Zardoz

Director: John Boorman

Overview

"Director John Boorman (Deliverance, Point Blank, Hope and Glory) examines his own Shangri-La in this highly unusual cult film. The disc presents it in widescreen anamorphic (aspect ratio of 2.35:1) with audio choices of English in Dolby Digital 3.0 and F

Product Details

Release Date:	05/22/2007
UPC:	0024543013051
Original Release:	1973
Rating:	R
Source:	20th Century Fox
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:46:00
Sales rank:	18,067

Special Features

"Anamorphic widescreen [aspect ratio 2.35:1]","Interactive menus","Scene selection","Audio: English 3.0 Surround, French stereo","Subtitles: English, Spanish","Director's commentary","Radio spots","Still gallery","Theatrical trailer"

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Sean Connery	Zed
Charlotte Rampling	Consuella
Sara Kestelman	May
Sally Anne Newton	Avalow
John Alderton	Amy
Niall Buggy	Arthur Frayn
Bosco Hogan	George Saden
Jessica Swift	Apathetic
Bairbre Dowling	Star
Christopher Casson	Vieux scientifique
Reginald Jarman	La Mort,Death
Katrine Boorman	Young Eternal (flashback scene),Young Eternal (flashback scene),Farming Brutal Shot by Zed/Zardoz Mask & Head Model
David De Keyser	Tabernacle
David Munrow	Composer

Technical Credits

John Boorman

John Boorman	Screenwriter,Producer
Gerry Johnston	Special Effects
Charles Staffell	Special Effects
Jim Atkinson	Sound Effects
Liam Saurin	Sound Effects,Sound/Sound Designer
Miriam Brickman	Casting
Doug Turner	Sound/Sound Designer

Scene Index

Side #1 --
0. Scene Selection
1. The Puppet Master [:15]
2. Zardoz Speaks (Main Titles) [1:25]
3. The Itruder [5:09]
4. The Vortex [:30]
5. Zed's Memories [3:30]
6. Monster in Our Midst [4:00]
7. Time for Work [3:18]
8. Analyzing the Brutal [4:19]
9. Eternals & Apathetics [4:08]
10. Further Analysis [2:44]
11. The Vote [:36]
12. The Gift of Death [2:32]
13. The Truth [3:25]
14. You Are the One [2:09]
15. The Hunted [3:01]
16. The Bringer of Life [4:22]
17. From Out of Time [1:30]
18. The Crystal [4:50]
19. Come from the Dead [1:10]
20. Consuella's Gift [4:14]
21. See into the Crystal [7:01]
22. Voice of the Turtle [:32]
23. Death Approaches [4:02]
24. Life Unto Death [2:34]

Menu

Side #1 --
Language Selection
Extra Features
Theatrical Trailer
Commentary by Director John Boorman
Commentary On
Commentary Off
Still Gallery
Production Photos & Concept Art
Lobby Cards & Publicity Photo
One Sheets & Press Book
Fox Films
Alien Nation
Aliens
Enemy Mine
Independance Day
The Abyss
Radio Spots
Beyond 1984 - 60 Seconds
Third Death - 60 Seconds
Beyond 1984 Alternative - 60 Seconds
Third Death Alternative - 60 Seconds
Beyond 1984 - 30 Seconds
Third Death - 60 Seconds
Play Movie

Editorial Reviews

This infamous sci-fi opus is one of those rare cult films that actually lives up to its hype. Unfortunately for Zardoz, its hype is double-edged -- this film is just as infamous for being muddled and self-indulgent as it is for being daring and brainy. The trouble begins at script level; John Boorman has packed his film with about three or four movies' worth of intriguing ideas, but this abundance of concepts comes at the expense of characterization depth and coherent storytelling. Boorman's direction is surprisingly uneven; many sequences are striking but just as many fall flat due to poor direction of extras and abrupt, indifferent transitions from one scene to the next. Also, like many science fiction films of the 1970s, the vision of futuristic design in Zardoz is so closely linked to the styles of its own era that its look has dated badly. However, Zardoz is not unwatchable despite such flaws. For one thing, all of the lead performances are quite good: Sean Connery gives a committed performance in an unusual role that is light years away from James Bond, and British stage vets like John Alderton and Sara Kestelman give straight-faced, serious performances that make the script's more out-there moments play in a believable fashion. Zardoz further benefits from a genuine sense of unpredictability -- it's virtually impossible to guess what strange event or otherworldly concept will be thrown your way next. It's a shame this sense of daring couldn't have been applied to a more focused, consistent story. To sum up, Zardoz is a brave misfire that might intrigue sci-fi cultists but is likely to confuse and confound most other viewers.