Harrison Bergeron (1995) (TV)

Director:

Bruce Pittman

Writers:

Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (story)
Arthur Crimm (writer)

Release Date:

13 August 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Welcome to the future. It's a no-brainer.

Plot:

"All men are not created equal. It is the purpose of the Government to make them so." This is the premise...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Short Story | Reference To Beethoven | Equality | Television | Dystopia

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Sean Astin	...	Harrison Bergeron
Miranda de Pencier	...	Phillipa
Eugene Levy	...	President McCloskey
Howie Mandel	...	Charlie (of 'Chat with Charlie')
Andrea Martin	...	Diana Moon Glampers
Christopher Plummer	...	John Klaxon
Nigel Bennett	...	Dr. Eisenstock
Peter Boretski	...	Newman
David Calderisi	...	Commissioner Benson
Emmanuelle Chriqui	...	Jeannie
Hayden Christensen	...	Eric
Cindy Cook	...	Weatherperson
Roger Dunn	...	George Bergeron
Jayne Eastwood	...	Ms. Newbound
Hal Eisen	...	TV Announcer - San Quentin

Also Known As:

Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

MPAA:

Rated R for language, and for some sexuality and violence.

Runtime:

USA:99 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Ontario, Canada

Company:

Atlantis Films

Quotes:

Harrison Bergeron: Anyway, I don't think you're all that stupid.
Alma Starbuck: Thanks! Well I don't think that you're all that smart.

Movie Connections:

Features It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Soundtrack:

Only Hope

A vision of the future

Kurt Vonnegut's story turned into an intriguing movie. Not a sci-fi classic but worthy of particular praise for its grim vision of the future. Not a future dominated by machines because man has taught them to evolve (Terminator), nor a future inhabited by docile, lazy epicures who have even lost the ability to read (The Time Machine). This is somewhere in between, a future where the average prevails and where excellence is looked upon with scorn.

After a second civil war, America's leaders have realised that war is idealistic, so they look to an age where ideology was at its lowest point. The golden age of mass consumerism - the 1950s. Children are taught at school to achieve mediocrity, grade C is best, grade A is very bad. Adults are force fed tv with no stimulating content, and strive to buy the newest durable product they see advertised. All brain patterns are controlled by thought suppressing headbands.

The premise is marvellous and keeps the viewer hooked. It is darkly comic, but seriously thought provoking. Not brilliantly acted but certainly worth a look.