Silent Running

Silent Running (1972) is a cult classic and with the recent return of thought provoking sci-fi films it has reached an influential status. Duncan Jones the director of Moon has referred to it as an instrumental film in the conception of his production. Silent Running’s themes of isolation, and technology versus nature are inherent to Jones’s directorial debut. Furthermore they fit in with other important seventies science fiction films, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey and Solaris. Significantly Douglas Trumbull, the film’s director, had worked on the former film as a special effects supervisor. He was obviously affected by the scope of Kubrick’s film; consequently its influence can be felt in Silent Running.

The action is set in space in the distant future. Housed in giant greenhouses aboard an American Airline’s commercial fleet are the remains of Earth’s natural environment. Freeman Lowell is the man responsible for monitoring these plantations along with his trio of colleagues. Lowell has devoted eight years of his life to the so-called conservation project. His commitment to his duty has made him an outcast from his workmates. Unlike Lowell they see no future in the programme and yearn to abandon it and return home. Their wish is granted when their supervisors instruct them to detach and destroy the greenhouses. Stunned by the news Lowell manages to save one of the domes. In the ensuing struggle he plunges himself into the darkness of space. Alone on the sole remaining ship with only the worker drones for company, Lowell faces the loneliest journey of all.

Freeman Lowell’s doomed quest provides one of the most thought provoking sci-fi narratives ever filmed. Its timeless message is still relevant today. The film speaks volumes about our environmental concerns especially when compared to a contemporary film like Avatar, which half-heartedly incorporates the theme into its plot. Unlike Avatar it is a film that subtly deals with its subject matter instead of crudely manipulating its audience.

The film’s subdued tone is most evident in the way it makes reference to the past. The unnamed tragedy that the Earth has undergone is a case in point. Throughout the film the reasons behind the conservation project remain unclear. A number of images and dialogue, however, offer some insights. Lowell’s reluctance to return home for example is met with surprise by his co-workers. They point out that unemployment and poverty has been eradicated but Lowell’s contempt is toward the synthetic nature of life that awaits him. Furthermore there are visual indications of the conditions on Earth. For instance when Lowell is confronted by a deteriorating forest an effective tracking shot follows him as he races to find a cure. This is intercut with a pov tracking shot in an earthly forest, reflecting his motivation. Another scene indistinctly refers to our planet without resorting to a flashback. In it we see Lowell reacting with terror to an image of dead trees in a book.

Although Silent Running lacks the scale and budget of other sci-fi films of its time such as 2001 and Star Wars, its special effects still look impressive. The most striking shots are of the exterior of the ships and the greenhouses they are carrying. The intricate attention to detail makes them a joy to behold. There are, however, a number of elements that have not stood the test of time and seem out of place. First and foremost is the soundtrack which contains a collection of songs by Joan Baez. Baez, a popular folk singer at the time, is heard in the poignant montages when Lowell is seen dwelling the ship’s interior in a bid to occupy his time. Her songs, however, detract from the emotional resonance of the scenes. This is exemplified by the one similar sequence in which her voice cannot be heard, instead replaced by the film’s score. The scene is aided by the haunting music and does not detract from its stark, futuristic melancholy.

Another shortcoming is the design of the ship’s drones. They look like portable air-conditioners with legs. The latter humanistic feature becomes relevant when they become Lowell’s only companions. In fact his one-way banter with the silent drones provides a welcome dose of comic relief in the hopeless scenario.

Although Silent Running has an optimistic finale it was never going to achieve commercial success. With very few characters it relies heavily on its protagonist’s ability to carry the film. Accordingly Bruce Dern is commendable as Freeman Lowell, initially creating a cold and distanced persona and gradually exposing its fragility. The unconventional narrative, however, contains no heroes, villains or romance. Instead its heightened use of imagination encourages the same amount of input on the audience’s behalf. Therefore despite its flaws Silent Running is nonetheless a rewarding experience.

Avatar

Written, produced and directed by James Cameron, Avatar has been over ten years in the making and is now the highest grossing film of all time. Cameron has proved that he is once again king of the world by beating the box office record that he set with his previous film Titanic.

Set in the future Avatar is a science-fiction action adventure which follows the arrival of disabled ex-marine, Jake Sully, on a distant moon named Pandora. A corporation is exploiting the planet with the assistance of a crew of former marines who are after its valuable resources. Jake agrees to take part in a mission to evacuate the indigenous people of Pandora, known as the Na’vi, from a targeted site. By inhabiting an avatar that has been genetically modified using the DNA of Jake’s twin brother and a Na’vi, he is ordered to monitor and influence the planet’s indigenous population. Whilst befriending the Na’vi Jake falls in love with a local tribe leader’s daughter named Neytiri. Consequently Jake is confronted by the dilemma of his allegiance in the face of impending war.

In the vein of most science-fiction tales Avatar’s narrative contains a number of thematic subtexts that mirror our own reality and history. Parallels can be made to the false pretence of the Iraq war and the neglect and terror faced by the indigenous populations of America and Australia. The film also alludes to contemporary environmental concerns such as deforestation and climate change. This particular theme is most evident in the Na’vis relationship with their natural environment with which they share an intimate bond.

For a major blockbuster this is, to a certain extent, admirable and brave storytelling. The message or moral of the film, however, remains clouded and confused throughout. The filmmaker has refused to fully realise these issues in favour of optical spectacle. Therefore the film’s subtexts take a backseat to its visuals. The ambition to achieve a revolutionary technological palette has consequently diminished numerous filmic elements. The film suffers from a lack of characterisation, a cliché-ridden narrative and subsequently retains little emotional impact. In reference to its environmental concerns, the script renders them laughable due to the ghastly dialogue. Cameron comes across as a naïve hippie yearning for a long forgotten past. The film’s unoriginal narrative has been compared to the idealistic yarn Dances with Wolves with which it contains a stark resemblance. The final act is also reminiscent of another action adventure epic, namely Braveheart.

In relation to the film’s ongoing success it seems that its flaws are being overlooked in favour of its striking imagery. Admittedly Cameron has revolutionised 3D technology by creatively utilising it to create an immersive world in Pandora. The attention to detail in relation to the planet’s landscape and wildlife is impressive. As is to be expected from the director of Aliens and True Lies, the film’s action set pieces are also thrilling. Most notable among them is when Jake learns to master the winged creatures that the Na’vi use as a mode of transport and the final battle between the humans and aliens.

As mentioned earlier characterisation is a weak point in the narrative. The women in Jake’s life, however, are the most interesting. Neytiri is more than a female love interest, in fact by the film’s conclusion she has become the most captivating character of all. She educates Jake and gradually falls in love with her pupil yet remains fiercely independent. Her choices and character growth make her more believable than any of the humans in the film. Another interesting role is that of Dr Grace Augustine, played by Sigourney Weaver. The actress has re-united with Cameron after a gap of twenty-three years; it was in 1986 that she starred in Aliens. Weaver relishes her role as an ambitious scientist who sympathises with the indigenous tribes of Pandora. Over the course of the film she also develops a maternal bond with Jake.

The commercial benefits that Cameron’s prior productions have reaped put him in an unparalleled position of power in Hollywood. This in turn allows him freedom and the ability to invest time and money in his projects. His visual ambition and commercial drive, however, outweigh his commitment to original storytelling. Furthermore his contempt towards his human actors is evident throughout the film. On the other hand his half-baked attempt at creating believable CG characters is also deplorable. Therefore Avatar would have ultimately been better as a video game or a cinematic theme park ride similar to the ones in Universal Studios and Disneyland. Its traits are similar to these other formats than the art of film.