Rollerball

Synopsis: In a futuristic society where corporations have replaced countries, the violent game of Rollerball is used to control the populace by demonstrating the futility of individuality. However, one player, Jonathan E., rises to the top, fights for his personal freedom, and threatens the corporate control.
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Sport
Director(s): Norman Jewison
Production: MGM Home Entertainment
  Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 wins & 5 nominations.
 
IMDB:
6.6
Rotten Tomatoes:
68%
R
Year:
1975
125 min
599 Views


Good evening.

Welcome to Houston, the Energy City,

home of the defending

rollerball world champions.

This key international battle

pits divisional champions Madrid

against powerful Houston.

Here they come for a standing ovation.

On the track comes Houston!

Houston, led by captain Jonathan E,

again their leading scorer this year.

OK. Let's go.

The controller indicates he is ready.

Our 30 Multivision cameras will bring you

all the thrills and excitement of this game.

Ladies and gentlemen,

our corporate anthem.

The controller tests his equipment,

readies for the start.

The firing of the test ball

will signal we're about set to go.

The controller for tonight's game -

DA Niehaus.

The officials approve play.

Each team concludes its huddle,

and the crowd cheers once again as

this Houston audience greets its team,

led by the stalwart athlete Jonathan E.

Break off. That's it, boys.

Hook it!

Now the play-by-play. Here's RD.

The computer counts down.

The ball is fired.

First period is under way

here at Houston tonight.

The first team to pick up the ball

will be on offence

and it's a pick-up by Houston!

It's picked up by BJ.

BJ moves around, manoeuvring it in

to the leading scorer Jonathan E.

Go on! Go on!

Watch him!

Jonathan E holds the ball aloft.

You must hold it in view at all times.

- Pick 'em up, pick 'em up!

- I got him, I got him.

On your right!

Jonathan moves in,

then out in front of Blue's bike.

Jonathan moves up the track

and up onto the side.

Here comes Sanchez.

Sanchez grabs Jonathan,

but off the rail comes Moonpie

and takes out four Madrid men.

The old swooper Moonpie

came right off the top of the rail

and took out four Madrid men.

The remaining Madrid skaters

defend the goal.

Jonathan still has the ball.

Moving in, he'll try to shoot.

He does! Jonathan!

He shoots and it's just wide.

- Regroup!

- The Houston team will have to regroup.

Injured on the play is Belmonte

and he's helped off the track for Madrid.

First period, no score, as we get set

for the firing of the second ball.

Oh, and he misses and it hits

the bike of Carter. Knocks Carter down.

Gimme a hand. Move out!

Jonathan is there. It is handed off.

The pass is complete to Jonathan.

- He knocks him down dead!

- Did you see that?

That should be a penalty.

The official looking over.

Keep up!

- Moon, on your left.

- Right, right!

I got him!

Break it up, break it up!

Go, Jonathan, go!

Can he give Houston the first goal?

He scores!

Yeah!

And at the end of the first period

Jonathan's goal gives Houston a 1-0 lead.

Scored by Jonathan E!

The time - first period, 12 minutes.

The ball is fired for the second period.

Madrid, trailing by one goal,

try to go on offence to tie the score.

Go, Madrid!

- Here, latch on, latch on.

- I'm with you.

Come on, Madrid, come on!

He skates up in front. Gonzales has it

for Madrid. Hands off again to Bodeus.

Bodeus, on offence for the Madrid team.

Here's the Houston defence.

It's a shot. It's low!

And down on the track goes Bodeus.

He's not injured,

but his scoring attempt failed.

And the score is still 1-0

in favour of Houston.

The ball is fired again.

Madrid is putting the pressure on.

Move it! Come on, move!

Hold on. Come on, let's move it!

- We got it now.

- Hold on, hold on.

Watch it. Keep an eye out!

Coming in now, Sanchez.

Moving to his left and right.

Has a full head of steam,

trying to tie the score.

Sanchez moves around the bike,

takes a long looping shot. He scores!

Sanchez scores for Madrid

and ties the game 1-1.

Second period.

The ball is in play again

and scooped up this time by Aston!

Three minutes. Get off!

Madrid penalty. Three minutes.

Biking misconduct on No. 1 biker.

Are you satisfied, Madrid?

What game are you guys playing?

Take it easy. Relax, you'll be all right.

The crowd's going wild, loving

this wide-open action in this game.

Skate! Skate!

Come on, goddammit, skate!

A pile-up on the track. The ball rolls free

and into the gutter. It's a dead ball.

Here, here! Come on, come on!

Off the track, off the track!

Come on, move out!

How is it, Jonathan?

- Gimme a towel, will you, Bull?

- Sure.

Come on, Dune!

Moonpie drop-kicks him!

Three-minute penalty!

Off the track! Off the track!

Group up.

Jumping over the Madrid defence,

gets up and he jams it in for the score!

Jonathan jams it in and scores

to give Houston a 2-1 lead over Madrid.

- Houston with the ball again.

- It's a bike!

Stop him!

Jonathan E has it. Jonathan

coming in low with a great manoeuvre.

He shoots, he scores!

- I love this game, Moonpie! I love it.

- Yeah!

We got two games left.

Guess who we're playing first.

Tokyo! Who'd have thought

they'd make it to the play-off?

They're good.

They got the old samurai spirit.

Yeah, but they're all about this tall.

Two or three little things

make one big one.

They're liable to climb all over you

and eat your lunch!

I can't get on a man-to-man basis

with a Pygmy or an Oriental.

I don't know what it is.

You were fine tonight, all of you.

Mean! Sharp!

- You boys did well again.

- Thank you, Mr Bartholomew.

- And you, you rolled, you really rolled.

- Yeah.

You play like our champion here.

You take lessons from him?

No, we just give lessons

to the other team!

- How are you, Jonathan?

- I'm feelin' mean, Mr Bartholomew.

- It's good to see you.

- Jonathan E, that's the name.

Houston players come and go,

but the champion plays on.

The Energy Corporation has a hard time

figuring out ways to pay the champion.

We can't think up more rewards. You'd

like us to have that problem with you?

Yes, sir!

Like Jonathan, you play with abandon.

But this is Jonathan's season.

Every season seems to be

Jonathan's season.

But this year we've got you on

Multivision. A special show all about you.

No player ever had that before.

The whole world will be watching

because this is your year.

Howdy, babe!

- So, two games left.

- That's right, Mr Bartholomew.

New York in the final!

The team seems healthy.

The champion says he feels mean.

No problems here.

- What is this? Fruit juice?

- Very healthy, Mr Bartholomew!

Sweet dreams, Moonpie.

It's a bad habit you got there.

You know what that habit

will make you dream, Moonpie?

You'll dream you're an executive.

You'll have your hands

on all the controls

and you'll wear a grey suit

and you'll make decisions.

But you know what, Moonpie?

You know what those executives dream

about, out there behind their desks?

They dream they're great rollerballers.

They dream they're Jonathan.

They have muscles.

- They bash in faces.

- Yeah!

Ready to go.

Can't keep these boys here all night.

Jonathan, come and see me tomorrow.

Good night, Mr Bartholomew.

Ssh! Quiet, quiet.

This is a great team. A great city.

Great stuff out there tonight.

- Good morning. Brutal game last night.

- Thank you.

- So it's Tokyo in the semifinals?

- That's right.

Rate this script:4.5 / 2 votes

William Harrison

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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