Casey Chong takes a trip back to the 1970s for a selection of great dystopian thriller movies…
The 1970s were a decade of auteur-driven cinema that prioritized artistic freedom and, of course, the rise of the modern blockbusters populated by Jaws and Star Wars. The same decade also saw the emergence of movies that focused on dystopian subject matters, often stemming from Cold War anxiety, to the pervasive paranoia and economic crisis. Here are the seven best dystopian thrillers of the 1970s.
THX 1138 (1971)
George Lucas’s feature-length directorial debut is an anomaly, especially when compared to his later blockbuster filmmaking seen in a certain movie called Star Wars. Expanded from his USC’s 1967 short film, THX 1138 refers to Robert Duvall’s character, one of the citizens living in the vast underground world under the regime of a totalitarian government. Here, Lucas imagines a dystopian future where people are prohibited from having emotions and engaging in sexual activities. A mandatory rule is required for them to take suppressant drugs to ensure they always remain docile.
THX 1138 is stripped down to its bare essentials with none of the elaborate special effects showcase that would define Lucas’s future endeavors. Instead, it’s the work of a minimalistic sci-fi with predominantly pristine white aesthetics, a sterile environment and understated performances. The latter is especially true with Duvall’s titular role, whose gradual reawakening of feeling what it’s like to be human again, leading to a rebellious thought of escaping from the harsh reality. The movie is also a triumph in its sound design, capturing the atmospheric soundscape of a cold and dehumanized, futuristic setting filled with mechanical hums and background robotic chatters.
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Writer-director Stanley Kubrick’s big-screen adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ 1962 novel of the same name remains one of the most controversial movies ever made, even decades after its initial release back in 1971. Kubrick’s uncompromising vision of dystopian Britain – individuality vs. conformity, defiant youth culture, social and political unrest — is a textbook example of a thought-provoking cinema. The kind that doesn’t shy away from its thematic relevance, while Kubrick’s layered direction diversifies his dystopian sci-fi genre with elements of pitch-black comedy, social satire and disturbing crime thriller.
He also mirrors the movie’s underlying rebellious spirit with stylized visuals, utilizing various cinematic techniques from slow-motion to sped-up camerawork and eclectic use of classical music to thoroughly engrossing effects. At the heart of A Clockwork Orange is Malcolm McDowell’s career-defining performance as Alex, who leads his youthful gang of the radical “droogs” — all dressed in matching white shirts and trousers and black bowler hats – to commit a series of senseless acts of violence and other forms of depravity.
Soylent Green (1973)
The truth can be ugly and even horrifying once the lies are exposed. Such is the case in Richard Fleischer’s Soylent Green, one of the key dystopian thrillers that defines the disillusioned 1970s era. The movie is notable for one of Charlton Heston’s best performances as Robert Thorn, a New York police detective assigned to investigate the murder of a wealthy executive from the Soylent Corporation. His subtly restrained performance as he slowly uncovers the hidden conspiracy adds a sense of intrigue to the movie.
More than just a murder mystery, Fleischer also incorporates ecological themes of pollution and overpopulation that still resonate even today, while injecting resonant social critiques related to corruption and corporate greed. Not to forget, the movie’s famous twist ending – a shocking reveal of how a food processing giant of Soylent Corporation is willing to go to radically extreme lengths for the sake of profit, power and survival. It’s a gut-punch ending, coupled with Heston’s iconic “Soylent Green is people!” line, which seals the deal in the pop-culture reference.
Sleeping Dogs (1977)
Roger Donaldson’s journeyman career as a director covers everything from historical epic (The Bounty) to neo-noir (No Way Out), sci-fi (Species) and disaster (Dante’s Peak). He got his start making a political thriller, Sleeping Dogs, blending the aforementioned genre with action-movie tropes and dystopian elements. The latter is particularly evident with its near-future New Zealand setting, fueled by fascism and martial law.
The movie also reflects the 1970s real-life crises from the Cold War paranoia to the oil scare and social upheaval, maintaining the gritty realism that makes it an engrossing experience. Donaldson may have been granted limited funds, but he manages to use them to his advantage to turn Sleeping Dogs into a tense, guerrilla-style thriller. The movie famously launched the career of then-young Sam Neill in his first major role, playing an everyman who finds himself caught in the middle of the chaos. Sleeping Dogs marked a cinematic milestone for New Zealand cinema at the time of its release, which did well both critically and financially.
Silent Running (1971)
Douglas Trumbull, who pioneered the special effects wonder seen in the groundbreaking 2001: A Space Odyssey, made his directorial debut in Silent Running, an allegorical sci-fi film that explores the ecological-themed dystopia and how a man’s lone struggle to safeguard the last remnants of Earth’s plant specimens. The man in question is Freeman Lowell, played by Bruce Dern in one of the most unforgettable performances in his illustrious acting career. His lead performance as a botanist who is willing to resort to extreme measures for the sake of preserving the precious remains anchors the movie.
Silent Running also resonates with its ever-relevant themes of environmental message and the human connection with nature. And the fact that Trumbull is calling the shots, the viewers can expect impressive visuals with a blend of practical special effects and miniatures, notably the detailed construction of the 25-foot-long Valley Forge spaceship.
Rollerball (1975)
Forget about John McTiernan’s ill-fated 2002 remake of Rollerball. The real deal still prevails on Norman Jewison’s bleak vision of a dystopia ruled by the megacorporation. This powerful empire’s authoritarian rule encompasses everything, including monopolizing the economy and controlling the entertainment source. The latter is where the movie zeroes in on the titular Rollerball sport – a hybrid of roller derby, football, hockey and gladiatorial battle that takes place in an arena. The sport mentioned above is a violent game shot in a visceral manner, emphasizing the sheer adrenaline rush and the thrills of the pursuit.
Jewison’s matter-of-fact direction doesn’t shy away from its provocative subject matter, exploring how corporate dominance and controlled entertainment reign supreme over society in the future. The movie is equally memorable for James Caan’s perfectly stoic performance as the world-weary team captain, Jonathan E.
Westworld (1973)
Long before HBO delivered one of the network’s best television series, writer-director Michael Crichton preceded Westworld, which combines sci-fi and western genres. The setting is an amusement park called Delos, which covers adult-themed worlds – Western World, Medieval World and Roman World – dominated by lifelike androids that eerily resemble humans. Things go awry when one of the main attractions, dubbed the Gunslinger, played by Yul Brynner, suffers from a malfunction, resulting in chaos that puts the visitors in harm’s way.
Westworld’s dystopian theme of a technological threat rooted in artificial intelligence is ahead of its time, which would inspire many future sci-fi movies from The Terminator to Jurassic Park and The Matrix. Brynner’s antagonist role as the android gunslinger ranks alongside The King and I and The Magnificent Seven as one of his most iconic performances ever seen. His robotic movements, along with the blank expression and stripped-down, personality-free portrayal, make his Gunslinger character all the more uncanny and frightening.
What are your favourite dystopian movies of the 1970s? Let us know on our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
Casey Chong
