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Silent Running

  • 1972
  • G
  • 1h 29m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
30K
YOUR RATING
Silent Running (1972)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer2:53
2 Videos
90 Photos
DramaSci-Fi

In a future where all flora is extinct on Earth, an astronaut is given orders to destroy the last of Earth's botany, kept in a greenhouse aboard a spacecraft.In a future where all flora is extinct on Earth, an astronaut is given orders to destroy the last of Earth's botany, kept in a greenhouse aboard a spacecraft.In a future where all flora is extinct on Earth, an astronaut is given orders to destroy the last of Earth's botany, kept in a greenhouse aboard a spacecraft.

  • Director
    • Douglas Trumbull
  • Writers
    • Deric Washburn
    • Michael Cimino
    • Steven Bochco
  • Stars
    • Bruce Dern
    • Cliff Potts
    • Ron Rifkin
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.6/10
    30K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Douglas Trumbull
    • Writers
      • Deric Washburn
      • Michael Cimino
      • Steven Bochco
    • Stars
      • Bruce Dern
      • Cliff Potts
      • Ron Rifkin
    • 263User reviews
    • 125Critic reviews
    • 67Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos2

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:53
    Watch Trailer
    Trailers From Hell - Silent Running w/Edgar Wright
    Featurette 3:04
    Watch Trailers From Hell - Silent Running w/Edgar Wright

    Photos90

    Bruce Dern in Silent Running (1972)
    Silent Running (1972)
    Silent Running (1972)
    Silent Running (1972)
    Silent Running (1972)
    Silent Running (1972)
    Silent Running (1972)
    Silent Running (1972)
    Bruce Dern in Silent Running (1972)
    Bruce Dern in Silent Running (1972)
    Silent Running (1972)
    Bruce Dern in Silent Running (1972)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bruce Dern
    Bruce Dern
    • Freeman Lowell
    Cliff Potts
    Cliff Potts
    • John Keenan
    Ron Rifkin
    Ron Rifkin
    • Marty Barker
    Jesse Vint
    Jesse Vint
    • Andy Wolf
    Mark Persons
    • the grey Drone # 1 'Dewey'
    Steven Brown
    • the orange Drone # 2 'Huey'
    Cheryl Sparks
    • the orange Drone # 2 'Huey'
    Larry Whisenhunt
    • the green Drone # 3 'Louie'
    Joseph Campanella
    Joseph Campanella
    • Neal - Berkshire' Captain
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Roy Engel
    Roy Engel
    • Anderson
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Douglas Trumbull
    • Writers
      • Deric Washburn
      • Michael Cimino
      • Steven Bochco
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The three drone robots Huey, Dewey, and Louie (named after Donald Duck's nephews) were operated by four multiple-amputee actors: Mark Persons, Steve Brown, Cheryl Sparks, and Larry Whisenhunt.
    • Goofs
      In the finale, the detonator held by Lowell has a misspelled label "Nuclear Detornator."
    • Quotes

      Freeman Lowell: It calls back a time when there were flowers all over the Earth... and there were valleys. And there were plains of tall green grass that you could lie down in - you could go to sleep in. And there were blue skies, and there was fresh air... and there were things growing all over the place, not just in some domed enclosures blasted some millions of miles out in to space.

    • Alternate versions
      In the Italian version, the three drones are named after "Paperino", "Paperone" and "Paperina" ("Donald Duck", "Uncle Scrooge" and "Daisy Duck") because calling them "Qui", "Quo" and "Qua" ("Huey", "Dewey", "Louie") would have been cacophonous: "Vieni qui, Qui!" ("Come here, Huey!").
    • Connections
      Edited into The Making of 'Silent Running' (1974)
    • Soundtracks
      Silent Running
      Lyrics by Diane Lampert

      Music by Peter Schickele

      Performed by Joan Baez

    User reviews263

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Pretty Good Space and Nature Flick
    In a future where all flora is extinct on Earth, an astronaut (Bruce Dern) is given orders to destroy the last of Earth's plant life being kept in a greenhouse on board a spacecraft.

    The biggest problem with this film is the music provided by Joan Baez. Maybe in 1972 this was cool, but today (2013) it comes off as obnoxious, and it pushes the film over the boundary from "environmentalist" to "hippie", which may be a serious turn-off for many viewers.

    Beyond that, great film with Bruce Dern being his wacky self. I love his little robot pals and how he trains them to be (almost) human. The actors inside the robots deserve a lot more credit than they probably get.
    helpful•10
    2
    • gavin6942
    • Mar 27, 2013

    FAQ1

    • Are there people inside the "Drones?"

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 10, 1972 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Running Silent
    • Filming locations
      • Van Nuys Airport - 16461 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA(Dome Number 1, Interiors)
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • Trumbull/Gruskoff Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 29 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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