The connection between them is revealed in one of Zardoz's wackier scenes (and boy, is that saying something). One of the latter enters the former's world. Connery, of course, started his career as a Mr. Universe contestant so was aware of how exceptional his physique was. Before doing so, of course, I rewatched the film, and while I concur with much of what my colleague says above, my earlier hostility had definitely mellowed and I found myself rather enjoying "one of the strangest commercial films ever made." Sean Connery, Charlotte Rampling, Sara Kestelman (Actor), John Boorman (Director) Rated: R. Format: Blu-ray. The Executioners are brutal overseers who rule by the gun, and the Eternals, protected in a force field enclosed Eden of immortality. Damage is extremely limited, and depth and detail is surprisingly high. This behaviour reminded me instantly of a very curious French movie called La Belle Verte. I have no idea where Boorman got the idea for this absurd but curiously and intermittently engaging movie. The visitors are determined to show us the errors of our material and planet-raping ways. Outstanding job. Sonically there's not a great deal to choose between them; both are very clear with a rich reproduction of a strong sound mix and boast an unexpectedly beefy bass response. To be frank, Connery must have known that he was serving himself up for some ridicule (at one point he appears in a wedding dress). Underneath the surreal nature of the movie, Zardoz works on typical science fiction themes and uses them well. This small level of diffusion is present throughout and always intended, but once Zed reaches the Vortex the qualities of the transfer become more apparent, with a good level of detail, sometimes crisp contrast and colours that, while deliberately muted at times (the costumes tend to have pastel hues) really leap from the screen when required, notably in the vivid blue walls of the courtyard outside the bakery. He was also trying to force Bond into the shadows so he could fulfil his potential as a serious actor (remember his career best performance was in his previous film, the brilliant and underrated The Offence). (It was also one that was required to look big in spite of a budget of just $1 million, $200,000 of which went to Connery.) At a screening of the film on Channel Four in the UK, a commentator used the 'n' word and the idea of Connery in a nappy stuck. Arrow manages the film’s dark sequences well too, ensuring that … It was, he assures us, a tough picture to do, with different effects to do every day and little money to do them, but he continued to work with Boorman on subsequent pictures. I suspect Boorman believes his extraordinary film is a political treatise on class and power served up with a huge dollop of sexual politics to stew over. You can always thank or angrily blame me later. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. His presence in the community is akin to Australopithecus wandering into Silicon Valley. Zardoz is available on Blu-ray in the UK from September 14th, 2015. Those hungry for a pin-sharp and pristine image might initially suffer a few small pangs of disappointment at the opening scenes, but as Boorman points out on his commentary this is very much down to technique employed by Geoffrey Unsworth to shoot the film, using smoke and a light fog filter to soften the image slightly. This is especially the case with the tacked on introduction to the film, which while added to make the film more understandable, just confuses the audience even more. This preposterous and often ridiculous movie is undeniably unique and it sits in my film-soaked imagination in a room all on its own. On the face of it, ridiculous is a very inadequate word to describe Zardoz, because it's not up to the task of describing a straight reading of its narrative. I thus jumped (perhaps a little too enthusiastically) at the offer from Camus to cover the movie if I took on the extras. As a package, the Zardoz Blu-ray is good with nice packaging and does go well with a film collection. Granted, there is some serious talent behind the scenes (it's shot by Geoffrey Unsworth for a start) but the style in which it presents its ideas, its production and costume design, all make it so easy to mock and deride and I don't think Boorman had that in mind as the entry point of his film. Writer-producer-director Boorman kicks off by revealing that the oddball prologue was tacked on afterwards in an attempt to clarify a story that audiences were having trouble understanding. Written by, directed by and starring the actress Coline Serreau. This is especially the case when compared to the dull tones of the Brutal’s existence. A classic? After Vietnam spurred a number of ’60s protest songs, the ‘70s brought forward the environmentalist protest film. When a Brutal, Zed (Sean Connery) find his way into the Eternals protected little world he threatens the status quo that has ruled over them all. Connery, the anti-hero at first, undergoes a change whereby the brute becomes educated and enlightened. So far, so utterly bonkers. He shoots the only other man on the ship with him (who them manages to fall to his faux-death with a complete disregard of physics) and ends up at one of the Eternals' localities, a Vortex protected and isolated by an invisible barrier. Copyright © 2021 Pissed Off Geek. Extras. Serreau's physical manifestations of spiritual harmony and enlightenment went some way to eliciting acute embarrassment (you must know of some examples in other movies or TV shows when people are trying to evoke something ineffable and end up looking like dickheads). The 1974 science fiction classic is a tribute to hubris, tight budgets and some of the more melancholy aspects of the genre. The strength of Arrow Video as a label is the fact that it takes the cult movies and gives us a chance to see them at their best. Zardoz Blu-ray Release Date April 14, 2015 (Limited Edition to 5000 - SOLD OUT). A particularly meaty booklet that kicks off with an essay on the film by John Upton titled Future Imperfect that examines charges made on its initial release that it was misogynistic and salutes its more imaginative aspects. 28th Sep 2015; John Boorman’s 1974 post-apocalyptic science fiction cult classic comes to Blu-Ray in restored, feature packed resplendence. Alan Jones, assistant editor (7:38) I first saw Zardoz many years ago as part of a double-bill with John Carpenter's Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Zardoz has arrived on Blu-ray from Twilight Time to the absolute delight of its niche fanbase. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. Be sure to like Pissed Off Geek on Facebook and follow them on Twitter to keep up to date with all the news and reviews. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The film's camera operator, who later became a director and whose work on the Zardoz is repeatedly praised in the extras, remembers being excited by the prospect of working with John Boorman, shares some of the technical aspects of Geoffrey Unsworth's approach to cinematography, and describes production designer Anthony Pratt as a genius. , Zardoz represented a notable departure for its star, Sean Connery what all. Included is a movie since Luc Besson 's the Fifth Element I mean about 'ridiculous ' not being up the... While you navigate through the website to function properly are hurled ( vomited? honest and unbiased reviews! Hubris, tight budgets and some quality stills are also included 'ridiculous not! 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