Zardoz (1974)

Must See Movie...

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

It's Sean Connery like you've never seen him before! It's cheesey, but in a fun way. It never fails to entertain. I read somewhere that many have called it one of the best sci-fi flicks! Naw, that ain't true -- it's one of the best flicks ever. Period. It's non-stop fun!

The early 1970s was a difficult time for Sean Connery. He had trouble in escaping being typecast as James Bond and chose some films he should have avoided. "Zardoz" is one of them. It isn't as if this film displayed any potential in the first place. The plot and script hardly make any bloody sense! There is no sense of narrative and almost nothing of interest occurs throughout. Sean Connery was probably too busy thinking about his generous paycheck to be too bothered about trying to make sense of this whole farce. He doesn't make much effort but merely goes through the motions. What the hell John Boorman was thinking when he agreed to direct "Zardoz," I shall never know! He has made some masterpieces of cinema but the above movie isn't one of them, sadly. About the only bit I found remotely interesting was when that gigantic head carved in stone is floating in the sky. That alone was fairly imaginative if rather daft. There is no incident to speak of and hardly any action. Why film buffs praise this rubbish is beyond me. One to forget.

Ah, you've got to love the 70's. Only in that decade could a film so wilfully weird as Zardoz be released by one of the major studios. This was the decade where Hollywood went left-field and consequently released a large number of brilliantly odd movies. It would probably be fair to say that Zardoz is among the most bizarre. In those halcyon days between the release of the highly popular but highly strange 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and the decidedly more straightforward but astronomically successful Star Wars (1977), what constituted cinematic science fiction was often more conceptual than action-oriented. Zardoz is a pretty good example of this. Its writer and director was John Boorman who had just come off the back of the highly successful, yet decidedly disturbing, Deliverance (1972). The success of that film gave him enough leverage with Twentieth Century Fox that they gave him full control on his next feature, which was of course Zardoz. The result was a highly unusual and distinctive science fiction oddity. On release it seems to have quickly attained something of an infamous reputation. It was considered by the critics as an incoherent and self-indulgent mess. In fairness, it's not really surprising that it attracted such hostility, as while it is a film with lots of ideas, they are presented in a confused manner, with a somewhat muddled plot. However, I think from the point-of-view of today, this can surely now be mostly forgiven and we can appreciate the very fact that this was a sci-fi opus that wasn't afraid to simply let loose and go for it fully, with impressively little regard for commercial considerations.Just recounting a brief synopsis reminds me just how strange the basic story for this one actually is. In the 23rd-century, in a post-apocalyptic Earth, we have a character called Zed. He is an Exterminator, one of the professional killers who eliminate Brutals on orders from a god known as Zardoz, who in turn is a giant floating stone head who spews forth weaponry for the Exterminators to use. Severe doubts lead Zed to stow away in the head of Zardoz and from this vantage point he enters the Vortex, which is the world of the immortal Eternals, a group of fey fops who are guardians to human culture and art. The introduction of this savage mortal into their midst is the catalyst for irrevocable changes in the Vortex.See what I mean? The synopsis reads like madness. This is about as far removed from a high concept movie as you are likely to get. Its story-line is totally out there. But that is a significant part of this film's appeal, as unlike most films this one is highly unpredictable. You just can't really work out where it's going to go next and this is something of a serious plus point in its favour. It considers the ideas of utopia and immortality, and the resultant boredom associated with each. There is maybe a little too much convoluted high-minded dialogue about various matters but some of the ideas connect. It's stylised in that it is the future as seen from the 70's. Some people used the word 'dated' to describe the likes of this. I personally do not like that word and consider it meaningless, moreover I think the look of the future from the point-of-view of the 70's is actually a pretty interesting one and is another plus point for this film. Visually, this one has much going for it generally, with some psychedelic sequences and surreal moments. It's colourful, bizarre and imaginative. In films so offbeat as this acting performances often feel like something of an afterthought but special mention has to be made for Sean Connery who is in a role about as far removed from James Bond as is emotionally possible. He goes around in a deeply unflattering outfit but does so in an impressively committed way, so kudos to Connery for giving such a serious performance in a nappy. Ice queen Charlotte Rampling is also on hand, as is perfectly cast as one of the aloof Eternals; it sometimes feels like Rampling only appeared in cult movies and, well, this sure qualifies as another one. In summary, Zardoz is most certainly not for everyone but it's a movie that grows on you, there really is nothing else like it.

