Tweekums In a distant future, after the end of society as we know it, humanity is divided. A small number, the Eternals who are now immortal, live within the Vortex while outside the Brutals live. Those in the Vortex still need food and the Brutals provide it; giving food to the floating stone head, which they believe is Zardoz, their god, which takes it to the Vortex. Zed is one such brutal but he learns the truth about Zardoz and sets about getting into the Vortex. Once there he learns that life for the Eternals is far from idyllic; they are bored and many yearn for death. Others see Zed as a threat to their existence and want him killed.This is very much a film of the early seventies with its trippy visuals and general feel. The story itself is solid enough with its suggestion that eternal life would be more of a curse than a blessing. This depiction of immortality is well thought out with those who transgress being aged further but never dying and others being so apathetic that they barely move. Outside we see that the Brutals are far more 'alive' despite the violent way they are forced to live. I liked the way the invention of Zardoz is explained and how Zed learns the truth. On the downside the costumes are a bit of a distraction with Sean Connery's Zed wearing little more than a pair of red swimming trunks for most of the film and a distinctly hippyish look for the Eternals. The acting was okay although leads Sean Connery and Charlotte Rampling have both done better. Overall I wouldn't say this is a must see unless you are a Connery completist or are a fan of somewhat camp sci-fi.

verytea244 Pauline Kael referred to this film as a "lushly photographed piece of twaddle," and, of course, she was right about everything.

slightlymad22 Zardoz (1973)Plot In A Paragraph: In the distant future, Zed (Connery) a savage trained only to kill finds a way into the community of bored immortals that alone preserves humanity's achievements.Director John Boorman started to write Zardoz while preparing to adapt The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, but when the studio became hesitant about the cost of producing film versions of Tolkien's books, Boorman continued to be interested in the idea of inventing a strange new world, and pressed ahead with this one. After the success of his last movie Deliverance, he was allegedly given Carte Blanc to do as he wanted on the movie by 20th Century Fox. And it shows. Originally, Burt Reynolds was cast in the lead role (having just worked with Boorman) but had to pull out due to an injury and was replaced by Connery for $200,000. Allegedly Boorman never got over it, and thought Reynolds had let him down. As a Reynolds fan, I'm glad he didn't do it. It is awful. Truly awful. All actors have a real stinker or two in their resume, and This is one Connery's. There was not much for Connery to do but lend his physical presence to the role. He made his first entrance, firing his gun straight into the camera (deliberately recalling Bond) He was in excellent shape and ware very little (and orange line cloth and thigh high boots) for the third non Bond movie he was sporting a mustache, and this time he If you want to see Connery in a wedding dress, this may be the movie for you. I can safely say, I'll probably die, having never rewatched this movie again!!On a budget of $1.5 million Zardoz grossed $1.8 million at the domestic box office.

bournemouthbear Zardoz (1974)Set in the year 2293 Zardoz sees society split between the hippy-like 'Eternals' and the poverty-stricken Brutals. The Eternals have established a new order, following the breakdown of civilzation, and are separated by the more undesirable elements of society, the Brutals, by a force field called The Vortex. For The Eternals there's is no illness and no death, hence their name. They are immortal - well, pretty much but this comes at a price. The Eternal males can no longer achieve erection and therefore no future offspring and frankly look too effete to be up for the challenge either way.They have established and control The Tabernacle, an artificial intelligence similar to the Internet now although without irritating pop-up advertisements and each Eternal is linked to The Tabernacle via a crystal surgically-implanted in their forehead. This enables them to tap into the vast source of information the artificial intelligence holds whenever they chose. The Eternals also wear a communication ring that permits them to issue orders and transmit holograms.There's another downside to being an Eternal. If the others consider you too independent in actions and thinking then you will be banished and your aging process speeded up. You'd end up banished to an old people's home, labelled a Renegade and become senile very very quickly.The Eternals don't have much time for those that live on the other side of the Vortex turning a blind eye to their poverty and sickness. The Brutals are kept in line by a massive floating head, a false god named Zardoz that barks out little nuggets of information such as 'the penis is evil' and 'the gun is good' thus encouraging them not to breed but to kill instead. This mantra keeps the number of Brutals down and therefore ensures that the Eternals life of luxury will never be threatened.Sean Connery stars as Zed, both a Brutal and an executioner of other Brutals. He sneaks into the floating stone head that is represents Zardoz and is taken back through the Vortex to The Eternals. He is found and captured by the Eternals who are both repelled and fascinated by him in equal measure - hardly surprising some are fascinated by him given what a hunk he is, adorned in just a red loin-cloth.Eternal May (Sara Kestelman) is keen to study Zed. She discovers that he is a genetic mutant with the scope to become even more intelligent that the Eternals are. Consuella (Charlotte Rampling) sees Zed as a threat to the Eternals' way of life shooting Zed continually filthy looks lest we, the viewer, forget how she feels about him. However a male Eternal, named 'Friend' (John Alderton), sees Zed as a servant and effectively employs him as such. As Zed begins to learn more about the Eternals, himself and The Tabernacle the scene is set for a showdown.Boorman was looking for a project following the cancellation of his intended adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Following the terrific critical and financial success that Deliverance (1972) afforded him Boorman could make pretty much anything he wanted. And he did. He wrote Zardoz. Boorman originally had his Deliverance star Burt Reynolds in mind for the lead. Reynolds was unable to commit due to illness so in stepped Sean Connery, three years after his last official outing as James Bond, marking a complete departure careerwise for the legendary Scot. This change of pace for Connery obviously appealed to him as he went on to dabble with the sci-fi and the fantastical again in the likes of Time Bandits (1981) and Outland (1981).John Boorman's Zardoz is a remarkable amalgamation of elements from A Clockwork Orange, 1984 and Planet of the Apes that, despite its influences, still plays as a unique viewing experience. Complemented by wonderful photography (from 2001: A Space Odyssey's Geoffrey Unsworth) and incredible imagery Zardoz exhibits an imagination that lacks now in mainstream sci-fi following the advent of Star Wars A New Hope. From semi-naked people draped over the imagination sets to Sean Connery in a red loin-cloth, and a rather absurd pony-tail, everything looks absurd. It shouldn't work but somehow it does.Zardoz has become a cult movie following a poor box office showing and being panned by critics upon its initial release. Brave, indulgent and full of invention Boorman's film loses its own thread towards the end drowning a little in a kind of hippie philosophy but it's still jaw- dropping stuff. There's some rather surprising moments, such as where Charlotte Rampling's character looks to turn Connery on with some saucy imagery only to find that he is more aroused by her, meaning that the film still feels fresh regardless of the dated hippy imagery. Recommended.Check out more of my reviews at www.mybloodyreviews.com