and starring James Caan, John Houseman, Maud Adams, John Beck, Moses Gunn and Ralph Richardson. The screenplay, written by William Harrison, adapted his own short story "Roller Ball Murder", which had first appeared in the September 1973 issue of Esquire. Set in a "not too distant" future world ruled by a corporatocracy, the film centers on the titular sport — an often-brutal spectacle used to help placate the populace. Jonathan E. (Caan), the sport's top player, finds himself at odds with the ruling powers, when his popularity threatens to hurt their grip on power. The film was released by United Artists on June 25, 1975. Rollerball was a box office success, and critical reviews were initially mixed but have warmed somewhat over time, and the film inspired a wave of similar, dystopian-themed sports films. A remake was released in 2002. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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