Blog From The Bench

I don't know why or how I escaped seeing Zardoz this long, but somehow I did. It's odd because I love Sci Fi, adore John Boorman, and think Sean Connery is nifty in just about anything. So Netflix sent me a copy of the film, and I just had to sing the praises of getting to see Sean Connery in a red diaper running around a world in the future where Charlotte Rampling has "the looks that kill".

Could there possibly be a more silly sci fi romp from the '70s? Burt Reynolds was originally cast as Zed, but he had to back out at the last minute (he worked with Boorman on Deliverance). Connery was having a hard time after Bond, and Boorman got him on the cheap to run around in the skimpy costume which looks like a male Vampirella outfit to my eyes. Connery struts and preens as if he were still in the trademark tux he wore for so many years. He's the ultimate male peacock, and I love the fact he's playing an Irish brutal with a Scottish accent. The man refuses to be anyone but himself in any role, and you gotta admit that is the mark of a true STAR. Screw talent, he knows he's more interesting than just about any character a screenwriter can dream up.

The movie is a total gas, but it also has some serious things to say about organized religion. Nice thing is - it's all fantasy, so very hard to get worked up about it when it drives a point home. But I can clearly see why GoBear (from the boards) would dig it. It makes a great bookend to Logan's Run since it deals with a group that "lives forever" and compares well to the whole "life ends at 30" rule of the other film.

There's something about pre Star Wars '70s Sci Fi that is just beautiful to watch. Boorman is the king of it, and he has a unique look to this film that spilled over in to the more well-known Excalibur. The "teaching" sequence is mind-blowing with a simple use of naked bodies and slide and film projectors to accomplish what would now be done with a lot of CGI.

Sci Fi geeks should definitely put this one at the top of their rental lists, and anyone who has a hankering to see Sean Connery or Charlotte Rampling in some VERY revealing outfits will be thrilled too. You can't beat Zardoz for the value. It also comes with a wonderful commentary from Boorman who always does an amazing job on his DVDs.