Third day into the New Beverly's 30th Anniversary where they've brilliantly programmed the theater with the same schedule that Sherman Torgan assembled in May 1978. Lotsa good stuff. Waited until the final day showing of two of my favorite 70's science fiction cautionaries, SOYLENT GREEN (1973) and WESTWORLD (1973). These were two of MGM's most successful forays into the genre, and remain minor classics of the downbeat 70's eco-sci-fi era.

My brother Scott took me to see SOYLENT GREEN when it opened and I recall these four things from that screening: 1) the dark tone 2) giant dump trucks scooping up screaming masses 3) Edward G. Robinson's "going home" sequence 4) the famous proclamation at the end. That's memorable enough but how does the film hold up? Surprisingly well given the limited creativity behind the camera and budget. It's a classically MGM studio bound production, directed with the bored eye of Richard Fleischer, the ultimate Hollywood handyman (who did a bang-up job with 20000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA). The year 2020 is depicted with all the futuristic elan of a TV film, but at least they don't bother to explain how the world works. The sense of overcrowding and monetary chaos is well conveyed and plausible. Besides, the film's best effect are Charlton Heston and Edward G. Robinson. The third in Heston's famous Apocalyptic Trilogy (PLANET OF THE APES (1967); THE OMEGA MAN (1972), he plays a rather thuggish simple detective in a world where you might lose your job in a few weeks if you don't deliver and you pay off your captain with stolen booty. And speaking of, Leigh Taylor Young is fetching in the somewhat thankless role of "The Furniture" as the future is going to be obviously be built by men. She conveys a dignity being ordered about so much and it's a nice change in Heston's character when she tells him to stop calling her "furniture." Heston swaggers like a dolt learning how to truly think in a way few mainstream films would allow the lead.

But his human side is represented by his relationship with his researcher, wonderfully played by Robinson in his final role. Although he had to bow out of PLANET OF THE APES, it's good to see him in this as he brings the film's only heart and humor. Especially fun is when he describes the "good ol' days" when you could eat actual beef and vegetables. And Robinson has one of the most memorable final scenes an actor could ever ask for. When Sol goes "home" in the suicide center after finding ot the truth of Soylent Green, he lay surrounded by classical music and widescreen images of nature as he peacefully drifts off. Only Heston knew that Robinson had terminal cancer and his emotion as they say goodbye is genuine. The rest of the film is pop cultural history.

Time to grab a drink from the lobby and the amazing Julia invites me to try the Soylent Green and Red. Some dedicated customer has whipped up a batch of the damn things and now we're supposed to eat them without pause. I do and they're delish. So if this the future, it won't be too bad...See Craig sitting down from me and go over since he inspired me to come out tonight.

Next up is one of my real 70's favorites, WESTWORLD, written and directed by 30 year-old Michael Crichton (punk!). He tried to write it as a novel but he said it didn't work except as images (whereas JURASSIC PARK is the same story with dinosaurs -- except written as a novel). He's right as this film's fun scary premise cries out for visuals. Robot gunfighters versus weekend cowboys in a 21 century amusement park for adults? Hell yeah. For a thousand dollars a day, you too can journey to the desert outpost of Delos, where you can indulge your id in Medieval World, Future World and West World...where nothing can go wrong.

Until a line of dialogue explains that the computers may have already taken over the robot control process. Until then, the first half hour of WESTWORLD is voyeuristic fun as we watch Richard Benjamin and James Brolin bring out their inner John Wayne. Benjamin has always been one of my favorite comedic actors, and he's terrific as a naive businessman forced into real western action. Brolin is at his most charismatic as the seasoned vet of Delos. His death scene is raw and real, one of the film's highlights. And of course, Yul Brynner rules. As "The Gunslinger," dressed in black like his character from THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, he's the first screen Terminator, an unforgetable genre icon of the decade, his intense eyes glowing as he gaits exactly like a robot programmed to kill.

The effects here are a little more advanced and clever, no doubt due to Crichton's science background. I especially love the sleek Delos shuttle that would look great done with modern efx. The effective music by Fred Karlin is a mix between goodtime cowboy movie and a jangling, discordant theme.

In my memory, I always thought the film ended with the Delos annoucer intoning "Where nothing can go wrong, go wrong, go wrong, go wrong" over Benjamin's dazed face. Not so and I'm surprised everytime. After, Craig and I duscuss how well the films hold up and they're certainly prescient in terms of Future Shock (especially Robinson's warning of "The Greenhouse Effect" in SOYLENT GREEN). I always love that the films still remind me of when I first saw them, overwhelmed by the studio shadows of the dark future but fascinated by their style and cinematic prophecy. And an era of filmmaking that Hollywood wouldn't tolerate as both films have grim, unhappy endings. It's been chill and gray here in LA, which I love, but it was good to get out and see a really fucked future to appreciate the present.

