“Game? This wasn’t meant to be a game. Never!”James Caan stars as Jonathan E., a legendary athlete in the brutal sport of Rollerball in Norman Jewison’s 1975 dystopian sci-fi thriller. With a screenplay by William Harrison based on his short story, Jewison intended the film as a critique of exploitative sports and their dehumanizing effects. However, audiences were enthralled by the violent future sport depicted. Rollerball entered a crowded field of 1970s dystopian sci-fi, alongside classics like A Clockwork Orange. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we continue the 1976 Hugo Awards Best Dramatic Presentation Nominees series with a conversation about Rollerball.Here's a hint at what we talk about:We discuss Rollerball as an early example of dystopian sports cinema, designed to make a point about authoritative control. Though we find flaws, like some pacing issues, we agree that Rollerball was prescient in its corporate allegory. We also touch on the fascinating real-world attempts to turn the fictional sport of Rollerball into a reality.Here are a few other points in our discussion:
