At the time of this writing the year is 2022. That is a very interesting year in film history. In 1973 an ecological dystopian thriller film Soylent Green starring Edward G. Robinson and Charlton Heston first took the air.
Soylent Green screen play as adapted from the 1966 novel "Make Room! Make Room!" written by Harry Harrison. Now what makes Soylent Green such an important Sci-fi film is that it takes place in the future on 2022.
The film takes place in an overpopulated, starving New York City. The world survives on it's daily food ration known as Soylent Green. Well when an executive at rations manufacturer Soylent Corporation is murdered, NYPD detective Robert Thorn (Charlton Heston) investigates the murder, with the help of elderly academic Solomon "Sol" Roth (Edward G. Robinson). But as Thorn begins to get closer to the truth he is pulled from the case. So he goes rogue to uncover the truth behind the murder and uncovers something about the Soylent Corporation no one would have ever dreamed.
Now what makes this film such a timely one is that in 2022 (The timeline of this film) we are seeing, pollution, global warming, prices skyrocketing, population exploding and food disappearing off the shelves. Are we close to starvation? Could this be a perfect time for a "Soylent" company to arise and debut a food source that would sustain life.
Film Spoilers Ahead!
Now as cool as it would be to see a company rise up with a cheap and effective food source that could sustain life, the problem is what is the real cost. As we found out in the book and the movie Soylent Green (although referred to a Soylent Steaks in the novel) was not made out of natural things as we call it. Thorn would discover that Soylent company, who released Soylent Red and Yellow made the more flavorful version in Soylent Green, but at a cost! Soylent Green was made out of dead people!
Now Soylent Green is 70s science fiction movie making at it's finest. With Heston and Robinson leading a cast of great including; Leigh Taylor-Young (I Love You, Alice B. Toklas), Chuck Connors (The Rifleman), Joseph Cotten (Citizen Kane), Brock Peters (To Kill A Mockingbird) and Paula Kelly (The Andromeda Strain).
Now while Soylent Green's depiction of 2022, may be a lot bleaker that what we see in our world now. It could be just a hop skip and a jump to there with overcrowding, house rentals at an all time high, food shortages and more. Although I would doubt would would ever see the horrific revelation of Soylent Green, but you never know! Of course I would never have thought we would see a Soylent product yet here we are! I'm sure they are good and don't include people!
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