Remember when there was a draft? No? Well, there was once a draft to send youngsters over to fight commies in Vietnam. But the youngsters didn't like that nor see the war as vital. So they protested. The People In Charge didn't like that. So they sent out battalions of National Guards to quell dissent on campus. Then they killed not only dissenters, but passerbys on May 4, 1970. John Filo's famous photograph above says it all. Imagine if there was a draft today.

From the Kent May 4 Center website: As the guard reached the crest of the Blanket Hill, near the Pagoda of Taylor Hall, about a dozen members of Troop G simultaneously turned around 180 degrees, aimed and fired their weapons into the crowd in the Prentice Hall parking lot. The 1975 civil trials proved that there was a verbal command to fire.

A total of 67 shots were fired in 13 seconds. Four students: Allison Krause, Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer and William Schroeder were killed. Nine students were wounded: Joseph Lewis, John Cleary, Thomas Grace, Robbie Stamps, Donald Scott MacKenzie, Alan Canfora, Douglas Wrentmore, James Russell and Dean Kahler. Of the wounded, one was permanently paralyzed, and several were seriously maimed. All were full-time students.

Caught the 8:30 show at the Grove (ugh) with Michael and Susan. No problem getting seats, but it did fill up. New Adam Sandler trailer -- DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN -- looks utterly bizarre: middle eastern secret agent escapees to New York to become hairdresser. Who thinks up these plot devices? The crowd laughed at the violence, not the jokes about hair styling. Ah, next trailer. Dr. Jones! Indy! Don't care for how the trailer is cut together (a dying art) but there's hope galore. Spielberg directing an all-out action film in the 21st century is good news. I'm sold.

Then...IRON MAN.

Greatest. Superhero. Casting. Ever. I was sold on this the second I heard Downey was going to be Shellhead and he does not disappoint. While the comic book's Tony Stark is a bit more sophisticated (Clooney woulda been perfect 10 years ago), Downey nails the character's self-absorption and confident flipness. A little glib goes a long way, but once Downey's Stark sees the brutal results of his war machinery at work, his evolution is well-played. Downey can go from wise-ass to wise-man in seconds and he's particularly great in the middle section as he creates Iron Man in his lab.

Jon Favreau was a smart choice to direct as he's a geek, and happily, he doesn't much care for CG (until the end). He likes good actors and clunky robots. And Stan Winston's expert suits are pure pop masterworks of design. The movie still lacks a certain poetic spectacle that the comics have within their DNA but there are plenty of good superhero moments to savor.

IRON MAN still focuses on the characters, and Gwyneth Paltrow is perfect as Pepper Potts, Stark's pining Gal Friday. She and Downey have real chemistry and Paltrow has her own moments of action. The scene with smooth villain Jeff Bridges (lean, mean, bald and evil) circling Paltrow as she sits secretly downloading Stark's files is a dramatic highpoint of the film. Terence Howard brings a nice wide-eyed grace to Stark's best pall, James Rhodes, though I prefer the comic book's more free-wheeling version. Apparently the DOD actually had "control" over how the Air Force was presented -- Irony, man. As for Shaun Toub as the scientist imprisoned with Stark in the opening, he's wonderful and his final scene is perhaps the film's emotional peak. Stan Lee? His best cameo.

Biggest gripes? The way-too-much-explosion climax. Explosions are not exciting anymore. Stop. IM also hurts from the lack of a great score. By now, you'd think composers would be stompin' to write some great superhero themes. But the soundtrack is all over the place. Still, as a suburban metalhead and fan of David Micheline's re-invention of Iron Man in the 80's, I had always envisioned a future IM film using Black Sabbath's iconic song. Here we are into a new century, and it's some kind of comic book closure to hear it finally used to clever perfection at the end.

I also recall the first time I noticed Robert Downey Jr, as an actor, in the otherwise limp LESS THAN ZERO as he stole the movie and made me think he was somebody to watch. IRON MAN is certainly in the pantheon of terrific comic book films and hopefully future installments will improve. There's good stuff here. When Terence Howard gazes over Downey in the Iron Man suit and tells him, "That's the coolest thing I've ever seen," you believe it.

And stay through the credits for a peek into the Marvel Universe film future. Excelsior!

Shocking. Positively shocking:

WASHINGTON - The White House said Wednesday that President Bush has paid a price for the "Mission Accomplished" banner that was flown in triumph five years ago but later became a symbol of U.S. misjudgments and mistakes...

While the media elites try to makes us revel in the staggering trivia of Wright Is Wrong, the real headlines should read: President Bush Becomes Will Ferrell Clone at Press Conference: Cackles "This is awesome" As Reporter Gets Her Mic Cut."