The Hellstrom Chronicle

I purchased the Blu Ray version on Amazon about a year ago. But, I see that the Blu Ray version is not currently offered. I think that Blu Ray was the only version offered when I purchased it.I saw the film in 1971 in the theater, and I remember it being billed as a horror film. I used to go every Saturday to see horror film matinees. This is a thing of the past. But, I remember being confused about Dr. Hellstrom. Was he real? The note at the end seemed to say he was not real. I remember thinking: we are doomed. Insects will take over the world.I never saw the film since 1971, but I had often thought about it. I looked online over the years -- but never found it until about a year ago. So, I was excited to see it again.This film is definitely a documentary, disguised a bit, to scare the viewer into thinking about the bigger picture. Everything in it is as true today as it was back in 1971. And, the photography is incredible, standing up to anything you've ever seen before on any Nature doc or Science Channel doc. That's why I was pleased to have the Blu Ray version. But, it is not widescreen, and there are no extras. Just the film.The film depicts a wide array of "monsterous" insects in their natural habitat, gorging on plants or one another or on animals. Also shown is a variety of reproduction methods used by assorted insects. All filming is ultr-close-up. Dr. Hellstrom is the narrator who explains what is going on, and who's thesis is that insects will always be here, no matter what man or nature does to destroy the earth. They simply multiply so fast that any obstacle can be solved rapidly by simply evolving to confront the obstacle. Humans, on the other hand, cannot evolve so rapidly.This is basically true. But, Dr. Hellstrom does not delve into the beneficial aspects of insects -- except briefly for bees. He presents the viewer with an endless variety of terrifyingly-efficient killer insects and relentless eaters.So, while everything he says is true, there are other reasons that we do want insects-- at least, some insects. The insect is not properly placed within the context of nature as a whole. Still, it is scary.This is an excellent film to show to high school students. It can generate a lot of thought about the place of Man in the universe, evolution, the rapidity of evolution (which is now seen by science as occurring more rapidly than previously thought), ecology, etc. The only thing fake about this film is the fictional Dr. Hellstrom.

I saw this movie back in the 70s and can only remember that I had a morbid fascination watching it. I bought it for my niece's sleepover thinking it was a great idea since these are kids knowledgeable of bugs and their environment and purposes. BIG MISTAKE. 30 minutes into the movie, and they rushed into the house because they were so grossed out. Apparently, having the kids in the backyard in sleeping bags in a tent eating a big bowl of popcorn watching millions of bugs crawl from their eggs wasn't one of my better ideas.

"The Hellstrom Chronicle" is an insect film that has deserved a DVD release for some time (not just for inspiring entomologists who lean towards the speculative literatures in their leisure hours) but the Olive Films release, while merciful, is not nearly as high of quality as it should have been. The transfer of the film is a bit grainy, a bit off color, and obviously not remastered. I am so disappointed that Green was not asked to contribute an audio commentary. I realize that sounds nerdy to some, but he is a great documentary director (known today for providing the story for Peckinpah's "The Wild Bunch") and conceptualist. He could have at least been interviewed. Why Seltzer wasn't interviewed either is still a mystery. I can't believe that there are no archived interviews about this title--it was unique in its day because it was a film (maybe the first?) that blended the genres of science fiction thriller and quasi-documentary film for a truly unique approach to crafting a film experience. The script really is fun, as it blends fact, fiction, and paranoia, as well as entomological commentary. I can't give the product (DVD) three stars--the rating that this issue deserves--because I so love the film itself--Green allows us to dip low into the insect world and, truthfully, there is never a lack of interesting images to see in this picture. Even the somewhat interjecting comments by Nils Hellstrom do not distract from the fascinating insect footage. We've seen so many improvements in close photography and computer-printed movies that it seems as if this title will only be treated as 'archaic' by film historians when they head back to it in future. But, for me, it's a timeless divergence into the little seen world of insect production and (as Seth Brundle would say) politics. Not the best DVD that we could have gotten, but at least the wait is finally over.

