The Hellstrom Chronicle
Promotional film poster
Directed byEd Spiegel
Walon Green
Written byDavid Seltzer
Produced byDavid L. Wolper
Walon Green[1]
StarringLawrence Pressman
CinematographyHelmuth Barth
Walon Green
Vilis Lapenieks
Ken Middleham
Edited byJohn Soh
Music byLalo Schifrin
Production
company
Distributed byCinema 5 Distributing
Release date
  • June 28, 1971 (1971-06-28)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1.5 million[2]

The Hellstrom Chronicle is an American film released in 1971 which combines elements of documentary, horror and apocalyptic prophecy to present a gripping satirical depiction of the struggle for survival between humans and insects. It won both the 1972 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and BAFTA Award for Best Documentary. It was conceived and produced by David L. Wolper,[3] directed by Walon Green[4] and written by David Seltzer, who earned a Writers Guild of America Award nomination for his screenplay.

Plot

Fictional scientist Dr. Nils Hellstrom guides viewers throughout the film. He claims, on the basis of scientific-sounding theories, that insects will ultimately win the fight for survival on Earth because of their adaptability and ability to reproduce rapidly and that the human race will lose the fight largely because of excessive individualism. The film combines short clips from horror and science fiction movies with extraordinary camera sequences of butterflies, locusts, wasps, termites, ants, mayflies, other insects rarely seen before on film and insectivorous plants/insects.[5]

Cast

Production

Technical advisers Roy Snelling and Charles Hogue were entomologists at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History.

Reception

Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 75% score based on reviews from 8 critics.[6]

Green later called it "almost yellow-journally but good. We were giving the audience an elbow to the ribs every third line."[7]

Awards

Home video

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray January 10, 2012 from Olive Films.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ Documentary Winners: 1972 Oscars
  2. ^ Donahue, Suzanne Mary (1987). American film distribution : the changing marketplace. UMI Research Press. p. 296. Please note figures are for rentals in US and Canada
  3. ^ Chicago Reader
  4. ^ Spectacle Theater
  5. ^ AllMovie
  6. ^ "The Hellstrom Chronicle (1971)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  7. ^ "Swarming the Field: Bugs, Nazis, and The Hellstrom Chronicle". Grantland. Retrieved 2012-09-29.
  8. ^ "Glenn Erickson: The Hellstrom Chronicle". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  9. ^ 1972|Oscars.org
  10. ^ DVD Savant Review

External links

Awards for The Hellstrom Chronicle
Categories