UKGFF - Silent Running - Review

As a part of the UK Green Film Festival, Silent Running was shown at the Glasgow Film Theatre, preceded by some interesting words from clever biologist man, Professor Roger Downie.

The remarkable thing about Silent Running, directed by Douglas Trumbull of 2001: A Space Odyssey special effects fame, is the personal, tranquil tone that it manages to achieve despite the significant magnitude of the themes being explored. The fate of all of the Earth's surviving plant life is at risk, yet this is not married with the high octane drama that one might expect given such high stakes. Instead it is treated in an, in my opinion, more appropriate, low-key wistful manner that underpins events with a sorrowful political stance, perhaps more potent now than it has ever been.  

The drama plays out in a dystopian future where all the Earth's remaining plant life is looked after on a spaceship by the quiet, almost messianic figure of Freeman Lowell who is played by Bruce Dern. When, his ship is commanded to destroy the last of the plant life, Lowell (with the conservationist's pledge in mind) takes extreme measures to try to save the precious botany. From this point, Lowell finds himself alone with the plants and two very sweet droids that he names Huey and Dewey where he puts in an impressively engaging performance given how little he has to play off. 

For obvious reasons, the film is often compared to Kubrick's all the more epic 2001: A Space Odyssey. The two certainly share some impressive special effects that hold up very well, but here, imposing shots of ships drifting through space are accompanied by the warblings of Joan Baez and psychedelic light sequences are grounded in a more traditional narrative. The presence of artificial intelligence in both films is also notable, however it has to be said that 2001's HAL is a little more sinister than the loyal Huey and Dewey who replace murderous treachery with loyal companionship. It's fair to say that Lowell doesn't have the same problems with the opening of pod bay doors.   

Silent Running is a likeably sentimental film, imbued with a refreshing optimism that when coupled with the dark events that pass, works powerfully as a cautionary tale. This feeling is summed up pretty well by the tragically bitter-sweet ending. I don't want to spoil too much (it has been out since 1972) so I will just say that I didn't know that there could be so much packed up in one shot of a drone with a watering can. It's a brilliant little ending, as hopeful as it is mournful.