Zardoz (1974)Set in the year 2293 Zardoz sees society split between the hippy-like 'Eternals' and the poverty-stricken Brutals. The Eternals have established a new order, following the breakdown of civilzation, and are separated by the more undesirable elements of society, the Brutals, by a force field called The Vortex. For The Eternals there's is no illness and no death, hence their name. They are immortal - well, pretty much but this comes at a price. The Eternal males can no longer achieve erection and therefore no future offspring and frankly look too effete to be up for the challenge either way.They have established and control The Tabernacle, an artificial intelligence similar to the Internet now although without irritating pop-up advertisements and each Eternal is linked to The Tabernacle via a crystal surgically-implanted in their forehead. This enables them to tap into the vast source of information the artificial intelligence holds whenever they chose. The Eternals also wear a communication ring that permits them to issue orders and transmit holograms.There's another downside to being an Eternal. If the others consider you too independent in actions and thinking then you will be banished and your aging process speeded up. You'd end up banished to an old people's home, labelled a Renegade and become senile very very quickly.The Eternals don't have much time for those that live on the other side of the Vortex turning a blind eye to their poverty and sickness. The Brutals are kept in line by a massive floating head, a false god named Zardoz that barks out little nuggets of information such as 'the penis is evil' and 'the gun is good' thus encouraging them not to breed but to kill instead. This mantra keeps the number of Brutals down and therefore ensures that the Eternals life of luxury will never be threatened.Sean Connery stars as Zed, both a Brutal and an executioner of other Brutals. He sneaks into the floating stone head that is represents Zardoz and is taken back through the Vortex to The Eternals. He is found and captured by the Eternals who are both repelled and fascinated by him in equal measure - hardly surprising some are fascinated by him given what a hunk he is, adorned in just a red loin-cloth.Eternal May (Sara Kestelman) is keen to study Zed. She discovers that he is a genetic mutant with the scope to become even more intelligent that the Eternals are. Consuella (Charlotte Rampling) sees Zed as a threat to the Eternals' way of life shooting Zed continually filthy looks lest we, the viewer, forget how she feels about him. However a male Eternal, named 'Friend' (John Alderton), sees Zed as a servant and effectively employs him as such. As Zed begins to learn more about the Eternals, himself and The Tabernacle the scene is set for a showdown.Boorman was looking for a project following the cancellation of his intended adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Following the terrific critical and financial success that Deliverance (1972) afforded him Boorman could make pretty much anything he wanted. And he did. He wrote Zardoz. Boorman originally had his Deliverance star Burt Reynolds in mind for the lead. Reynolds was unable to commit due to illness so in stepped Sean Connery, three years after his last official outing as James Bond, marking a complete departure careerwise for the legendary Scot. This change of pace for Connery obviously appealed to him as he went on to dabble with the sci-fi and the fantastical again in the likes of Time Bandits (1981) and Outland (1981).John Boorman's Zardoz is a remarkable amalgamation of elements from A Clockwork Orange, 1984 and Planet of the Apes that, despite its influences, still plays as a unique viewing experience. Complemented by wonderful photography (from 2001: A Space Odyssey's Geoffrey Unsworth) and incredible imagery Zardoz exhibits an imagination that lacks now in mainstream sci-fi following the advent of Star Wars A New Hope. From semi-naked people draped over the imagination sets to Sean Connery in a red loin-cloth, and a rather absurd pony-tail, everything looks absurd. It shouldn't work but somehow it does.Zardoz has become a cult movie following a poor box office showing and being panned by critics upon its initial release. Brave, indulgent and full of invention Boorman's film loses its own thread towards the end drowning a little in a kind of hippie philosophy but it's still jaw- dropping stuff. There's some rather surprising moments, such as where Charlotte Rampling's character looks to turn Connery on with some saucy imagery only to find that he is more aroused by her, meaning that the film still feels fresh regardless of the dated hippy imagery. Recommended.Check out more of my reviews at www.mybloodyreviews.com