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Newly remastered in 4K! Bruce Dern’s (literally) tree-hugging forest ranger Freeman Lowell commits space piracy to save the trees, dude, and becomes lost in space with only Huey, Dewey and Louie for companionship. The only soul back on Earth who seems to care is Joan Baez. Douglas Trumbull’s technically-accomplished first feature film does 2001 on a tiny budget, and creates something original, if a bit mushy — the bittersweet ending depresses more than it uplifts.

Silent Running

4K Ultra HD

Arrow Video

1972 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 90 min. / Street Date December 13, 2022 / Available from / 49.95

Starring: Bruce Dern, Cliff Potts, Ron Rifkin, Jesse Vint, Mark Persons, Steven Brown, Cheryl Sparks, Larry Whisenhunt.

Cinematography: Charles F. Wheeler

Film Editor: Aaron Stell

Original Music: Peter Schickiele

Special Photographic Effects: John Dykstra, Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich

Written by Deric Washburn, Michael Cimino, Steven Bochco

Produced by Michael Gruskoff, Marty Hornstein

Directed by Douglas Trumbull

Arrow has been on a two-year roll,...

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“Conservation In Space”

By Raymond Benson

When Silent Running was released in 1972 as a somewhat “experimental” venture from Universal Pictures, a studio that had decided to give a handful of new filmmakers a million dollars each to make whatever they wanted, it flew under the radar of most folks who weren’t into science fiction. After all, it was a tough challenge to come up with anything to compete with 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), which was still playing on second and third runs around the world. Silent Running did okay at the box office, but it wasn’t a runaway hit.

Nevertheless, Running, which was directed by one of 2001’s visual effects supervisors, Douglas Trumbull (it was his debut as a director), became a cult movie that has played revival houses and did good business on home video years later in multiple formats.

Bruce Dern is on a life-saving mission! After killing John Wayne in The Cowboys but before trying to massacre the Super Bowl in Black Sunday, his forest ranger Freeman Lowell committed space piracy to save the trees, man! The only one back on Earth who seems to care is Joan Baez. Douglas Trumbull’s technically-accomplished first feature film does 2001 on a tiny budget, and creates something original, if a bit mushy. The screenplay by Derek Washburn, Michael Cimino and Steven Bochco reaches a wistful ending — but is it uplifting or depressing?

Silent Running

Blu-ray

Arrow Video

1972 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 89 min. / Street Date November 17, 2020 / 39.99

Starring: Bruce Dern, Cliff Potts, Ron Rifkin, Jesse Vint, Mark Persons, Steven Brown, Cheryl Sparks, Larry Whisenhunt.

Cinematography: Charles F. Wheeler

Film Editor: Aaron Stell

Original Music: Peter Schickiele

Special Photographic Effects: John Dykstra, Douglas Trumbull, Richard Yuricich

Written by Deric Washburn, Michael Cimino, Steven Bochco

Produced by Michael Gruskoff,...