Soylent Green (1973)

Director:

Richard Fleischer

Writers:

Stanley R. Greenberg (screenplay)
Harry Harrison (novel)

Release Date:

9 May 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

It's the year 2022... People are still the same. They'll do anything to get what they need. And they need SOYLENT GREEN.

Plot:

In an overpopulated futuristic Earth, a New York police detective finds himself marked for murder by government agents when he gets too close to a bizarre state secret involving the origins of a revolutionary and needed new foodstuff.

Plot Keywords:

Food | New York City | Murder | Police | Police Detective

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Charlton Heston	...	Thorn
Leigh Taylor-Young	...	Shirl
Chuck Connors	...	Tab
Joseph Cotten	...	Simonson
Brock Peters	...	Hatcher
Paula Kelly	...	Martha
Edward G. Robinson	...	Sol Roth
Stephen Young	...	Gilbert
Mike Henry	...	Kulozik
Lincoln Kilpatrick	...	The Priest
Roy Jenson	...	Donovan
Leonard Stone	...	Charles
Whit Bissell	...	Santini
Celia Lovsky	...	The Exchange Leader
Dick Van Patten	...	Usher #1
Morgan Farley	...	Book #1
John Barclay	...	Book #2
Belle Mitchell	...	Book #3
Cyril Delevanti	...	Book #4
Forrest Wood	...	Attendant
Faith Quabius	...	Attendant
Jane Dulo	...	Mrs. Santini
Tim Herbert	...	Brady
John Dennis	...	Wagner
Jan Bradley	...	Bandana Woman
Carlos Romero	...	New Tenant
Pat Houtchens	...	Fat Guard
Joyce Williams	...	The Furniture Girls
Erica Hagen	...	The Furniture Girls
Beverly Gill	...	The Furniture Girls
Suesie Eejima	...	The Furniture Girls
Cheri Howell	...	The Furniture Girls
Kathy Silva	...	The Furniture Girls
Jennifer King	...	The Furniture Girls
Marion Charles	...	The Furniture Girls
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Ito	...	Shoe Seller (uncredited)
Ida Mae McKenzie	...	Woman Calling for Revolution (uncredited)
Richard Sterne	...	TV Announcer (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Fleischer

Writing credits
Stanley R. Greenberg		(screenplay)
Harry Harrison		(novel "Make Room! Make Room!")

Produced by
Walter Seltzer	....	producer
Russell Thacher	....	producer

Original Music by
Fred Myrow

Cinematography by
Richard H. Kline		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Samuel E. Beetley

Casting by
Jack Baur

Art Direction by
Edward C. Carfagno

Set Decoration by
Robert R. Benton		(as Robert Benton)

Costume Design by
Pat Barto

Makeup Department
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist
Sherry Wilson	....	hair styles

Production Management
Lloyd Anderson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gene Marum	....	second assistant director
Daniel McCauley	....	assistant director (as Daniel S. McCauley)

Art Department
Terry Ballard	....	property master

Sound Department
Harry W. Tetrick	....	sound
Charles M. Wilborn	....	sound
Van Allen James	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Robert R. Hoag	....	special photographic effects
Augie Lohman	....	special visual effects (as A. J. Lohman)
Matthew Yuricich	....	special photographic effects

Stunts
Denny Arnold	....	stunts (uncredited)
May Boss	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Canutt	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Joe Canutt	....	stunt double: Charlton Heston (uncredited)
Larry Duran	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gary Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Stephanie Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fritz Ford	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ralph Garrett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kim Kahana	....	stunts (uncredited)
Frank Orsatti	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Paul	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Warlock	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ted White	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Williams	....	stunts (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Norman A. Burza	....	costumer (as Norman Burza)
Betsy Cox	....	costumer

Music Department
Gerald Fried	....	symphony music conductor

Other crew
Frank R. Bowerman	....	technical consultant: Director of Environmental Engineering Programs, University of Southern California & President, American Academy of Environmental Engineers (as Professor Frank R. Bowerman)
Joe Canutt	....	action sequence coordinator

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presented by) (as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM-EMI (1973) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1974) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1975) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (????) (West Germany) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• MGM/CBS Home Video (1981) (USA) (video)
• Turner Classic Movies (TCM) (2008) (USA) (TV)
• Vídeo Arte (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Braverman Productions  special photographic sequences
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.)
• Magnum  prologue photos

Also Known As:

À Beira do Fim (Portugal) [pt]
...Jahr 2022... die überleben wollen... (Austria) [de]
2022: i sopravvissuti (Italy) [it]
Fremtidens rædsel (Denmark) [da]
Jahr 2022... die überleben wollen (West Germany) [de]
Maailma vuonna 2022 (Finland) [fi]
No Mundo de 2020 (Brazil) [pt]
Soirento geriin (Japan) [ja]
Soleil vert (France) [fr]
Soylent Green: Cuando el destino nos alcance (Spain) [es]
Soylent green - Amerika år 2022 (Sweden) [sv]
Zöld szója (Hungary) [hu]
Zelena soja (Serbia) [sr]

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M (original rating) | Australia:PG (TV rating) | France:U | UK:15 (DVD rating) | UK:AA (original rating) | Iceland:16 | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Canada:PG | Finland:K-18 | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles Sports Arena - 3939 S. Figueroa Street, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The original title of Harry Harrison's book, "Make Room! Make Room!" was changed by the producers, who feared that audiences would confuse it with the 'Danny Thomas' TV series "Make Room for Daddy" (1953).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Thorne is speaking to Sol in the suicide room, as the "Speaking Permitted" light blinks on and off, the audio cord on the panel changes position.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Voice over PA: First stage removal. First stage removal. Streets prohibited to non-permits in one hour. Streets prohibited to non-permits in one hour.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Welcome to Eltingville (2002) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Peer Gynt Suite No.1, Op.46: II. 'Aase Death'

Very believable.

This movie paints a very bleak future for planet Earth. What makes this movie so good is that the future seen may very well be a reality someday. A poisoned environment, an overpopulated planet and total disregard for human life all seem to be in there early stages today. Soylent Green is a very good and very believable film.