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Zardoz | 
 enlarge | Actors: John Alderton, Daisy Boorman, Katrine Boorman, Telsche Boorman, Niall Buggy
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Category: DVD
List Price: $9.98
Buy New: $4.70
You Save: $5.28 (53%)
New (42) Used (23) Collectible (1) from $4.50
Rating:  126 reviews
Sales Rank: 11811
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 105 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.3
MPN: D2001305D
UPC: 024543013051
EAN: 0024543013051
ASIN: B000059HAE
Theatrical Release Date: February 6, 1974
Release Date: March 27, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New and Factory Sealed Item Fast Shipping
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
A bewigged Sean Connery is Zed, a savage "exterminator" commanded by the mysterious god Zardoz to eliminate Brutals, survivors of an unspecified worldwide catastrophe. Zed stows away inside Zardoz's enormous idol (a flying stone head) and is taken to the pastoral land of the Eternals, a matriarchal, quasi-medieval society that has achieved psychic abilities as well as immortality. Zed finds as much hope as disgust with the Eternals; their advancements have also robbed them of physical passion, turning their existence into a living death. Zed becomes the Eternals' unlikely messiah, but in order to save them--and himself--he must confront the truth behind Zardoz and his own identity inside the Tabernacle, the Eternals' omnipresent master computer. A box office failure, John Boorman's Zardoz has developed a cult following among science fiction fans whose tastes run toward more cerebral fare, such as The Andromeda Strain and Phase IV. An entrancing if overly ambitious (by Boorman's own admission) film, Zardoz offers pointed commentary on class structure and religion inside its complex plot and head-movie visuals; its healthy doses of sex and violence will involve viewers even if the story machinations escape them. Beautifully photographed near Boorman's home in Ireland's Wicklow Mountains by Geoffrey Unsworth (2001), its production design is courtesy of longtime Boorman associate Anthony Pratt, who creates a believable society within the film's million-dollar budget. The letterboxed DVD presentation includes engaging commentary by Boorman, who discusses the special effects (all created in-camera) as well as working with a post-Bond Connery. --Paul Gaita
Description
Two societies, one intellectual (the Eternals) and the other physical (the Brutals) live side by side but never meet. Sean Connery is a Brutal out to shake things up.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 121 more reviews...
Somewhat overwhelming October 2, 2008
PolarisDiB (Southwest, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Considering a title like "Zardoz" and a cover featuring Sean Connery in what looks like a red diaper, this movie has a lot more seriousness and quality going for it. It is 70s science fiction: glitzy, ridiculous special effects providing a medium for real social commentary. The thing is, though, Boorman plays up the surreal and Carnivalesque in this movie, resulting in something closer to a fever dream than escapist fantasy. Re-introducing the social commentary results in a movie that is compelling and maddening all at once.
If a viewer gets past the opening and the following introduction of Zardoz the giant gun-giving clay head without thinking that something is amiss, they probably aren't actually taking the movie seriously enough on its own terms, and from there it's pretty easy to get lost. What we have here is an abject reversal of the Adam and Eve/Fall from Eden story. A futuristic society that has achieved immortality through the Tree of Knowledge, and thus created their own god, now obsesses over reclaiming death before apathy or senility overtakes their entire culture. Thus they set Zardoz the false god into the barbarian lands to both control the population and genetically direct the birth of a Savior or Son to come and reteach them the means to eventual death. This One is Zed, played by Sean Connery. It's also a commentary on classism. There's some aspects of male sex wish fulfillment. And old people running around in Halloween costumes while aristocrats destroy works of art.
Personally, I found it more overwhelming than campy, which is not exactly the way many people approach this movie. I do agree that in many ways it's very silly, but some of those arguments -- poor acting, dry delivery, random shoutouts of philosophy -- could easily be attributed to The Matrix if you think about it. Remember that this is the director that made Deliverance and Point Blank. These movies are genre thrillers with a special and idiosyncratic form of anxiety setting them over the edge from simple entertainment.
--PolarisDiB
 Zardoz DVD September 29, 2008
Imzadi's Dad (Washington, DC)
Sean Connery is excellent in all of his movies. This vision of the future was well done, very imaginative.
What in tarnation?!? September 22, 2008
J. Jones (Los Gatos, Ca. USA)
A complicated plot to say the least, flying stone head, hippy overtones, goofy special effects, freckle faced actors,and.... SEAN CONNERY? By George this is just about the kookiest movie there is! Having said that it is one of my favorites, perhaps because I saw it in the theater when it came out and it reminds me of those days. Very enjoyable movie but you may have to watch it a few times to figure the whole thing out.
Not much in the way of special features but a fun movie at a great price!
Recommended!
 Zardoz the Weirdo September 6, 2008
Kent E. Gladstone
I love British film, and their quirky humor. Of course, like all SciFi, there's a message, which in this case was melodramatic. Do we really want to ... (don't want to give away the what we want). It's all silliness, and somehow Sean Connery fits the part perfectly. The cinematography could have improved, and it was obvious that it took place on English country side somewhere. If people are not brilliant, rich or the elite, are they really that stupid and ovine? I don't think so. If you like campy, this is a good one to watch with friends and make fun of,
great in theater June 26, 2008
Justin Ahlers (rapid city s.d.)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
well if you get a chance to see a orig. print do it.
i saw a 35mm print at a film festival in korea and it was great.
this film is very good check it out!
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