Ever since having viewed The Hellstrom Chronicle during its initial theater run in the U.S. in 1971 I have thought of re-watching it numerous times. I am very happy to now have this on blu-ray. The film's macrophotography in 35mm made, for that time, a truly awesome and impactful impression on me. The message of the "documentary" was also impactful, but less so. Because although I was young I still sensed the humor of the, "Well...maybe not in our lifetime" tone tittering just under the narrator's direst warnings. Perhaps I had already been by then inured to such alerts from too many PBS programs. Today's viewer, however, witnessing the apocalyptic destruction of humanity by insects would likely have an even more healthy dose of cynicism and be much less impressed due to the exponentially overwhelming number of entire cable network channels dedicated to bringing disaster programming to viewers on a daily basis. After all, how is a colony of ants rampaging against a DDT armed human more of a threat than that of a runaway asteroid or super volcano against which humanity's only response could be to just stand gaping in awe at their own imminent demise? That was what witnessing The Hellstrom Chronicle was like in 1971. It may have been a bit ahead of its time for a "documentary" film of such subtle satirical terror. But, there have been many other attempts to repeat its success and achieve its recognition for effort from an Academy Award committee. For example, An Inconvenient Truth comes to mind. Oh wait, was Al Gore serious? Well, then how about Sharknado?

Erst einmal ein großes Lob an Amazon.de, dass es diese DVD jetzt auch über den Importbereich zu kaufen gibt. Das war meinens Erachtens nicht möglich, als der Film 2011 in den USA auf DVD veröffentlicht wurde. Zum Film selbst. Ich habe ihn in den 1980er Jahren zum ersten Mal gesehen und fand zahlreiche Szenen schon damals sehr alptraumhaft und horrormässig, z.B. das systematische Attackieren und Töten von größeren Reptilien durch Treiberameisen oder den Vernichtungsflug der Heuschrecken. Jetzt beim wiedergucken ist mir klargeworden, dass der zynische Kommentar von Professor Hellstrom ein Alarmruf ist, nach dem Motto: Menschen hört auf den Planeten zu zerstören, oder ihr werdet gegen die Insekten den kürzeren ziehen. Die Kameraarbeit gehört zur Pionierarbeit der Makrophotographie.

本コーナーのレビューを拝見して視聴致しました。　英語不如意の私ですが、字幕無しの本作、実に楽しめました。　字幕に頼らずに観るとかえって解説役の昆虫学者： ヘルストロム博士(実際はローレンス・プレスマンと言う俳優)の小芝居や脚本上の作為が目立ち邪魔に思えます(映像も人が登場するシーンはBlu-Rayレベルではありません)。　主役は何と言っても昆虫を主とした小動物群とミクロな物やタイムラプス等の特殊撮影の第一人者だったケン・ミドルハムのカメラと言って良いでしょう。　彼が撮ったハキリアリ、クモの求愛、カマキリ、シロアリ、軍隊アリ、カゲロウ、芋虫から蝶の孵化と言った根気と技術を要する画像は時代を乗り越えており、後年撮られたBBCの名ドキュメンタリー「昆虫の世界(Life in the Undergrowth)」と比べても遜色無く、現在観ても非常に面白いです。　本作以外ではテレンス・マリックの｢天国の日々｣の撮影の一部と、ジャック・カーディフ監督「悪魔の植物人間」冒頭のタイムラプスや高速度撮影部分、そして本作のレビューをされているみでじゃ様が触れておられた、ソール・バス監督「フェイズ4(戦慄！昆虫パニック)」の昆虫撮影を担当しています。　ラロ・シフリンによる前衛的な主に無調の音楽も素晴らしく、シャーキーズ・マシーンで殺し屋ヘンリーシルヴァが出て来る時に流れた弦を弓でギ―と引っ掻く音楽に良く似たフレーズも聴けて興味深いです。　無脊椎動物、特に節足動物の生態は多くの人を魅了し、映画ではシュールレアリストのブニュエル監督がサイレント時代には良く自作内に挿入して居ました。　SFや怪奇映画でも動物ドキュメンタリーが挿入されるとお話の説得力が途端に増す様に思えた物です（ムルナウの｢吸血鬼ノスフェラトゥ｣、ジャック・アーノルド「世紀の怪物 タランチュラの襲撃」,e.t.c.）　作中、SF昆虫パニック映画の古典ゴードン・ダグラス監督｢放射能X｣とジョージ・パル製作、バイロン・ハスキン監督「黒い絨毯」の一部が引用されていたのは嬉しい驚きでした。　ＢＢＣの昆虫ドキュメンタリー、ピーター・グリーナウェイ監督「ZOO」の様々な動物が腐敗するシーンがお好きで未見の方がいらっしゃいましたら大いにお薦めです。　蟲が嫌いな方にはあまりお薦め致しませんが、本作を機会に少しでも興味をお持ち頂けましたら幸甚です。