Matt Page- Zardoz

So, to be honest, this film pretty much blew my mind. I wasn’t too sure to laugh at some points or just sit in awe at what was going on. Any film that opens with a floating stone head declaring "The penis is evil! The gun is sacred!" is definitely not your daddy's Flash Gordon adventure. Throw in Sean Connery in a red loincloth/diaper outfit and a bevy of English actresses who are almost constantly losing their tops and you've got one strange night at the movies. Although there were these moments that made you scratch your head, I saw many moments that not only carried much symbolism, but some scenes that could be thought of so abstractly that it made it difficult for me to understand fully what was going on. One theme that seemed evident toward the end of the film was that of the genesis seen in the bible. We see the vortex destroyed but also a new beginning with the rebirth of a new civilization. Also one of the themes we have seem throughout many films semester are certain individuals playing god. It seems that in this movie we see the biggest consequence. First those in the vortex are given eternal life, which eventually turns out to be a curse to the civilization. They lose many of the senses they once had and actually begin to want death brought upon them. In the end the barbarians kill them and their civilization is brought to an end. Overall, I thought the film was an excellent way to end the semester.