Episode 76: Rollerball

Welcome To The Party Pal: The Mind-Bending Film & Television Podcast You Didn't Know You Needed!

This episode of Welcome To The Party Pal thoroughly explores the 1975 science fiction sports film Rollerball, directed and produced by Norman Jewison. Rollerball stars James Caan, John Houseman, Maud Adams, John Beck, Moses Gunn and Ralph Richardson. The screenplay was written by William Harrison, and adapted from his own short story entitled "Roller Ball Murder.” The captivating and poignant film takes place in a corporate-controlled future where an ultra-violent sport known as Rollerball occupies the world's attention, and its most powerful athlete is out to defy those who want him out of the game. In this episode, hosts Michael Shields and Christian Niedan meticulously examine the thought-provoking themes present in Rollerball, such as the biting commentary it makes concerning corporations and their expanding power and influence, the ills of blood sports, and the power of knowledge in regards to who controls that information. They also celebrate the committed stuntmen that were the foundation of the film, the brilliance of the films director Norman Jewison, and so much more!

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