Fletcher Conner Set in an overpopulated future (2022, but it may as well be 2075), where the environment has been damaged to the point that farming cannot produce enough food. The Soylent corporation produces most of the foodstuffs in the form of colored biscuit-like squares made from soybeans and plankton. Detective Robert Thorn (Charlton Heston) is a NYC cop who investigates the death of a rich executive of the Soylent corporation. He determines that the murder was part of a cover up and begins to uncover the dark secrets behind their society.Heston gives a performance in line with the rest of career and Edward G. Robinson shines in his final appearance as he died shortly after filming wrapped. There are plenty of interesting social commentaries about the massive divide between the rich and poor. There is a reintroduction of indentured servitude in this society as prostitutes come with apartments and are considered a part of the "furniture" for the wealthy. When pushed against obstacles like overpopulation and food shortages, society backslides and a few use force to dominate the masses.The ending felt rushed, unnecessarily so, given the film's relatively short 96 minute runtime. The first hour was engaging and interesting, but the last 20 minutes was a rush to get to the revelation. Thorn also goes searching for evidence of the wrongdoing, but doesn't actually bring back any besides seeing it for himself. At that point it is just his word against their's and they have shown no hesitation to kill to protect their power.

Prismark10 Director Richard Fleischer could me some odd looking campy films and I am afraid the costumes in this Dystopian futuristic film makes you wonder why the male characters are dressed in such a foppish way.Set in 2022, the planet is suffering from the greenhouse effect and global warming. There is overpopulation, homelessness and an increased divide between the rich and the underclass.Pollution has meant food is in short supply and Soylent Industries makes from plankton called Soylent Green. Real food whether it is meat or vegetable is a rare luxury.When an executive of Soylent Industries is brutally killed Detective Thorn (Charlton Heston) investigates. Thorn lives with an elderly scholar Sol Roth (Edward G Robinson) who tells Thorn about the old days and helps with his investigation. Thorn enters a world of the rich with their fancy apartments, treacherous bodyguards and accompanying furniture who are young beautiful women who come with apartment.Thorn soon finds out that the rich and powerful are trying to disrupt his investigation by applying pressure to his bosses. The murdered executive felt guilty about something and confessed to a preacher who himself has been executed. There is a secret about the food chain which Thorn is determined to find out.Charlton Heston despite his increasing right wing views as he got older did make several films about an environmentally degraded world. The film has a famous reveal about what exactly is Soylent Green but it really does looked aged in parts, slow going and not very convincing despite its interesting premise of an environment destroyed by humans. The treatment of women as just playthings is despicable.This was the last appearance of Edward G Robinson who died soon after the film was completed. The most emotional scene is regarding his euthanasia surrounded by images of fields, forests, mountains, animals, rivers, sunsets and piped classical music.

dworldeater Soylent Green is an excellent dystopian science fiction classic starring Charlton Heston. Along with Planet Of The Apes and The Omega Man, Soylent Green is in the same vein and is very entertaining, cerebral and well made all around. This very bleak, but socially relevant and thought provoking film is a cautionary tale that is grounded in scientific fact and where we could be headed if we don't make drastic changes. The year is 2022 and is set in NYC, where it is overcrowded, polluted and resources such as food and water are scarce. Charlton Heston is a police detective that is investigating a murder, which leads him to uncover some disturbing facts that are trying to be buried by The Soylent Corporation, who is a primary food source and distributor to the majority of the population worldwide. Leigh Taylor Young is "furniture", owned by the building and her job is to please her wealthy male tenants, while getting to live a life far more comfortable than most people could dream of as her reward for her services. Her husband/tenant was murdered and ends up being love interest for our leading man Heston. Heston, was a lucky man and Leigh Taylor Young was gorgeous. This was the final film for screen legend Edward G Robinson and had a great rapport and chemistry with Heston. The film is gritty and grimy and paints a nightmare picture of the future. Richard Fleisher did his best work with this film and is a great sci fi thriller with lots of social commentary and suspense. Soylent Green is an absolute classic and is every bit as good and as important as the original Planet Of The Apes.

lomereiter Although there are a few nicely shot scenes such as 'crowd collection' or fancy assisted suicide procedure, the core premise just doesn't hold water. First of all, there's nothing wrong with cannibalism per se, as long as it doesn't involve purposeful killing of humans and only relies on those who deceased naturally or according to their own will. One of the final lines mentioned 'breeding people like cattle' to make food, which is now horrible indeed, except how are you going to feed the cattle? See a catch 22 here? It would be quite an interesting movie if it considered more seriously what would happen in the case of plankton' disappearance, but as it is I'm struggling to give it even 4/10.