Dartmouth Events

This landmark eco-science fiction film starring Bruce Dern offers an uncannily prescient depiction of the costs of environmental irresponsibility.

In a future Earth barren of all flora and fauna, the planet's ecosystems exist only in large pods attached to spacecraft. When word comes in that the pods are to be jettisoned into space and destroyed so that the spacecraft can be reused for commercial purposes, most of the crew of the Valley Forge rejoice at the prospect of going home. Not so for botanist Freeman Lowell (Bruce Dern), who decides to take matters into his own hands to protect what he loves.

The directorial debut of Douglas Trumbull, best known for his innovative special effects in films such as 2001:  A Space Odyssey  (1968),  Close Encounters of the Third Kind  (1977),  Blade Runner  (1982) and  i  (2011), the film is celebrated for its practical effects, a career-making performance by actor Bruce Dern and its endearing, anti-ableist portrayal of Lowell's robot companions Huey, Dewey and Louie. Featuring a haunting score by composer Peter Schickele and two original songs by American folk singer Joan Baez,  Silent Running  is an unforgettable vision of a way forward in a time of environmental calamity.

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