This is an old revision of this page, as edited by DropDeadGorgias (talk | contribs) at 20:25, 30 July 2004 (→Trivia). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 20:25, 30 July 2004 by DropDeadGorgias (talk | contribs) (→Trivia)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Soylent Green is a classic 1973 science fiction movie starring Charlton Heston, Edward G. Robinson and Chuck Connors.
Movie
The movie, set in the year 2022, was based on the 1960s science fiction novella about overpopulation by Harry Harrison, Make Room! Make Room! describing a future dystopia of the Malthusian catastrophe that might be awaiting us if humanity does not pursue sustainable development. Charlton Heston plays Thorn, a New York City cop, investigating the suspicious murder of William R. Simonson (Joseph Cotten), a former member of the board of the Soylent corporation. Thorn's roommate is Sol Roth (Edward G. Robinson), who is also his police "book," a police researcher.
In the movie, real food is too expensive, and the government dispenses rations of food substances made by the Soylent corporation: Soylent Yellow, Soylent Red, and the newest product, Soylent Green.
The latter apparently includes recycled bodies of people murdered by the government for food. It also shows bodies being delivered to the Soylent Plant from an assisted suicide facility. However, this was not in the original novel: Soylent, as the name suggests was derived from Soya and Lentils. Note also that the original book was set in the year 2000, suggesting that some of the projections may have been askew somewhere.
The world of Soylent Green
The world in Soylent Green is complex and detailed. It becomes clear that the culture of Earth is significantly different from the time in which it was filmed.
Slang
- d is the common vernacular for the currency, presumably the US dollar. Several outlandish prices are given, including 150 d's for a jar of jam and 270 d's for a few vegetables, but it is ultimately unclear if these prices are the result of the extreme famine, or inflation, as no other items' values are declared.
- furniture refers to an organized system of prostitution, in which attractive women are rented out as escorts with upscale apartments.
Trivia
- This is the last movie filmed by Edward G. Robinson, who died in 1973.
- A character is briefly seen operating a Computer Space arcade game, marking the movie as one of the first to show the emerging pop cultural phenomenon of video games.
Cultural references
- Soylent Green has been mentioned on the animated TV series Futurama, along with a parody, Soylent Cola.
- Soylent Green has been mentioned in several episodes of The Simpsons, including:
- Bart to the future, in which a future Ralph chastizes Homer for eating Soylent Green
- Itchy and Scratchy: The Movie, in which Homer buys Soylent Green at a movie theater
- The Old Man and the Lisa, in which Lisa recommends Soylent Green as a form of recycling
- Treehouse of Horror V, in which Bart, Lisa and Milhouse discover that their cafeteria is killing students to make the food, as a solution to overcrowding in public schools
- Soilent Green is the name of a grindcore/progressive rock music band.