Silent Running (1972) ***1/2

1972’s Silent Running is a heartfelt reflection about the fragile relationship between the natural and technological world, and the need for conservation. Visual effects master Douglas Trumbull’s directorial debut (one of only two films he helmed) was also Michael Cimino’s first screen credit as a writer. SR was a box office flop and its budgetary restrictions are sometimes evident but it boasts impressive miniature work and immersive production design nonetheless. An intimate and melancholic cult classic with an affective and impassioned performance by lead Bruce Dern, it carries a still-relevant message regarding climate change.

Recommended for fans of  2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) (review), Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977) (review), and Blade Runner (1982) (review).