# 70's eco-friendly space movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 7, 2003, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602 "2003-08-07T15:34:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![acrossthesea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@acrossthesea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acrossthesea)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/1 "2003-08-07T15:34:10Z")
My mother loved this movie and used to watch it whenever it was on tv or rent it or something. It was from the 70’s and was about a man who lived in a space ship with a bunch of robots. His space ship was a giant park or forest. The reason for this I believe was because all the parks on earth had been destroyed and this was the last one, floating in space. I think there were no people with him, just robots. I’m positive some tragedy happened at the end to the robots, the man, or his ship. The man had really curly hair. Anyone know it? ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/2 "2003-08-07T15:46:00Z")
Sounds like [_Silent Running_](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0067756). ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/3 "2003-08-07T15:48:38Z")
As soon as I saw the thread title, I knew it had to be [Silent Running](http://www.imdb.com/Title?0067756) ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/4 "2003-08-07T15:52:02Z")
And, if you’re curious as to what it’s basically about: The main character is a caretaker on a spaceship that is one of a few that house the only remaining trees in existance. The government decides it’s too expensive to maintain, so it orders the ships flown into Jupiter and destroyed. The main character takes over his ship to prevent this from happening to the last trees. ---
**Author:** ![acrossthesea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@acrossthesea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acrossthesea)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/5 "2003-08-07T16:15:10Z")
Ah, yes that is it! Thanks a lot! ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/6 "2003-08-07T19:06:04Z")
I too, immediately thought of Silent Running when I saw the thread title. I wonder when I last saw that movie. Also, how much was Lucas inspired by the robots? You know, R2-D2’s parents? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/7 "2003-08-07T19:25:33Z")
I also immediately thought of silent running when I saw the title. I actually saw it in the theater in the 70’s. It was part of a double-bill. The other movie was actually the one I wanted to see, but I can’t remember what it was. I’m pretty sure that it was also Sci Fi. I think it may have been a Star Trek movie, or possibly a Star Wars. Does anyone remember? I don’t know if it was double-billed nationwide or just in the Philly area, or maybe just at the one theater. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/8 "2003-08-07T20:55:42Z")
I immediately thought of Silent Running. But that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/9 "2003-08-07T21:02:02Z")
This movie has come up twice in the last week for me. The other day I heard Peter Schickele talking about it on his public radio show. He wrote the score for the film, and it was interesting to hear him discuss the choices and challenges of the project. I found the film itself a little dull. Also, Bruce Dern is creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/10 "2003-08-07T22:34:35Z")
I remember back in the 70’s when I was a kid during a sleep over, Friday night …no school !!! Two movies were on that night Silent Running and Killdozer. We chose to watch Killdozer then finished up with the last half hour of SR, fond memories. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/11 "2003-08-07T22:55:53Z")
Killdozer! Man, did I love that hunk of cheese when I was a kid! Musta seen it a dozen times! What the hell was I thinking? And, yeah, Silent Running was actually pretty dull. The only cool parts were the buggies they raced around and the robot that got lost in the storm. His little feet were all that was left of him! Damn near almost always made you want to cry! ☹ * * * Actual headline: “Church ends probe of Gay Bishop” ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/12 "2003-08-08T00:57:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gatopescado \* > \*\*Killdozer! Man, did I love that hunk of cheese when I was a kid! Musta seen it a dozen times! > > What the hell was I thinking? > > And, yeah, Silent Running was actually pretty dull. The only cool parts were the buggies they raced around and the robot that got lost in the storm. His little feet were all that was left of him! Damn near almost always made you want to cry! ☹ > > \*\* Naw the poker game with the robots cheating was priceless. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/13 "2003-08-08T02:07:40Z")
I really liked Silent Running, though it’s been years since I’ve seen it. The public television station here used to show great movies during the year, but alas, no more. I saw many classic sci-fi movies (Silent Running, Tron, 2001, Logan’s Run, Planet of the Apes) for the first time on public television. They don’t run those movies anymore. _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/14 "2003-08-08T03:20:24Z")
They used to run movies like that on privately-owned independent TV stations too (usually in the middle of the day or night when ratings were guaranteed to be at low ebb). No more, though. Nowadays it’s all infomercials for herbal remedies that have not been approved by the FDA. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/15 "2003-08-08T03:42:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by acrossthesea \* > My mother loved this movie and used to watch it whenever it was on tv or rent it or something. It was from the 70’s and was about a man who lived in a space ship with a bunch of robots . . . I think there were no people with him, just robots. Were their names Gypsy, Crow, and Tom Servo? ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/16 "2003-08-08T03:42:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by acrossthesea \* > My mother loved this movie and used to watch it whenever it was on tv or rent it or something. It was from the 70’s and was about a man who lived in a space ship with a bunch of robots . . . I think there were no people with him, just robots. Were their names Gypsy, Crow, and Tom Servo? ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/17 "2003-08-08T12:33:14Z")
One of the things that always impressed me about _Silient Running_ was the exterior shots of the space ship. The ship was . . . _silent_. No rumbling or zooming sound effects. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/18 "2003-08-08T13:14:00Z")
Alas, **PoorYorick** , that’s not too surprising. “Silent Running” was directed by Douglas Trumbull, who had been the Special Photographic Effects Supervisor on “2001: A Space Odyssey”, and Kubrick and Clarke worked to keep the effects in that movie as scientifically valid as possible. (Well, up to a point, anyway.) ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/19 "2003-08-08T13:21:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PoorYorick \* > \*\*One of the things that always impressed me about _Silient Running_ was the exterior shots of the space ship. The ship was . . . _silent_. No rumbling or zooming sound effects. \*\* Douglas Trumbull did the FX, IIRC – he did the same for _2001_’s “Discovery”. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2003, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602/20 "2003-08-08T13:23:30Z")
_Damn you, **RobotArm** , and your hamsters too!!!_ 😛 😉 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/70s-eco-friendly-space-movie/193602.md?page=2)